What to expect
When you get in touch
Initial Consultation
Taking the steps to access psychological therapy can be scary, or exciting, or both. Engaging in therapy requires commitment and trust, so choosing someone you can feel safe with and build a relationship with is really important.
I therefore offer an initial consultation to see whether I feel I can help you, and to give you the chance to see if you feel I am the right therapist for you. You can ask any questions you might have, and you can tell me about what you are struggling with.
Please know that there is no obligation to book a follow up appointment after this initial consultation. If at the end of this conversation I feel that another therapist or service may be better suited to you or your needs, I will make alternative suggestions as to who or where might be more suitable.
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Assessment
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Following our initial consultation, if you decide you’d like to go ahead with therapy, and I feel I will be able to help, we will arrange to meet to complete a psychological assessment. This can be either face-to-face or online via a video platform. The assessment appointment, and any follow up therapy appointments will last 55 minutes, unless otherwise discussed. The assessment will take 1-2 sessions. It will involve exploring in more depth the difficulties you are struggling with and trying to make sense of these from a psychological perspective.
Sometimes the process of talking and clarifying things can be enough in itself but at other times, on-going therapy may help. I see people for either short or longer-term psychological therapy, usually on a weekly basis.
Psychological therapy
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Based on the outcome of the assessment, we will clarify your goals for therapy, what approach to take, and the frequency and duration of therapy.
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At the heart of therapy is the therapeutic relationship, and my priorities are to help you to feel safe and understood, and develop an honest and reliable relationship in which you can talk freely and we can work through your difficulties together.
We will make sense of your experiences, thoughts, and feelings, and recognise patterns incorporating science-based ideas about how our early relationships shape the way the mind and brain develop from our young years into our adult lives.
Through the process, you will develop more helpful ways of relating to yourself and to others, and develop new strategies and resources workable for you to help you manage difficult emotional and relational experiences.
During the therapeutic work, the main models I draw upon are Compassion Focused Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing.
To learn more about the different therapeutic models that I use, please click here.
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In-person and online sessions
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I offer in-person sessions at my clinic in Leamington Spa, or if you prefer to be in the comfort of your own home, I also offer online video sessions. Online sessions can be just as effective as face-to-face therapy. When considering online sessions, please make sure that you are able to speak in a location that is completely private, without interruption and that you have a good internet connection.
If you have any further questions about your appointment or what to expect, please get in touch.