Steve Fayers

Depending on availability my working hours are 10 a.m through to 7 p.m

Counselling is offered via Zoom or Face 2 Face.

The last session starts at 7p.m.

A session is 50 minutes long.

Holidays (school and personal) are accomodated with notification prior to commencement of the holiday.

I work On a Saturday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Please be aware that Saturdays are a.m only and attract a higher fee.

Clients have the right to finish sessions at their will. A notification is welcome. This gives an opportunity to look at what has been achieved and the work the client has done. Criticism is welcome as a counsellor can always improve.

At ODAAT Counselling I am able to offer discounts for prepaid clients. Typically I will offer 6 sessions for the price of five. If you wish to discontinue I will reimburse the number of paid sessions remaining.

I prefer to work at least once a week with clients but depending on the need I am flexible.

I endeavour to answer all calls and messages within 24 hours, often sooner, however if I am in session with a client my phone and email accounts are not operational - hence the 24 hour response time.

Having qualified as a Person Centred Counsellor I am becoming more pluralistic. This is in recognition of the fact that, with therapy, one style does not suit all. The more "tools" I have the more likely it is that I will be able to offer the client ones that work for them.

Currently I am counselling service users of 2 charities.
The 1st is Dads Unlimited and provides support to male victims of domestic violence, relationship breakdown and parental estrangement.

The 2nd charity is Sanctus whose motto is "love all, serve all". Sanctus clients have a wide range of issues such as societal estrangement, adverse childhood experiences, addiction and homelessness. Counselling is one of a variety of services offered by Sanctus.

If a client is at a stage in their life where they are seeking help then that is a good place to start.

Clients have brought issues into session ranging from anxiety, depression and life stress through to domestic violence, past trauma and adverse childhood events.

I have worked with clients experiencing work stress, climate anxiety, financial worries as well a different addiction issues. Sometimes their own and sometimes those of their nearest and dearest.

With all clients I encourage them to explain what they are experiencing, prefering to listen to the issues the client brings in their own words.

 Using techniques such as empathic listening, sandbox therapy, Non Violent Communication Cards and some psycho education I have seen how this can bring the client to a place where they are able to see their own solutions. When the client feels able to try these it leads to clients empowerment. Sometimes this works and sometimes they are felt to be ineffective. It is not about the falling down but the getting back up again. Should a clients solution be unsatisfactory we can then explore other solutions and try them.

Some of my clients have stayed the course through over 50 sessions. As such, the duration of sessions is entirely up to the client.

Working in a very Person Centred and gentle way, initially, I set out my terms. This allows the client to make informed choice and is ethically sound. My Client Registration form and Client Agreement form explain what the client can expect from me as well as what I hope the client is willing to do. This is typically letting me know if they are unable to attend, payment and where they will be should the sessions be online.

 Initially I offer a free 20 minute talk in order to see if the client feels that therapy with me is going to feel comfortable for them. I will detail my qualifications and competencies and explain how I work.

Current and previous clients have been offered a wide range of techniques and I am mindful that the client always has the choice.

Post session feedback has been quite positive about the methods and sessions.

I have the use of 2 premises and I offer the client the choice. One premise is above a busy community hub, is CCTV monitored (no audio content) and is reached after 3 flights of stares. This means it is not suitable for clients with some forms of impaired movement ability. Car parking is in a paid car park close to the premises.

The other premises are impaired movement friendly and there is free car parking availlable. The premises do not have CCTV monitoring.

The first meeting with a client is for 20 minutes and is free. In this time I explore what brings the client to therapy, why they are seeking therapy now and what the client hopes to achieve through therapy.

As such it is not a "full session" more like a "try it on to see if it fits" opportunity. I explain my way of working and the various administrative tasks necessary i.e my BACP membership, clinical supervision and record keeping.  I might briefly talk about my development as a counsellor as well.

If we both feel that we can work together then I will offer sessions at the usual rate. I do set out my terms and conditions in a formal Agreement. After a Registration Form and Client Agreement is returned, signed, then sessions can begin.

Although this initial meeting sets the scene the client is not expected to stick to what is discussed. As I have said "it sets the scene".