Why I Charge for a Discovery Session: Respect, Clarity, and Not Wasting Your Time

Cheryl talks about the discovery session and why she charges for it

0:27 Speaker 0: Hi there, I'm Cheryl and this is Work Stress Anxiety by ABGW and today I wanted to talk about something that sounds tiny on paper but actually says a lot about how I work and that is the Discovery Session and why I charge for it.

0:50 Speaker 0: I currently as I'm recording this, this is in June 2026 and the current charge is £15 now I know some people here paid consultation immediately start clutching their metaphorical pills. Why aren't you charging for a conversation?

1:13 Speaker 0: And that that's a fair question.

1:16 Speaker 0: It is a fair question because we've all seen those so called free consultation circuses where you book what you think is going to be a helpful conversation and suddenly you're in some sort of sales funnel.

1:31 Speaker 0: There's a limited time bonus, a fake deadline, someone gently but firmly nudging you towards a program with a name that sounds like it was generated under a full moon. No, thank you.

1:46 Speaker 0: No, that is not what this is.

1:49 Speaker 0: The Discovery Session exists because you hearing me, right?

1:57 Speaker 0: You waiting for it? It's coming now.

2:02 Speaker 0: I don't like wasting people's time.

2:05 Speaker 0: I don't like wasting your time.

2:08 Speaker 0: I don't like wasting my time, and I really don't like the weird dance where everyone pretends things are clear when they're not because unclear expectations to me create an atmosphere where resentment can start building.

2:30 Speaker 0: At work, we know this, you turn up for a meeting on time and other people strolling 10 minutes later because they were outside having a fag or chatting or discussing their social life by the bins and everyone else is expected to just accept it because that's just how they are. No. No. No. No.

2:53 Speaker 0: That's not how they are.

2:56 Speaker 0: That is disrespect dressed up as personality, in my humble opinion.

3:04 Speaker 0: In support work, therapy, Coaching, Stress Recovery, whatever label we use, a lack of clarity can be just as disrespectful.

The first part of the ABGW method starts with awareness

3:16 Speaker 0: So I wanted to explain why I offer a charge Discovery Session, why I charge, what happens in it and why I believe awareness, the 1st part actually of the ABGW method starts there in that Discovery Session.

3:38 Speaker 0: So 1 of the reasons I created the Discovery Session is because I have been on both sides of unclear expectations.

3:47 Speaker 0: I've been in situations where people thought 1 thing was happening, I thought another thing was happening, and nobody realized the mismatch until disappointment had already started unpacking the suitcases. Yes, yes, yes, we've been there.

4:03 Speaker 0: You know the kind of thing I'm talking about.

4:05 Speaker 0: You work with someone on a project, you think the agreement is clear, you think, they think the agreement's clear, lovely, everyone smiles, everyone nods, very professional, very adult, and then a few weeks later, you discover that their expectations and your expectations weren't even in the same room, and that moment is horrible.

4:29 Speaker 0: It's not always dramatic, it's not always explosive, but it's horrible nonetheless, right?

4:36 Speaker 0: So we're here not actually on the same page.

4:40 Speaker 0: We're actually in different books, possibly even in different libraries. That is why I believe in front loading clarity.

4:49 Speaker 0: Front Loaded Clarity.

4:51 Speaker 0: Not because I want everything to be stiff and corporate, I don't.

4:57 Speaker 0: Nobody needs therapy with an emotional, I don't know, temperature gauge on it. But to me, is kind. Clarity protects both people.

5:10 Speaker 0: It means you know what you are stepping into, I know what I'm offering and neither of us has to pretend later that we magically understood what was never properly discussed and that is why the Discovery Session matters so so much in the ABGW method because it starts with A. It starts with A for a reason.

5:38 Speaker 0: A is for awareness and awareness is not let's label you and make you feel worse.

5:45 Speaker 0: Awareness is this is where we are, this is what seems to be happening, this is what support might fit, this what support might not fit.

5:59 Speaker 0: To me that matters, especially when it comes to stress and anxiety, especially when you're already tired, you're probably feeling overwhelmed, anxious, you may be overthinking, sleeping badly, and quietly wondering whether you are being ridiculous for needing help in the 1st place. Well, you're not ridiculous.

6:22 Speaker 0: You're just trying to make a decision while your nervous system is already juggling office chairs.

6:30 Speaker 0: So that's why the Discovery Session gives us both some ways steady to start.

6:38 Speaker 0: You know, I think a lot of high functioning women are very good at delaying support, not because they're silly but because they've been trained, really trained well, rewarded and occasionally blackmailed into being capable.

6:56 Speaker 0: You are the 1 people rely on, the 1 who remembers, the 1 who sorts things out, the 1 who stays calm, you know, the 1 who gets the email out, gets the project done, and because you are capable, people always assume that you are fine.

7:13 Speaker 0: Sometimes you assume it too.

7:16 Speaker 0: You tell yourself, I should be able to handle this, it ain't so bad. Look, other people have got it worse than me.

7:24 Speaker 0: You know, I just need to get through this week and you know, the weekend will be there, but then, this week becomes next week, then next week becomes next month and suddenly you are lying there at 2AM mentally replying to emails, replaying conversations that you had 3 Tuesdays ago and wondering why your body feels like it's on permanent standby.

7:53 Speaker 0: That is the private cost of holding everything together, and when support finally starts to feel like an option, another barrier appears, money, even a small amount. I appreciate.

8:11 Speaker 0: You know, like I said, currently at 15 pounds, and that can trigger that strange little voice that says, should I really spend money on this? And this is where I get lovingly direct.

8:27 Speaker 0: Are you worth the price of a packet of cigarettes?

8:33 Speaker 0: Are you worth that bottle of vodka?

8:36 Speaker 0: Are you worth less than that luxury sandwich deal that has 1 little sad pot of olives in it and a really overpriced pressed juice because 15 pounds is not a grand luxury price.

8:58 Speaker 0: It's a small commitment threshold. It's a pause.

9:03 Speaker 0: It's you saying my well-being is serious and it's worth a serious conversation.

9:12 Speaker 0: And if you decide to continue with Her Guru, Hypnotherapy and Coaching, whether you decide to, you know, maybe use the Emotional Survival Kit or the 31 Days to Balance and Well program or the 1 to 1 programs, that 15 pounds as it currently is is credited towards that next step.

9:38 Speaker 0: So if you continue, the Discovery Session effectively becomes free.

9:44 Speaker 0: And if someone books and doesn't attend or cancels outside the cancellation policy, That £15, as it is now, is donated to Starting Point, a local charity that I support.

10:04 Speaker 0: I'm 1 of their mentors currently, and it helps young people aged from 16 to 21 through Mentoring.

10:13 Speaker 0: So the way I see it, either way, the money does something useful.

10:18 Speaker 0: It either supports your next step or someone else.

Book a discovery session to help you understand your stress and anxiety

10:23 Speaker 0: So what exactly happens in the Discovery Session?

10:27 Speaker 0: Well, it's a 30 to 40 minute conversation.

10:31 Speaker 0: I say that because I don't like putting fixed time scales on things. It's structured but it's not stiff.

10:39 Speaker 0: It's so that it can be focused but it's not cold and it's truly human and practical.

10:45 Speaker 0: We talk about what's happening for you right now and that might be work related stress, anxiety, it might be sleep disruption, it might be burnout signals, it might be you feeling guilt about needing support, whatever it is, we look at what has already been tried, we look at what feels realistic, we look at what feels too much, we look at self led tools or structure support or 1 to 1 work might be a better fit, and sometimes the most useful outcome is that we decide I am not the right support for you.

11:27 Speaker 0: That's allowed.

11:29 Speaker 0: I would rather tell you the truth than do the wrong thing because selling someone something that's the wrong support, especially when it comes to stress, because it's available, it's just not on. You know, I am not a vending machine.

11:48 Speaker 0: The Discovery Session is not a therapy session, it's not there to diagnose, it's not there for crisis support or medical advice or any kind of advice actually.

11:59 Speaker 0: It's not a guaranteed treatment plan and it's absolutely not a sales pitch.

12:06 Speaker 0: No, the Discovery Session is kinda almost like a sorting room.

12:11 Speaker 0: It's where we sort, we start sorting what's happening, what support fits, and what the next right step could be.

12:21 Speaker 0: Not a velvet robe, just a calm, honest, reality 1st conversation.

12:32 Speaker 0: We also look at what might be useful questions that we should be asking.

12:41 Speaker 0: You know, I always like to define a difference between relief and restoration.

12:47 Speaker 0: Relief is where you feel better in the moment, restoration is where you start understanding what support actually helps you recover, rebuild, and stop circling around the same problem.

12:59 Speaker 0: The Discovery Session is not designed to fix your whole life in 30 minutes. No.

13:05 Speaker 0: Let's I'm not trying to insult your intelligence here.

13:09 Speaker 0: It can help you name what's happening.

13:12 Speaker 0: It can help you understand whether you need a quick tool, a structured program, or deeper 1 to 1 support, or a completely different professional route altogether.

13:25 Speaker 0: Sometimes just having that 1 clear conversation saves you months of guessing.

13:33 Speaker 0: So the Discovery Session is not a sales ambush, it's not a test, it's not so you can prove how badly enough you deserve support, it's a calm, honest, reality 1st conversation designed to help you understand what fits because if you're already dealing with work related stress or work anxiety or sleep deprivation or, you know, burnout signals the private cost of looking fine while feeling anything but you do not need any more confusion.

14:14 Speaker 0: You need clarity, clarity.

14:17 Speaker 0: And for me, clarity starts with awareness.

14:21 Speaker 0: Now if this episode has made you think, actually, I do need to have a conversation, then the next step is simple.

14:30 Speaker 0: Book a Discovery Session. Bring 1 honest question.

14:36 Speaker 0: Do you need a polished examination? Sorry. Explanation?

14:43 Speaker 0: Do you need to arrive perfectly organized? No. What?

14:49 Speaker 0: That is what we work together to do together.

14:54 Speaker 0: You can find out how to book a Discovery Session in the show notes. There'll be a booking link there.

15:04 Speaker 0: But I want to thank you for listening to Work Stress Anxiety by ABGW.

15:10 Speaker 0: If you are a woman, actually if you are anyone who looks capable on the outside but feels quietly stretching things thing please hear this clearly.

15:23 Speaker 0: You are not weak for wanting support, are not dramatic for wanting clarity and you're not wasting anyone's time by talking or taking your stress seriously.

15:40 Speaker 0: So remember every step you take no matter how small is a step towards a brighter more balanced future.

15:49 Speaker 0: Trust in your journey and remember progress is progress no matter the pace. Thank you very much for listening.

16:02 Speaker 0: My hands together for you. Bye for now.