frequently asked questions
How can therapy help?
The ultimate aim of therapy is to give you control and agency over your own life, so that you can live it in the way you want to. It is not about giving you advice or telling you what to do, it is a collaboration, with your thoughts, feelings, behaviours and aspirations at the heart of it. The aim of the therapy I provide is threefold - to work with you to understand what is at the root of your issue, to equip you with the resilience to face the challenges in your life, and to empower you to make any changes that you feel would make a positive difference to your life. Working collaboratively, you will gain insights and different perspectives into your current situation and patterns. Therapy helps you to face and manage what has prompted you seek therapy, sometimes through integrating CBT, psychodynamic and TA strategies and models into our sessions.
“The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.” Carl R Rogers.
How long will I need to participate in therapy before I feel better?
There is no set answer here. Some clients can feel better in a few sessions, some prefer to have a lot more. Therapy does not guarantee that you will feel better, but investing in yourself in this way is a great place to start. I offer open-ended sessions, for as long as we both believe therapeutic work is being done. I have also trained in short-term work, which can be just as effective, depending on your presenting issue and what you would like to achieve. I would ordinarily recommend six sessions as a minimum, with a review at session four.
What can I expect to happen in a therapy session?
The therapy session is yours. We are together for 50 minutes, and you can talk about whatever you want. Listening carefully, I will help you explore what is on your mind, and assist you in seeing it from different perspectives with a view to gaining new insights. Where your presenting issue can benefit from practical interventions such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), solution focused therapy or transactional analysis (TA), I will raise that during our sessions and ask if you would like to try them.
You can expect to receive empathy, honesty and and acceptance.
May I include family members in my therapy sessions?
Other than perhaps a family member coming in with you for ten minutes into your first session for support, this is not usually encouraged or recommended. One of the key benefits of therapy is that it is your confidential space where you can discuss whatever you want without worrying about what someone close to you might think or feel about it. If you feel you would like family members involved, it may that family therapy with a family therapist would be more appropriate. We can discuss this in our initial contact.
How much do you charge?
My fee is £60 for a 50 minute session, reviewable on a annual basis on 1 January.