Client Intake Form

Welcome to Empatia Counselling

Thank you for booking with us. We are really looking forward to working with you. This document provides some information that will help you to prepare for your first session with us.

Before your first session

If you have never been to counselling before, it is natural to feel nervous and a little unsure of the process, but please put your mind at ease. This is a safe space, and there is nothing to worry about.

There are a few steps that will help us get started, so before the first session please:

• Complete the information in the Counselling Engagement form below.

• Review the Counselling Contract on the next page. This explains your rights around counselling and how we will work together.

Your first session with us:

ONLINE via Zoom, please ensure you:

• Install Zoom onto a computer, or tablet - whilst a phone can be used for a session if you don’t have other options, computers or tablets are preferred. Note that you do not need a paid Zoom account, you can have a free account or simply click the link we send and use the browser version, if you use Chrome or Edge.

  
  

• Make sure that you check your microphone and camera settings, by placing a test Zoom call. This helps to avoid issues with sound or pictures not working when we meet.

  
  

• Choose a quiet place to hold our session. Ideally this should be somewhere away from background noise, children or pets, to ensure we can hear each other. Note that I will be in a quiet and private room where our conversation cannot be overheard or listened to, for your privacy.

  
  

• I will send you the meeting details prior to the day. When your session time starts simply click the link or put in the Zoom details. You will enter a waiting room and I’ll be informed of this, I’ll let you into the meeting and we start from there.

Walk and talk sessions, please ensure you:

Please meet at your session time, at the location shown below at Wollongong lighthouse. In the case of bad weather or an event at the lighthouse, we'll contact you before-hand to organise meeting at a different back-up location.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/xZi3JB17A3PEngXN8

• Wear suitable clothing for an outdoor walk, or a sit undercover.

  
  

• Bring an umbrella in case of light rain.

  
  

• Arrive at the agreed location on time, and look for your counsellor.

Continuing with counselling

To continue with counselling simply book your next session on our website. We recommend booking one or two sessions in advance, to ensure you have the times you would like. If you can’t do this for any reason then we may be able to book them for you.