How and where do you meet clients?

I offer therapy in the following ways and the pros/cons, availability and appropriateness of each can be addressed before starting sessions:

• Online via Zoom, an encrypted audio/video platform considered secure for the purposes of talking therapy. Online, or remote, therapy offers a number of advantages over in-person sessions, such as greater flexibility to fit in with lifestyle commitments or working hours as well as a reduced cost of travel and time it takes to get to a session. It can also be more comfortable to meet online while at home if this can be a quiet and private space. Online therapy is no less of a commitment than other ways of meeting, it’s just different.
• Via telephone call with just audio for communication can be particularly useful for clients who struggle with eye contact, want to ‘stim’ without observation or are more comfortable if they aren’t being perceived. As with online therapy, we may not be in the same physical space but you are still supported to explore how you are feeling and I would rely on my skills to ‘observe’ verbal cues only. For overseas clients, telephone calls would take place over Zoom (audio only) or WhatsApp.
• Online and telephone counselling can help with many of the same issues as face-to-face, or in-person therapy, such as anxiety, stress, depression, self-esteem and confidence issues, loss and family relationship problems. I currently offer face-to-face/in-person therapy at a counselling centre in West Didsbury, Manchester, UK (limited availability). Meeting in the same physical space can help some clients to feel more psychologically connected to their therapist and the fact that the space is dedicated to therapy can give a sense of security, safety and free from distractions.
• Via ‘Walk & Talk’ therapy in Didsbury, Manchester, UK (subject to availability/appropriateness). Therapy that takes place outdoors can work well for those who struggle with eye contact as we walk side-by-side. Being out in nature can be a physically more relaxing experience, with movement allowing for different perspectives, to become ‘unstuck’ from thoughts or feelings that otherwise might feel immovable. ‘Walk & talk’ can be a good option for those who feel claustrophobic in an indoor space or for those unable to have privacy at home. While there are various potential health benefits, such as for mood, heart health, supporting weight loss by speeding up digestion, the talking therapy remains the focus, the physical exercise is an added bonus.