Online counselling with Karin Sieger

Thank you for visiting and finding out more about my online counselling service.

I am Karin Sieger, a psychotherapist based in Richmond (London, UK). On this page you will find everything you need to know about the types of difficulties I can assist you with, how online sessions via Zoom work, my qualifications and fees and how to book a free initial consultation.

1. How can I assist you?

I am a fully accredited and registered psychotherapist and offer one off, short or medium term online counselling anywhere in the UK and abroad via Zoom.

I specialise in support for

• generalised anxiety,
• regrets, sadness
• bereavement, loss and grief,
• life transitions (crisis of purpose, mid life, career change etc),
• personal development,
• support with the emotional and mental impact of cancer and other life-changing illnesses,
• I also offer therapy in German.

Therapy and counselling is about telling your story to someone who is independent and listens without judgement, in a calm and confidential setting. It can lighten your burden, help you understand your life, your options and get you back on track with a renewed sense of energy, direction and motivation.

2. Is online counselling suitable for you?

Online counselling cannot replace the therapeutic setting a face to face meeting offers. But there may be many reasons why that is not always possible, like the current coronavirus crisis, illness, if you work abroad, or if you live in an area with few counsellors or someone who has the background, language and services you are looking.

Online support is also not suitable for all difficulties you may seek help with. I do not provide this service in cases of self harm, suicide risk, severe depression or anger management.

3. Practical Points

Free Initial Consultation

I offer a free 20 minutes online consultation via Zoom where we can discuss your needs, see whether I offer the right support and for us to agree next steps.

My Fees

My standard session fee is £75 (until 1800 on weekdays, £80 at all other times). I offer some concessions.

My fee for an extended one off session (1o0 min) consultation is £150.

Payments are done online via bank transfer or PayPal (+ PayPal fee) and have to be received on the day of our consultation.

If you have AXA, AVIVA, Allianz, CIGNA or WPA private health insurance which covers counselling / therapy, then you can claim my fee through them.

Cancellations Policy 

For cancellations with at least 48 hours notice (2 working days) no a fee applies. For all cancellations with less than 48 hours (2 working days) notice the full session fee applies. However, within reason, I would always aim to offer you a suitable replacement slot, if available.

For clients undergoing cancer or other medical treatment we would agree a suitable arrangement for cancellations due to feeling unwell.

My Office Address

My registered office address is The Bridge Workspace, 7 (b) Parkshot, Richmond, TW9 2RD, UK.  All my consultations take place online.

About Me

I hold an MA in Counselling and Psychotherapy, trained and worked in the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) before setting up my private practice. I also write a lot, and you can browse my self help articles and podcasts via my website. I was born in Germany and have been living, studying and working in the UK since the mid 80s. Prior to retraining as a therapist, I spent some 25 years in consumer and media research (including BBC World Service, De Beers and AOL).

4. How does online counselling work?

All you need for our online counselling meetings is a computer, laptop or device with a webcam.  Once you have booked a session here I will email you the details of your booking with a secure link to access your session. I use Zoom, a reliable, secure and good quality software.

We will be able to see each other. Remember to try and disconnect all your other devices from your Wifi network during the meeting, as this can sometimes affect the quality of your connection.

At the time of your appointment just click the link. If you have never used Zoom before, you may be asked to install the App. Follow the easy on-screen instructions and select ‘Run’ to install.

5. Your online safety and privacy matters!

I use  Zoom because:

• • it’s available to users with lower bandwidths
  • you don’t need to download software or set up an account

• it meets a very high standard of confidentiality and data security

Zoom will not collect your personal information and sessions are not recorded. Video calls take place using Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption to ensure they remain confidential. Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic Zoom continue to enhance the security of their software.

If you want to delete all traces of Zoom you’ll need to:

• uninstall Zoom,
• delete your internet history for the day you had your online counselling session.

6. Is online counselling intrusive?

Some people take a little while to get used to online therapy, others don’t. There is no right or wrong about it. Circumstances are individual. I always encourage clients to discuss their concerns with me. Doing online counselling in your own home requires a bit of planning, especially if you live with others. Pick a room where you will not be disturbed, get into “the zone” mentally and emotionally before the call. And ensure you spend a little while to disengage from the session once it has ended.

Because you will be doing this in your private space, it is important to perform a little practice of your choosing to ensure that you mentally close the session and empty the room of the feelings that may have arisen during the session. You can do this by opening the window, performing a little gentle exercise, deep breathing and releasing the emotions and atmosphere out of the window, washing your face, changing into different clothes. Choose whatever works best for you.

7. A brief overview of what integrative therapy means and how I practice.

I am what is called an integrative therapist. That means I have been trained in several approaches, which I ‘integrate’ and rely on depending on what is most helpful to my clients at any given time. I combine four main approaches:

I. The Humanistic approach, which encourages us to think about our feelings and to take responsibility for our thoughts and actions.  The emphasis is on self-development and achieving our potential.

II. The Person-Centered Therapy is intended to help for us to become able to see ourselves as a person with power and freedom to change.  Crucial to this are a range of conditions, which the practitioner brings to the work; core are accurate empathy, genuineness or congruence, warmth and unconditional positive regard for the client.

III. The Psychodynamic Therapy approach is derived from Freudian psychoanalysis, but it is not analysis.  It acknowledges the importance of the unconscious and past experiences (eg with our parents or other significant people in our lives) in shaping our current behaviour.  Here, insight is the tool by which what is unconscious is brought to consciousness, freeing us to make new choices.

IV. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) focuses on the link between our thinking and behaviour patterns, and how changes in our thinking can bring about changes in how we behave, and thus enhance our well being.  Negative thoughts and ‘self-talk’ are challenged using various techniques and the introduction of different ways of thinking.  CBT is applied mostly to short-term solution-focussed counselling.

Feature Image via Pixabay