It is not uncommon to find the prospect of therapy daunting and feel unsure about what to expect. Below you will find answers to some common questions to help put your mind at ease but please do not hesitate to contact me if you wish to know more.
What should I expect?
The first part of therapy is about gaining a shared understanding of the difficulties you are going through, how long you have been experiencing these difficulties and how they are impacting your daily life.
This involves me asking you some questions and gathering information from you in as much detail as you feel able to discuss.
I will also tell you a bit about myself and the therapy process and we will discuss confidentiality, a therapy agreement and any questions you might have.
We will aim to establish your goals as this will help tailor the therapy in the most effective way and ultimately ensure I am doing what I can to help you. reach these goals and feel better.
A big part of the effectiveness of therapy is down to what you do outside of the sessions, this will involve you reflecting and practicing certain techniques and helpful coping strategies.
How will I know therapy is right for me?
A free telephone consultation is available giving you the opportunity to outline the main difficulties you are experiencing for us to determine if the therapy I provide is the most appropriate in terms of meeting your needs.
This also gives you an opportunity to ask any questions before deciding whether to engage with therapy.
How many sessions will I need?
The number of sessions recommended will be based on the nature of the difficulties you are going through, the treatment recommended for such difficulties, therapy goals, and your engagement in therapy and out of session tasks.
This is very individual however we will regularly discuss and review your progress towards your goals.
How much will it cost?
Details of session fees can be found here.
Is my therapy confidential?
Everything discussed during your therapy is confidential. If I become concerned for your welfare or the welfare of someone else I may need to share information with other professionals such as your GP, in line with my duty of care, but I would always seek to discuss this with you in the first instance.
Confidentiality is discussed and agreed at the start of your treatment and forms part of our therapy agreement. Part of being a therapist involves discussing certain cases with a clinical ‘supervisor’ to ensure clients are getting the best help available.
Please be assured that should your treatment be discussed during supervision your identity will remain confidential.
What if I need to cancel a session?
If you need to cancel a session I kindly ask you to provide me with as much notice as possible to allow the appointment time to be offered to someone else. If you cancel a session without giving 24 hours’ notice I require full payment for the session.