Below are some common questions that people have about attending counselling. If you have any more things you are curious about, please feel free to contact me and we can discuss any concerns you may have.
Q. Can I bring a support person to my counselling session? Absolutely! If you have a friend, family member or support worker that you would like to bring along, please do. It can be a powerful thing to tackle problems with the help of people in your community. However please be aware of the difference between having a support person and relationship counselling. If you are seeking relationship counselling with your significant others, this will need to be discussed prior to booking a session.
Q. How many sessions will I need to attend? As many as you feel is helpful. Sometimes it’s good to talk with somebody once and sometimes it helps to talk regularly over a longer period of time. Sometimes its helpful to come along for a while then take a break and resume conversations at a later date. You will know what works best for you. I do ask that when meeting with me, you clearly and respectfully communicate your needs.
Q. Will I have to talk about embarrassing things? No! You only need to talk about things that feel safe and comfortable to you. Please let me know if you feel the conversation is 'going off-track' or you feel uncomfortable in any way. Counselling should not be a distressing experience. My hope is that our conversations will help to make you feel stronger in tackling the problems that are getting in your way.
Q. Can I bring things along that will help me tell my story? Yes. You may like to bring along photo’s, certificates, special fluffy friends, favourite books, special pictures, pets, poems, songs etc. Anything that is important to you and your life.
Q. What does ‘confidentiality’ mean? Confidentiality in counselling means that what you say during counselling can not be told to anyone else without your permission. There are some exceptions to this as all social workers are legally required to report to the appropriate authorities if they have reasonable suspicions or evidence that a minor is being abused, a person’s life is in danger or they have plans to endanger the life of someone else.
It is also important to remember that social workers are people too and need to be treated with respect. I will not continue to provide counselling to anyone who behaves in violent, disrespectful or threatening ways towards me.
Q. What if I don’t feel comfortable talking in a room? Sometimes it can be easier to talk outside or while going for a walk. Please let me know what you need to feel safe and comfortable.
Q. What if I don’t like the counsellor? This is ok, not everybody gets along with everyone. If you don’t feel that it is the ‘right fit’ for you, please let me know and I can help you find somebody else to talk with. You can also look up the 'find a social worker' section of the AASW website to find another social worker. There are a number of community organisations that provide counselling services at low or no cost.
Q. What if I panic and get overwhelmed during the conversation? If panic is taking over, it can be helpful to do what you need to feel safe. We can discuss what helps you connect with feeling safer throughout our conversations and I will check in with you along the way to ensure you feel able to let me know how our conversations are going for you. We can develop a plan together to identify things you can do to feel grounded and safe both within and between our sessions.
Q. Can I talk about sexuality and gender issues? Yes. Everyone has their own unique relationship with sexuality and gender. Often these relationships don’t ‘fit the norm’ and it can be difficult to speak about these without the fear of shame and discrimination. No matter what your relationship with gender and sexuality is, you will be treated with dignity and respect. You are welcome to speak openly about these issues.
Q. What can I do if our conversations raise overwhelming and distressing feelings and thoughts? Feeling safe is really important. Sometimes counselling can explore new territory and have us remembering hard times in our lives. My hope is that when speaking about hard times, we also speak about the ways you have resisted problems and survived. We can explore what supports you in feeling safer and find ways to ‘get back onto safer ground’. It’s important to think about and identify what can support you if distressing feelings arise outside of our counselling sessions. I am unable to provide support between sessions, so I really encourage you to speak with me about support networks that can help if you are experiencing distress.
Q. What if I have particular accessibility needs? If you have particular requirements to be able to access counselling, please let me know prior to the session and every effort will be made to make accessibility possible for you.
Q. What if I want to make a complaint about the service I have received? All registered Mental Health Social Workers are required to adhere to a Code of Ethics which is governed by the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW). If you are unhappy about any aspect of you counselling sessions, please speak with me or contact the AASW about your concerns. You can visit their website for more information at http://www.aasw.asn.au
Do you have any other questions you would like to ask? Please feel free to call or email jenniferswan5555@gmail.com or call mobile 0423332969