Daniel Jardim Counseling Services

FAQ

Choosing a counsellor invites careful consideration. Rather than a listing of possible questions, I have approached this page as a first step in getting a feel for who I am and what I offer. I invite you to start with your most immediate questions, but then feel free to spend time exploring the other headings to see if my approach resonates with you. 

If there is anything you would like to ask but is not listed here then please do get in touch via the contact page – I would love to hear from you.

Are sessions online?
Yes, all sessions are online. I use Google Meet by default, but we can also meet on other platforms like Signal, Whatsapp etc.
My rate is R850 (or £30-£40 for UK clients) per 90 minute session. I do offer a sliding scale and work with each client to find a sweet spot that is both affordable whilst ensuring a reliable level of commitment. I appreciate that times of financial strain often coincide with the need for counselling support, so let’s talk if you feel you would need a concession.
Sessions are 90 minutes long. This is usually split with half an hour dedicated to meditation practise/instruction (or nutrition, where appropriate) and the remaining hour to counselling. This can then be adapted as we go, or as different needs arise.
I invite prospective clients to meet for an online chat first. I allocate up to an hour for these initial meetings and there is no charge. I feel it is important to first meet informally so that you can get an idea of what I am like as a person and get a first-hand feel for what online sessions might be like. I can then also get an idea of what your priorities are and together we can establish a sensible place to begin.
This is largely determined by the individual needs of each client. I do ask for an initial commitment of 8 weeks as we gradually develop a meditation practice. Our eighth session can then be regarded as a review session where we can determine the best step going forward.
The simple answer is yes! I lived in the UK for many years, so I feel a spontaneous cultural connection with my UK clients. I have worked with clients in USA and Australia, it just needs more careful planning regarding time zones.
In a traditional sense this means looking at each person as a whole and not just a set of isolated symptoms. We are not just our thoughts with a body coincidentally attached, but a complete living entity. So often, great emphasis is placed on ‘fixing’ what is going on in the mind without considering how the person experiences life in their own body, and vice versa.
This approach acknowledges that it is a two-way street. Sometimes a client who presents a physical health challenge can find great benefit in understanding their thoughts about what they are working through, just as someone who is struggling through emotional difficulty can find great solace in acknowledging how their physiological state can impact their emotions.
The last ingredient in this mix is to consider how a person finds meaning and purpose in their own life – what feeds you on the deepest level of what we know as ‘spirit’?
Much of the process of self-healing involves noticing our habitual thoughts and held beliefs. Through inquiry we can take on the role of observer to look at how our beliefs shape us, and to gently challenge those that may simply be untrue or no longer serve us. Mindfulness meditation is perfectly in line with this approach and not only helps the process move along smoothly, it also provides an invaluable tool in empowering clients to manage their own self-care long after the counselling process has come to an end.
I find that even clients who have some experience with this form of meditation benefit greatly from seeing it steered toward practical application in everyday life – so often the question is how to take what we experience through meditation into daily life and that is precisely where I steer my approach.
Trauma-Informed Mindfulness (T.I.M) involves training in applied mindfulness techniques specifically aimed at understanding, and processing trauma. 
Existential counselling is sometimes described as a philosophical therapy that aims to understand life on both the personal and shared level. What that means is that it accepts that as we go through life we are challenged by themes that are universal to all human beings (eg loss, trauma, self-doubt) but as individuals we are invited to extract personal meaning from what we experience.
There is a humanity in the approach that places client and therapist on an equal footing that allows for warm and considerate interaction – after all, however you slice it we are in this together! The role of the counsellor then is to help the client find meaning in their own lives that honours their unique story and experience. I often say to clients that while we work together I aim to be the best kind of friend. This is not the same as being a best friend, but rather someone who can truly be supportive, listen very carefully, and present considerations in a way that encourages personal agency in finding peace.
Reality Therapy (RT) was developed in the 60s by psychiatrist William Glasser and while it shares much in common with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy it presents an interesting counterpoint to conventional notions of person-centred counselling. Some of his original theories are contentious (e.g., his stance against psychiatric medications), but in my own practice I find many techniques complement mindfulness perfectly, especially in developing self-awareness and the ability to recognise habitual thought patterns.
RT also presents several useful techniques in personal goal setting which are easily applied with great effect.
I emphasise the word peace because that is ultimately where I hope to steer my clients. Peace is different to ‘happiness’ because it suggests that we might have to embrace seemingly contradictory forces in a way that promotes harmony or resolution. Peace can be inclusive of both pleasant experiences and the things that have really hurt us. In many situations I ask clients, ‘What would peace look like here?’ and I find this is a way of approaching hardship that accepts opposition without the need to be at war – with life, with ourselves, or with each other. Sometimes peace means action, sometimes it calls for quiet diligence and patience. Ultimately, it seems like the healthiest, most sensible, and safest principle to align with as a foundation for this work.
While I was raised in a (loosely) Catholic home my religious leanings are aligned closely with Taoist and Buddhist principles. At the same time, I appreciate the devotional aspects of both Hindu and certain Christian traditions.  I believe that each one of us is invited to find our own spiritual language and so I am primarily interested in how individuals come back to an authentic sense of purpose and meaning that nurtures them on the deepest levels.
I often work with people who feel a general emptiness in their lives that they can feel, but not necessarily articulate or fill. Often, they have been down the route of passing fads, but don’t feel like they have any lasting sense of inner peace, or they may be interested in an integrated approach to mindfulness and counseling. I work well in holding space for individuals processing and understanding trauma, abuse, grief and/or loss.
As a person who has spent much of their life outside of what we might call the ‘mainstream’ I also tend to gravitate to creative thinkers – artists, musicians, writers and performers. I cherish my clients from the LGBTQI+ community and appreciate how challenging it can be to find a counsellor who understands our unique life experience.
I also work extensively with recovering addicts who recognise the value of counselling or mindfulness as part of their own recovery program. Mostly, I celebrate the unique story that each person has created in their lives, and am curious about the meaning each person can extract from their story. I certainly do not mean this answer to be restrictive – if you feel that we might work well together do get in touch and let’s meet for a chat to see if I can help.
My journey has not been a single line but a steady process of adding to my offering. I first qualified in Holistic Nutrition in my twenties, but soon realised that my clients often needed emotional support that could not adequately be addressed with supplementation or dietary changes.
This led me to explore the relationship between mindfulness and nutrition where I spent a number of years conducting retreats and workshops on conscious eating and seasonal wellness. At this time, I resumed a private practice under the banner of Holistic Coaching and simultaneously began certified training in person-centred counselling. It is now in my late forties that I feel I have a more complete offering as a holistic therapist.
It is not my intention to provide a one-stop-shop for wellness but rather to offer support that considers all aspects of an individual’s needs. As I often explain to my clients — it is not so much a case of ‘we have to cover everything’, but rather a case of ‘we can go there as needed’. 
Yes, I have written two cookery books. The first, The Cake The Buddha Ate was published in 2011 and is a collection of recipes compiled during my time at the Buddhist Retreat Centre, Ixopo. The second, Retreat: The Joy of Conscious Eating was published in 2014, and is a snapshot of the seasonal well-being retreats I was conducting at the time. Both were published by Jacana Media, SA. 
Daniel Jardim Counseling Services