Frequently Asked Questions
Please find below some common questions about psychotherapy and clinical supervision. To make things easier, I have answered some of the most common ones I receive. If you have any other questions not listed here, please feel free to get in touch with me. Why not book a 25 mins phone consultation to chat?
How Many sessions do you offer, is it short term or long term ? Any follow-up ?
I offer both short-term and long-term therapy, as well as follow-up sessions after therapy is completed. These follow-ups can take place 3 to 6 months later, or at a frequency that works best for you. Follow-up sessions are a valuable opportunity to review your progress, assess whether you’ve continued using the skills learned in therapy, and address any challenges, such as slipping back into unhelpful patterns or life events disrupting progress. If this is the case, we can work together to create a plan to get you back on track. The need for follow-up sessions is determined by what is most beneficial to you. Typically, I offer between one to three follow-up sessions, although most clients find one session sufficient. I believe it’s important to encourage clients to foster independence and develop the confidence to become their own therapist after completing therapy. Having a clear ending point helps support this process.
How often are sessions held?
Most clients attend weekly or bi-weekly sessions. The frequency is flexible and can be
adjusted based on your needs and progress.
How do I prepare for an initial session? what will happen in an initial session, I am apprehensive about it?
Feeling apprehensive about starting therapy is completely normal, and it’s also a courageous step to begin addressing your difficulties. There isn’t much you need to prepare for the session, but it can be helpful to reflect on your main challenges, what you hope to achieve through therapy, and a bit about your background. The first session is primarily an assessment where I get to know you, understand what you’re struggling with, and explore what you hope to accomplish by the end of therapy. In fact, the first two sessions are dedicated to a thorough assessment. This helps me gather as much information as possible to maximize the effectiveness of therapy. These sessions may feel a bit different from regular therapy, as I’ll ask specific questions about your main challenges, start identifying connections between your thoughts, feelings, behaviours, and physical sensations, and explore how these difficulties impact your daily life. We’ll also discuss your background, significant life events, potential triggers, and where the problems might stem from. Additionally, we’ll look at your personality and work together to define your goals. This foundation will help shape the therapeutic process and ensure it is tailored to your unique needs. During this time, I’ll explain how I work, and explore the most effective ways forward. You might be surprised by how quickly the first meeting passes!
I work during the day; can I see you in the evening or can you accommodate me?
Yes, absolutely. I currently work online one day a week, but I also offer evening appointments at flexible times and am happy to accommodate weekend sessions if preferred.
Could I come fortnightly or less regularly if I need to?
Yes, this is usually possible and is tailored to your needs and treatment plan during the assessment sessions. However, I generally recommend that new clients attend regularly at the beginning to establish consistency and progress effectively. I can also provide self-therapy resources for loved ones who may be unable to afford or attend therapy. These resources can serve as an adjunct for those attending therapy on a fortnightly basis or as a complementary tool provided during the final session. These materials can then be reviewed during a follow-up session to support and enhance the effectiveness of therapy.
Do I need to have really serious problem to see therapy?
Not at all, therapy could also be about your own development, how you can make your life more meaningful according to your values, break a vicious cycle by adopting more healthy copings and be more in control and confident in the present moment.
Do you provide clinic supervision and what is the discount?
Yes, I provide professional clinical supervision for psychologists, trainee psychologists, counselors, and counselors in training. Currently, I offer supervision exclusively online, with the frequency determined by the supervisee’s needs. My standard fee is £120 for a 50-minute session, but I am happy to offer 30-minute sessions at half the price. Additionally, I provide a 50% discount for trainees and students, making the fee £55 for a one-hour session.
How might a child and adolescent therapy session look like?
For children less than 18 years old, I might have to work with the parents alongside the child, as this will maximize the effectiveness of the session. It is a more systemic approach since I only see the client one day a week, and they will return to their system. This will bring a greater effect on the client’s presenting problem.
How do I pay for the sessions? Can I use my insurer to fund the session?
Payment is made prior to the session to confirm appointment this can be made via bank transfer before each session. Alternatively, you can set up a standing order for each month and this can be stopped at any time. Yes, I offer the opportunity to pay under specific insurance. Please see my fees page for more information to see which ones I can currently off. (BUPA and WPA should be fine, check Aviva too)
Will the session be confidential, and will anything be put on my medical notes?
Sessions are confidential and a safe non-judgemental space. Everything you share with me in your sessions is confidential and will not be passed on to anyone without your permission, including your GP (except in a few extreme risk situations which I will speak to you about in the initial session). Sometimes it can be helpful for me to let your GP know you are seeing a psychologist, but I will talk to you first if I feel this was the case. However, other than this, all material disclosed is confidential and will not be entered onto your medical records. Clients’ clinical notes are stored in a confidential manner in a password-protected web diary for the therapist entitled Write up.
How do we measure success in therapy and how quickly can I expect results?
That is a very good question. We will have reviews every 6-7 weeks to check your progress and readjust your treatment plan. This will help assess your likelihood of achieving your goals in therapy. We will collaboratively create a psychological formulation, which will be the foundation on which we create a treatment plan and goals, so this will be an important basis to assess how we are doing. This is subject to ongoing reviews.
How can we determine if you are the right therapist for me? I’m feeling unsure about committing. Is it necessary to make a commitment to therapy?
No, you do not have to make a commitment for therapy, you can attend a consultation which I can assess what your current difficulties are, things you would like to work on and if we are the right fit for each other (through the 20 mins or 60 mins consultation). You can also book the first session and if you do not want to continue for various reasons, that is no obligation to do so.
Will you prescribe medication?
I am currently not allowed to prescribe medication however, I am well trained in observing and working with clients who are taking medication/ prescribed drugs. If you are taking medication I will consider and reflect with you on the effects this has on you in therapy and consider this as part of the problem that needs to be assessed. I can use information on the effects of drugs and my own and clients ‘experiences to build up a sense of how much of the client’s way of being is affected. We might reflect on the use and limitation of drugs, their effectiveness and affect on the therapy process, I will assess this and consider drug withdrawals and the appropriate therapy approach to consider while clients are still taking drugs or are withdrawing from drug use. Given all that, I am not a psychiatrist, we will have incorporated another page on the website in the future where this could be explored in more detail. This will be done by a psychiatrist so watch this space! for medical reviews and ADHD and psychiatry assessment.
