Frequently asked questions about online counselling

Starting therapy can raise lots of practical questions. Our FAQs are here to make things simpler. We have collected clear answers to the topics that come up most often, so you can feel informed and confident as you take your next step.

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How much do online counselling sessions cost?

Strive Core
There is a weekly cost of £25 per 50-minute session. Whilst clients are asked to sign up for weekly sessions, if you want extra sessions at any point, just let your therapist know and agree a mutually acceptable time. Fees are payable in advance of each session, and can also be block-booked for six-session blocks for £135 (a saving of 10%).

If you are struggling to meet the £25 cost, please get in touch with us, as we may be able to help those on lower incomes or certain benefits.

Strive Pro
There is a weekly cost of £50 per 50-minute session. As it takes time to build the right kind of relationship for the best therapeutic outcome, we ask clients to commit to weekly sessions for the first 12 sessions. After this, clients can opt to remain with weekly sessions or may be able to move to fortnightly sessions if the counsellor is able to accommodate this.

How many sessions can I have?

As many as you like! At Strive, we believe in making short or long-term counselling accessible to everyone, so we do not limit our service to the usual 12-18 sessions available in many other low-cost services. Research has shown that weekly counselling sessions have the best outcomes for clients, so we ask that your commitment is to weekly sessions with your counsellor.

What can In expect in my first session with my counsellor?

When you come for your first counselling session, your counsellor will begin with something called contracting. This is an important part of the process and helps you understand exactly what you are consenting to. Your counsellor will explain confidentiality, how your information is stored, the boundaries of the work, and what you can expect from them. You will have the chance to ask anything you need to feel fully informed before moving forward. Contracting is not about signing your life away. It is simply about making sure you have clarity and choice from the very start.

Once the contracting is complete, your counsellor will invite you to talk about what brings you here, at a pace that feels comfortable. You never need to share more than you want to. Many people arrive unsure of where to begin, and that is absolutely fine. Your counsellor will support you in finding your starting point. They will also remain open to revisiting the contracting at any time in future sessions. If you ever have more questions or feel unsure about any aspect of the agreement, your counsellor will welcome the conversation. By the end of your first session, you should have a clearer sense of how the space feels and whether this way of working feels right for you.

Will I always see the same counsellor?

We know how important the relationship between a counsellor and client is! As part of our clinical assessment process, we undertake a matching process that seeks to meet your needs. If you have any preferences on who you want to see, let our assessor know and we’ll do our best to meet your requests.

Your counsellor will see you on a weekly basis. Our Core counsellors are trainees on a placement with Strive, and they are asked to commit to at least 12 sessions with each client they have in their caseload. When counsellors wish to leave Strive, they are asked to treat their clients ethically and respectfully by giving as much notice as possible.

If your counsellor is due to leave Strive, you will be given the option of a priority re-assignment (following a free re-assessment with a clinical assessor, if required).

When will my counselling session take place?

During clinical assessment, we will ask for an idea of your availability. When we match you with a suitable counsellor, we will check their general availability also. It will then be down to you and your counsellor to agree a suitable appointment slot for your first meeting. After that, you can also negotiate between you whether this is a regular timeslot, or whether you book your next session at a different time each week.

Can I cancel a counselling session?

Of course! If you need to cancel a session, we ask that you give your counsellor at least 48 hours notice. If you are unable to attend for an emergency, please let us know at your earliest convenience – we know life happens!

What if I want to end my counselling sessions?

Counselling is a very personal journey. If you choose to end counselling with Strive, you can do so at any time. We suggest having at least a two-week notice to your counsellor to allow you both to plan and land the ending you’d like, but this is only a suggestion. If you are considering ending counselling because you wish to see a different therapist for any reason, you can let us know confidentially.

Research has shown that, on average, most clients attend short-term counselling for 12 or 13 sessions, with 50% of all clients showing significant improvement by session eight. 75% of clients show this improvement by session 26 (around six months of weekly sessions), and 83% after a year of weekly sessions.

What can I expect from my online counselling sessions?

Online counselling can offer a number of benefits. It removes the time, cost, and effort of travelling to appointments, and allows you to attend sessions from a place of your choosing, where you feel safe and comfortable.

It’s important that you’re somewhere private for your sessions where you won’t be overheard or interrupted.

Before your first session, your counsellor will send you a meeting link. Strive counsellors use Google Meet, a secure and trusted platform designed specifically for the medical industry. You’ll need a computer, tablet, or smartphone with a camera, and a stable internet connection.

If you have any concerns about video conferencing platforms or counselling online in general, just let us know during your assessment and we’ll be happy to talk these through with you. As part of your onboarding to Strive, we will provide some simple instructions to help you get set up.

If you experience any technical issues, please contact your counsellor as soon as you can — ideally at least 10 minutes before the session is due to begin. If you’ve let them know in time, most will be able to offer you a phone call instead.

Are my counselling sessions confidential?

Everything you and your client discuss in-session is confidential. However, there are limitations to this, which your counsellor will go through with you. These include if you have any knowledge of or involvement in drug trafficking, terrorism or money-laundering (the UK’s legal limitations to confidentiality), or you present with a risk of serious harm to yourself or others (our ethical limitations to confidentiality). There will be some other considerations for confidentiality, which your counsellor will contract with you.

We do not permit our counsellors or clients to record sessions without prior permission and a completed consent form on record. We do not permit our counsellors or clients to use AI transcription services, nor is any third party permitted to participate in a session. Your counsellor is required to take very brief client notes after each session, typically a sentence or two. This enables us to provide you with the best possible service. All information about you is held securely in accordance with personal data storage requirements.

By submitting a request for a clinical assessment to start your journey with us, you will begin sending us your personal data. We collect the absolute minimum we need at each stage in your journey to facilitate our service to you, and we keep your details in secure, password-protected systems that are GDPR compliant.

More information can be found in our Privacy Policy. Under the Data Protection Act 2018 and the wider General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), you have rights regarding your personal data, and we encourage you to contact us if you have any concerns.

What can I talk about in counselling?

You can talk about anything you want! The space and time you have with your counsellor is entirely your own to discuss and explore whatever you like.

During clinical assessment, we will ask you questions about what you’ve come to counselling for, as well as your experience of counselling and your general mental health history. This allows us to make sure we match you with a suitable counsellor in either our Strive Core or Strive Pro services. Your counsellor will discuss with you your aims and objectives in your first session, and again at every sixth session in a review. This creates space specifically for you and your counsellor to engage in dialogue about how you each feel counselling is going for you.

If you do bring up a topic that your counsellor is unable to work with, they will discuss this with you and the options available to you at that time. In the case of Strive services not being suitable for you, we will support you with a referral to a service that meets your needs.

Frequently asked questions about online counselling

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