Thinking About Therapy in Surrey? What Might Be Holding You Back
Thinking About Therapy in Surrey? What Might Be Holding You Back
The thought often arrives at an inconvenient moment. Maybe you’re standing in a queue in a busy Epsom supermarket, or walking the dog across a field near Cobham. It’s a quiet, persistent thought: “Maybe I should talk to someone about this.”
And almost immediately, a second wave of thoughts follows. “But I don’t have time.” “It’s not really that bad.” “What would I even say?”
From what I’ve seen, these initial hesitations are completely normal. The idea of starting therapy can feel huge and uncertain. It often feels easier to just push the thought away and get on with the day. But that initial whisper of a thought is usually there for a good reason. It’s a sign that some part of you is looking for a different way of handling things.
“My problems aren’t serious enough for therapy”
This is probably the most common reason people put off seeking support. There’s a persistent myth that you need to be in a major crisis to justify counselling. You look at your life – the job, the commitments, the general busyness of life in Surrey – and tell yourself you ought to be able to cope.
But counselling isn’t just for moments of crisis. It’s also for when things just feel… off. It might be a constant, low-level worry that has become your new normal. Some people we work with describe it as a kind of background static, a theme we've explored in our post on ‘When the Background Noise of Worry Becomes Your Whole World’. You’re functioning, but you’re not thriving. You feel stuck, irritable, or just flat.
Giving yourself an hour for mental health support isn’t an indulgence; it’s maintenance. It’s acknowledging that your emotional wellbeing is just as important as any other part of your health.
“I’m too busy. I just don’t have the time.”
I understand this one completely. When you’re juggling work, family, and a hundred other things, finding a spare hour can seem impossible. But it’s worth reframing this. Therapy isn’t about losing an hour; it’s about investing one to make the other 167 hours in the week feel more manageable.
When your mind is constantly occupied by worry or stress, it’s exhausting. It drains your energy and focus. A dedicated hour to work through what’s going on can create mental space, helping you feel clearer and more present in the rest of your life.
And with the option of online sessions, the logistics become much simpler. You don’t have to factor in travel time to Guildford or Woking. You can have your session from your own home, which for many people makes it a far more realistic option.
“How do I even begin? What am I supposed to talk about?”
The thought of sitting in a room with a stranger and talking about your private thoughts is naturally daunting. People often worry they need to have a perfectly rehearsed story or a clear problem to present. You really don’t.
A good first session is simply a conversation. It’s a chance for you to get a sense of the therapist and for us to start understanding what’s on your mind. We’ve written about this before in ‘Starting Therapy in Guildford: A Practical First Step’. There’s no pressure to perform or get it ‘right’. The therapist’s job is to listen and ask questions that help you explore your own thoughts.
Finding the right person is also a key part of the process. The question ‘Finding a Counsellor in Guildford: Where Do I Even Start?’ is one we hear a lot. It’s why we believe the relationship between you and your therapist is so important. You need to feel that the person you're speaking to is someone you can build trust with. A good therapist will understand that, as we discussed in our article about ‘Finding a Therapist in Guildford Who Really Hears You’.
What a session actually looks like
Many people have an idea of therapy from films or television, which is rarely accurate. At its heart, our work – particularly using approaches like CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) – is very practical.
It’s a collaborative process. We work with you to notice the patterns of thought and behaviour that might be keeping you stuck. For instance, you might find you always assume the worst in a situation, or you avoid certain things because of anxiety. We’d explore that together, without judgement, and look at gentle, practical ways to challenge and change those patterns.
It’s a confidential space that is yours and yours alone. It’s a rare opportunity in modern life to speak freely, knowing that the person listening is there entirely for you, to help you make sense of things.
Making it work for you
We know that the idea of a long, open-ended commitment can be another barrier. That’s why we work on a session-by-session basis. You are always in control. There’s no pressure to book a block of sessions; you simply book your next one if and when you feel it’s helpful.
We try to be as transparent as possible. Our fee is £68 for a full hour session, and we offer appointments both face-to-face across Surrey and online via Zoom to fit around your life.
If that quiet thought of “maybe I should talk to someone” has been appearing more frequently, perhaps it’s time to listen. It isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of self-awareness and a quiet strength that is ready for a change. You don’t have to have all the answers before you start. You just have to be willing to take the first, small step.
If you'd like to see if we could be the right fit for you, please get in touch to book an initial session. We’d be happy to answer any questions you might have.
Written by Sian Jones, Founder of CBT & Counselling Surrey. Sian has extensive experience helping individuals manage anxiety, stress, low mood and other emotional challenges.
