FAQs

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

We’re Here to help & answer any questions you may have…

Here are some of the most popular questions answered below.

Counselling or coaching?

When comparing counselling or coaching and which might be best for you here are some key differences: 

counselling

Counselling is a form of talking therapy. During a counselling session, your therapist may take you through specific exercises designed to help with your problem, or you might have more general discussions about how you’re feeling. What you talk about will vary depend on what you want help with and the therapist’s approach. It could include:

  • your relationships
  • your childhood
  • your feelings, emotions or thoughts
  • your behaviour
  • past and present life events
  • situations you find difficult

Your therapist will be impartial but understanding. They will listen to you without judgment and help you explore your thoughts and emotions. They may offer information, but they won’t tell you what you should think or do.

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coaching

Coaching is not a therapy and is forward facing, although aspects of the past will influence the behaviours of an individual. During a coaching session, your coach will listen and ask questions. Sometimes there are particular exercises designed to support your thinking which you may choose to try. What you talk about will be what you bring to the session. It could include:

  • personal growth 
  • professional development 
  • achieving goals, behaviour changes, shifting perspectives and overall self-improvement
  • emotional and mental well-being (but it is not clinical mental health care)

A coach will listen to you without judgment and support you to explore your thoughts and emotions whilst you decide on ways forward.

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The first session is a free online conversation, the ’exploratory session’, of up to 30 minutes. It gives the chance to meet Karen or Caroline and see if you would feel comfortable to work with them. You can then decide whether to go ahead. Any questions can be answered about what happens during counselling or coaching, about bookings, costs and any queries that you have. 

The exploratory session is free (maximum 30 minutes) but it is not a counselling or coaching session. Having had the exploratory session if you decide to proceed details about prices can be found here.

Caroline and Karen operate their own bookings and timings can be discussed during the free exploratory session to find the time that will work for you. Early morning, during the day, evening or weekend are possible and sessions are usually an hour.

The first conversation is free (maximum 30 minutes) but it is not a counselling or coaching session. Having had the exploratory session if you decide to proceed details about prices can be found on our counselling and coaching pages.

We meet online via Zoom or WhereBy and/or in person in Exeter or Tiverton. Outdoor ‘walk and talk’ sessions are possible in the Mid Devon area, so please talk about this in the ‘exploratory session’ if this is important to you.

Help in a Crisis

Please note that we are not able to offer support in a crisis. If you feel you need immediate support or help to keep yourself or others safe, please contact your GP by calling 111, attend your local Emergency Department or contact Emergency Services by calling 999.

The Samaritans offer support and can be contacted on 116 123

This is a really common fear when reaching out. All therapists are ethically bound to only work within their own competence. If, when we meet, we feel there is another service or therapist who would be better placed to work with you, we will discuss this with you. We are not able to work with people who have a current substance or alcohol addiction, an eating disorder with very low current weight (such that a fuller medical team or inpatient stay would be more appropriate) or with people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. If this doesn’t apply to you and you like this website, it is likely that we could work together.

Everyone can benefit from coaching – who wouldn’t benefit from a bit of time to yourself, for yourself?  Whether to think through something in your personal or work life there’s always things we want to change, make better and achieve. And at times in life we can all benefit from counselling as we cope with the feelings of sadness, anxiety and exhaustion that the pressures of life bring. 

Coaching is forward facing, finding ways to change things for the better in our lives. If you enter the conversation with an open mind and willingness to reflect a coaching session will support your development in making the changes you identify. 

The well-known adage is ‘A problem shared is a problem halved’ and at times in life we can all become overwhelmed and some external support is invaluable. Counselling will not take a problem away but it can support you in how you respond, find ways to manage and feel better. 

We are trained to listen and will ask questions to support you in sharing your concerns. The conversation is confidential and non-judgemental. Sometimes it will be hard to talk and share feelings, the real issue may be buried away and takes a little while to be found and we are here to help you find it and support you in your development. 

We have trained with providers whose training is approved by the national bodies who oversee counselling and coaching qualifications – the BACP (British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists) and the International Coaching Federation.

Karen is a Registered Member of BACP and has:

  • Bachelor’s Degree in Modern Foreign Languages and Business. 
  • Certificate in Counselling Iron Mill College
  • Advanced Diploma in Integrative Counselling
  • Masters Degree in Psychodynamics of Human Development 

Caroline has:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Education
  • Master’s Degree in Education
  • Local Leader in Education
  • Accredited Diploma in Transformational Coaching 
  • Trauma Informed Coach, Executive Leadership Coach
  • Certificate in Counselling Iron Mill College

If you cancel or postpone an appointment with less than 48 hours notice the full session fee will apply. If you cancel or postpone an appointment with less than 5 days notice a 50% fee will apply. You can cancel an appointment free of charge up to five days before our appointment.

Information you share with us is private and confidential. Like all therapists, we may be required to break confidentiality if we consider that there is a significant risk to yourself or others. This would be with an aim of sourcing support to keep you safe or someone else safe. If this arose, we will normally discuss this with you first. All therapists are required to have regular supervision, we will not share identifiable details within supervision and our  supervisors are bound by the same professional ethical codes as we are. Please do ask more about confidentiality and information sharing if you have any concerns or questions.

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