Ninety minutes to work out what is actually going on

What it is

For when the picture is genuinely tangled

Most people do not need this. They ring, they book, and we work it out as we go, which is the normal way counselling proceeds and it works perfectly well.

The comprehensive assessment exists for the situations where that is not enough. Where there is a long history and several things going on at once. Where previous counselling has not worked and nobody is sure why. Where someone needs a clear written picture to take to a GP, a specialist, a workplace or a lawyer. Or simply where you would rather begin with a proper map than a rough sketch.

What the ninety minutes covers

• A full history, taken properly rather than squeezed into the first ten minutes of a session
• The current picture: what is happening, how long it has been happening, and what it is costing you
• Patterns across time, which is usually where the useful material is
• Relationships, family and the wider context around the problem
• Substance use and behavioural patterns, asked about directly and without judgement
• Risk and safety, assessed carefully rather than skipped because it is awkward
• Strengths and what has already worked, which people routinely underrate
• A clear recommendation about what would actually help, including if that is not me

What you get afterwards

A written summary, in plain language rather than jargon, setting out what we covered, what I think is going on, and what I would recommend. It is yours. You can take it to your GP, to another therapist, or keep it for yourself.

The point is that you are not left with an hour and a half of conversation and nothing to show for it. If the recommendation is that you should be seeing someone other than me, that is written down too, along with who and why.

What it is not

This is a counselling assessment, not a psychological or psychiatric one. It does not produce a formal clinical diagnosis, it is not psychometric testing, and it is not a medico legal or custody report. Those need a registered psychologist or psychiatrist. If that is what your situation calls for, I will tell you at the outset rather than taking your money for the wrong thing.