Surely one session isn’t enough?

I hear this question sometimes when I mention that I offer a single counselling session:

“Surely one session isn’t enough?”

Sometimes it isn’t, and sometimes it is. That difference matters.

My approach to single-session work didn’t start because I decided therapy should fit into 50 minutes. It grew out of my years working with businesses.

I spent a long time with people who were handling hard situations alongside demanding jobs and busy lives. Most of them didn’t want to start an open-ended programme of counselling. They came with a particular problem to think through, a decision they couldn’t make, or something that had become stuck.

So, I built a way of working that made one session useful on its own. It wasn’t rushed or superficial, and it was never a case of saying, “Well, we’ve only got an hour, so let’s get cracking.”

The aim was to make good use of the time we had. Often one focused conversation helped someone see things differently, make a decision, understand what was happening, or work out their next step. Some came back, and some didn’t need to. That was fine either way.

Then Professor Windy Dryden gave this way of working a proper name. Single-Session Therapy became something to explore and develop as a legitimate approach. I found that reassuring. Something I had reached through experience now had a formal place in the counselling world.

I have never thought of a single session as a clever technique. For me it comes down to one question.

What would be useful to you today?

That might mean talking through something going around in your head. It might mean making sense of a reaction that surprised you. It might mean saying something out loud that you have carried for a long time. Sometimes a thoughtful conversation with someone outside your everyday life is enough to shift things.

Some difficulties do need more time. Some people want ongoing counselling, and some things have been around so long they deserve more than one conversation. You gain nothing by finishing quickly, and nothing by staying longer than you need.

So if you’re wondering whether one session could be enough, my answer is:

It might be.

And if it isn’t, we’ll know that too. You don’t have to sign up for a long journey before we’ve worked out where you’re going.

If you’d like to work with me, I offer a free 15 minute initial consultation … email me here to book.

I’d love to hear from you.

Alison

Alison Moore MBACP (Accred), FRSPH is an accredited psychotherapist and counsellor and the founder of A Good Place. She has over two decades’ experience supporting people through change, difficult decisions, shame, uncertainty and the times when life feels harder than it should.

Alison works with thoughtful, capable people who may have spent years managing things on their own but find themselves stuck, overwhelmed or going around in circles. Her approach is collaborative, practical and focused on helping people understand what is happening and find a way forward that feels sustainable.