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Fit first. Method second.
Decades of psychotherapy research suggest the therapeutic alliance is among the most consistent predictors of whether therapy helps — often as influential as the specific modality chosen (Flückiger et al., 2018). That research shapes how we work.
Eclectic, client-led, honest about fit.
Four principles shape how we work — with you, and around what you actually need.
Eclectic by intent, not by default
FP Counselling holds an “eclectic approach to counselling, wholly dependent on the individual’s needs.” That phrasing matters. It means we don’t pre-commit to a single framework when the people walking in the door don’t fit any single framework.
Our therapists are trained across CBT, DBT, EMDR, the Gottman Method, EFT, ACT, IFS, Narrative, Solution-Focused work, Compassion-Focused Therapy, Mindfulness-Based approaches, and more. The shape of your therapy is built around what you’re working on, not slotted into what we happen to know.
Trust is the work, not the precondition
We don’t expect trust before it’s earned. The opening sessions are built around making it possible — through empathy, transparency, and the freedom to ask “is this working?” out loud at any point.
You’re the expert on you
A therapist brings training, structure, and an outside view. You bring the lived experience of your own life. The work happens in the overlap. We treat clients as collaborators — not patients being treated.
Right fit, even when it’s not us
If during a consult or the first few sessions we suspect a different practice or modality is a better match, we say so. Therapy is too short and life is too long for the wrong fit.
Practical promises.
- A 20-minute phone consultation before any commitment.
- If the fit isn’t right, tell us — we’ll talk through alternatives.
- Therapy that lasts as long as it’s useful — and no longer.
References
Flückiger, C., Del Re, A. C., Wampold, B. E., & Horvath, A. O. (2018). The alliance in adult psychotherapy: A meta-analytic synthesis. Psychotherapy, 55(4), 316–340. doi:10.1037/pst0000172
Twenty minutes. On the phone. No pressure.
Tell us what’s going on and ask anything — insurance, format, fees, what a first session looks like. You’ll be on the call with one of our therapists, and we’ll go from there together. If we’re not the right practice for you, we’ll say so.