The client and the counsellor meet one on one in an intense, private session. Help is offered through creating an accepting, compassionate environment in which the person is able to feel safe examining their life circumstances and considering other ways of thinking and feeling about whatever issue brings them into counselling. The counsellor and client work collaboratively to explore possible changes in behaviour using different skills to change the person and/or the circumstance that is creating pain. It is possible that the person is also working through a sense of not living up to their potential so the counsellor will help them to imagine a future they want to inhabit, form concrete, reachable goals and then support them in achieving those goals.

Relationship issues may be addressed in individual sessions, but the focus is on the person in the room.