When you first start looking for a counsellor, it is important that you are comfortable with the number of sessions you are committing to, even if you are committing to just one session.  Depending on the kinds of issues you would like to address will depend on how many sessions are needed and this is something we can discuss together if you are unsure.

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In my experience, there is no prescriptive method for deciding the duration of counselling however consistency is important, for example once weekly as this will ensure that momentum is maintained.  You may have a specific idea about what you would like to work towards or have a budget or a time-frame in mind.  If this is the case, between us, we will work out what is manageable and safe for you to look at it in the time we have together.  

 

You may wish to proceed on a weekly basis without the pressure of deciding a specific end date and this can be useful to allow you to use the time without any constraints and to go at your own pace.  Some people decide during the course of therapy that they would like a break to notice the new insights they have before coming back to therapy.  Some people like to have the reassurance of a 'check-in' with a therapist on a regular basis and some people like to continue regularly on a longer term basis.

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An ethical counsellor will have an awareness of when an ending is naturally occurring and when you are reaching the end of therapy.  This is time for a discussion about whether this feels right for you and if it feels like an ending for you too, then it's a good time to start consolidating and working towards a final session.