Welcome to Daldorph Counselling and Psychotherapy
A confidential space to explore your thoughts, feelings and any challenges you may be experiencing
COUNSELLING AND PSYCHOTHERAPY
Welcome, and thank you for visiting Daldorph Counselling and Psychotherapy
My name is Amy Daldorph (she/her) and I am an integrative counsellor providing both short-and long-term therapy to adults. I work face-to-face in Harpenden or online, using Zoom.
We all experience challenging times in our lives, when we may feel overwhelmed or without direction. Talking to a trained professional can help us to make sense of what we are experiencing so that we can move towards a better understanding of ourselves.
I work with people from all walks of life and backgrounds, coming to me with a diverse range of problems. As a fully-qualified counsellor I am a member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy, and abide by their code of ethics.
Making the decision to see a counsellor is a big step to take - but it can be a positive one. Please read on to find out more about how I could help you.
HOW CAN COUNSELLING HELP?
Life can be complicated and difficult at times. Sometimes we feel alone or unable to talk to our family and friends, however supportive they are. It can help to talk to someone who is outside the situation. As a counsellor my role is to provide a confidential space for you to explore your thoughts and feelings. By working together, we have an opportunity to gain fresh perspectives into your experiences. This can help you to understand how you relate to other people and what you want from your own life. I am not here to give you advice or solutions, but rather to empower you to make meaningful choices in your own life.
People come to me for all sorts of reasons. Sometimes people just want to learn more about themselves and enhance their quality of life. At other times, people come to me because they are experiencing a significant life transition or are struggling to manage a mental health problem. Here are a few of the more common difficulties that can be supported through counselling:
Feelings of stress or anxiety
Panic attacks
Relationship problems
Grief, loss or bereavement
Problems with addiction
Trauma and post-traumatic stress
Abuse
Depression
Problems with confidence or self-esteem
Issues relating to gender
Anger management
Issues relating to sexuality
Difficulties at work or in retirement
Problems with family or work
WHY CHOOSE ME?
There are lots of counsellors out there, so it can be difficult to know where to start. Research suggests that the relationship you build with your counsellor is key to the outcome of therapy, so it’s worth meeting several counsellors before choosing the one you wish to see for regular sessions.
I offer a free twenty minute phone call if you have any questions and a reduced rate for an initial assessment session. After that, you are of course free to take time to consider before you decide whether to commit to any further sessions.
Respect
I believe that every human has value and worth from when they are born. I respect your autonomy to make your own choices. You are the expert in your own life.
Empathy
I care deeply about how you feel and will walk with you as you express your feelings and experiences. If I’m not sure that I understand, I will ask. You can correct me if you feel I haven’t got it and I will be open to learning.
No Judgement
I aim to create a safe space where you can talk freely in the knowledge that you will not be judged, but rather heard and understood.
Qualifications
I have an MA and a postgraduate diploma in integrative counselling and psychotherapy from the University of East London, both of which I passed with distinction. You are welcome to ask to see my qualifications.
Experience
I have years of experience working with clients at Mind BLMK and Herts Mind Network, helping them with a wide range of mental health problems, life transitions, and other challenges.
Reliability
I understand that consistency and reliability are really important aspects of building a therapeutic relationship with you. I prioritise offering you the same time, same day, same place, so you know where you stand.
HOW DO I WORK?
My approach to therapy is integrative, which means I draw on a range of approaches to find what works best for each individual client.
It can be quite daunting to hear people talking about different types of therapy using words or acronyms you may never have heard before. A summary of the main therapeutic approaches that I use is set out below for anyone who is interested and I’m happy to answer any questions you may have about how I work. However, this is just an option for those who are interested and it is far from essential to know these terms in order to engage in therapy.
What types of therapy do I offer?
I draw on my training in a variety of therapeutic modalities but my priority is establishing a non-judgemental, empathic space so that you feel safe and comfortable to express yourself. The main models that I work with are person-centred, existential and psychodynamic but I draw on CBT techniques, Gestalt ideas, transactional analysis, and others theories where they are potentially helpful. At the heart of what I do is a respect for the autonomy and individuality of each client. If you wish to know more about any of these specific therapeutic models, please ask me.
Face-to-Face or Online Therapy:
I see clients in person at Southdown Clinic. Please see details below for location, travel and parking. I also use Zoom for online therapy sessions during which I work in my therapy room at home, which is a private, quiet and confidential space. If you have not used Zoom before, I am very happy to help you get accustomed to using it. Please ask if you would like help getting started for our sessions.
SPEAK IN CONFIDENCE
Counselling takes place in a safe space, where you can meet with someone who will listen with sensitivity and empathy - and without judgement. In the therapy space thoughts and feelings can be expressed freely and in confidence.
A PROBLEM SHARED...
Trouble with a relationship; anxiety or panic attacks; mood swings or depression - many people face difficulties in their everyday lives that can be hard to manage. Counselling gives us a set of tools we can use to help gain a better understanding of what’s causing these problems - and how you can move towards managing or resolving them.
MAKE BETTER, HEALTHIER NEW CHOICES
Working together I can help you gain greater insight into the difficulties you are facing, help you understand why you act or react to them the way you do, and see how you can start to make better, heathier choices moving forward.
CONTACT ME
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about how counselling works, or to arrange an initial assessment appointment. This enables us to discuss the reasons you are thinking of coming to counselling, whether it could be helpful for you and whether I am the right therapist to help.
You can also call me on 07788 403395 if you would prefer to leave a message or speak to me first. I can offer a free 20 minute call to discuss any queries or questions you may have prior to arranging an initial appointment.
All enquires are usually answered within 24 hours, and all contact is strictly confidential and uses secure phone and email services.
MY LOCATION
Face-to-Face Sessions:
Access:
Sadly my therapy room is not accessible by wheelchair, as it is at the top of a flight of stairs. Please do ask about online sessions.
Coming by car? There is plenty of available free parking:
- on nearby roads;
- in the large Co-op car park (3 hours free without buying anything);
- and the little car park opposite the clinic (2 hours free).
Coming by train? Trains stop at Harpenden station on the line between London St Pancras International and Bedford or Luton. There are several trains each hour. It is 0.8 miles from the station to the clinic: approximately a 4 minute taxi ride or a 15-20 minute walk.
FEES & AVAILABILITY
Counselling sessions for individuals last 50 minutes. These take place on a weekly basis and cost £65 per session. I also provide a limited number of spaces for those on low-income or for students. Please contact me to enquire about availability.
I offer an initial phone call of up to 20 minutes for you to ask any questions. If you then wish to meet, my initial assessment appointments last 50 minutes and are charged at £45.
Note that if you want to cancel an appointment I require 48 hours’ notice; otherwise you will still need to pay for any sessions missed. I accept payment in cash or by bank transfer. Bank transfers must be made 48 hours in advance of each session. Each cash payment must be made at the end of the session before. If payment is not made, I reserve the right to cancel future sessions.
YOU MAY NOT KNOW IT, BUT YOU’VE ALREADY TAKEN THE FIRST STEP...
It can be scary and confusing making the decision to contact a counsellor or therapist, but in my experience people will struggle with a mental health issue, a personal crisis or problems with a relationship for much longer than is healthy. Sometimes a friend has proved a source of comfort, but this help can only go so far. Realising that resolving a problem requires something more means you have actually already taken the first step towards improving your life.
KEEPING YOUR DATA SAFE
I take your privacy seriously
ICO
I am registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office. My registration number is: ZB313323. For more information about how I keep client data secure, please ask me for a copy of my privacy policy.
Why do I keep any client data?
The information I hold about my clients is for the purpose of communicating with you, keeping my professional and ethical commitments and keeping you safe in an emergency.
Data Storage and Security
Client notes are anonymised and brief. These notes and your contact details are stored separately using a cloud storage system, where they are encrypted for your protection. My devices are password protected and my email account is protected by encryption and a two-step verification process.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
There is not a great deal of difference between these two things and many practitioners use them interchangeably. If you had to describe them, you might say that counselling is usually a good way to help with a current problem; something that can be discussed and - hopefully - resolved within a limited number of sessions. Over a certain number of weeks the understanding of the problem improves and a way forward becomes clear.
Therapy often describes work that goes a bit deeper, towards more substantial life issues and problems having a deeper effect on the client’s life. Therapy often requires a long-term approach, so the number of sessions can be open-ended.
Which option is most suitable depends on the client and the difficulties they are facing. In some cases counselling works well as an ongoing, longer-term option - or therapy can manage to resolve an issue in just a few sessions.
How long a period of counselling lasts will vary from person to person and depend on the depth of the issues they are facing. For some people a couple of sessions helps to bring their problems into focus, and they feel ready to move forward; other problems may require more of an open-ended approach.
Before we begin any work we will agree on the number of sessions we’ll undertake, and at the end of that number review our progress. As long as we both agree further therapy will be of benefit to you, sessions can continue.
If I have an available slot, I may be able to offer a first appointment - known as an initial assessment - within a week of your enquiry. If not, I can offer you the chance to join my waiting list, so that I can let you know as and when a slot becomes available.
Everything that is said within the counselling room is confidential - this is one of the main ways counselling and therapy differ from talking to a friend or relative. Once you are comfortable with the format of weekly sessions and the safe space they provide, you may find the freedom to speak in confidence is of great value.
However, I take my client work to clinical supervision regularly in accordance with the BACP’s guidance on good practice. Clinical supervision is a confidential space, the sole purpose of which is to ensure I am providing you with the best possible care and abiding by my professional obligations as an ethical practitioner.
Please note that the rule of confidentiality does not override my legal requirements, for example to safeguard you and/or others around you from serious harm. However this is exceptionally unusual.
Usually I am asked this question by people who are nervous about entering into counselling, or when they are looking for support in coming to see a therapist. This anxiety is understandable, but a key aspect of therapy is that you should feel free to talk about any issues you feel are important to you. Having someone else with you who can be connected those issues makes this opening-up more difficult, so for this reason I do not see clients accompanied by friends or family.
©2021 Amy Daldorph
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