FAQs

It can feel overwhelming to know which type of therapist or specialist to choose. There are so many different types of therapy and practitioners on offer, yet not all have an evidence base and not all titles tell you very much. Anyone can call themselves a ‘psychologist’ for example, however, the title ‘Clinical Psychologist’ is protected by law and only applicable to those who have completed the minimum of seven years of study to qualify.

The therapeutic relationship is incredibly important when it comes to the effectiveness of therapy. We see it as the foundation upon which everything else stands. In other words, if there isn’t a good working relationship between the therapist and client then the therapy is less likely to be successful, regardless of the type of therapy being provided or how skilled, qualified or experienced the practitioner is. For this very reason, we offer all new clients a free 15-minute phone consultation so you can get a feel of what working with us will be like. It really matters to us that you achieve the outcomes you want, so we want to make sure we’re the right fit for you.

Decades of research has shown that psychological therapies are an effective treatment for a broad range of difficulties. Psychological therapy is recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for many issues, including generalised anxiety, trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), insomnia, depression, panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), phobias, health anxiety, emotional dysregulation, eating disorders and addictions.

Psychological therapy is also recommended for managing and adjusting to a range of health issues including medically unexplained symptoms, premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoria, chronic pain, sleep disorders, adjustment to illness or disability, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), tinnitus and diabetes.

To hear what our clients say about the specific therapy we provide please see our testimonials page

Your first session is a chance for you and your psychologist to start getting to know each other. It gives us an opportunity to understand what you’re finding difficult and what you’re hoping to gain from therapy. Together, you’ll begin to make sense of what’s been holding you back and explore which therapeutic approach may best support you. You’ll also leave with a clearer idea of what therapy can look and feel like. Goals may be set during this first session, or they may develop naturally over time as the work continues. Throughout therapy, you and your psychologist will work together at a pace that feels comfortable for you.

The number of therapy sessions you’ll need will depend on your individual needs. Some people may reach their goals after just a few sessions; some might need up to 20 or more. We believe in creating confidence and empowerment through therapy, not dependency on it, so together we’ll routinely track your progress using specialist evidence-based outcome measures and asking your for your honest feedback. These measures, combined with regular feedback, will allow us to agree together on the frequency and duration of your therapy.

Each therapy session lasts up to 50 minutes. Your first assessment appointment is usually longer (60-90 minutes), and if you’re attending a specialist assessment for sleep difficulties or ADHD, timings will be discussed with you.

Absolutely not. We all have mental health, just like we all have physical health. As well as helping to overcome mental health problems, psychological support and therapy is also about developing your resilience to the stresses of life, learning new skills and strategies and how to use your personal strengths to get the most out of life and improve your psychological wellbeing. We believe we could all benefit from a non-judgemental space to think, learn, talk and feel listened to and understood.

Therapy involves a significant investment of time and energy. You need to be willing and open to talk about your thoughts, feelings, experiences, needs, wishes, hopes and fears.

It can be useful to think of psychological therapy as a form of training, and like any other form of training the more you put in, the more you’ll get out. Therefore, motivation and openness are really important. Therapy is at its most effective when people want things to change and feel motivated to try.

As Chartered Clinical Psychologists and HCPC-registered Practitioner Psychologists we are bound by a professional Code of Ethics that means everything you discuss will be kept completely confidential unless you give your explicit consent for certain information to be shared with particular individuals, like your GP. You can choose to withdraw this consent at any time.

As set out in the British Psychological Society (BPS) Code of Ethics and Conduct there are rare circumstances which permit us to break this confidentiality agreement, for example in instances where we feel you are at significant risk of harming yourself or other people. Whenever possible, we would let you know if this was the case. Please contact us if you would like to discuss this further.

We are unable to provide an emergency service. If you are currently in crisis, experiencing suicidal thoughts or urges to harm yourself or others in any way, please call your local doctor or mental health services for help.

If you are in the UK, telephone 111 for the NHS out of hours service if you urgently need medical help or advice, but it’s not a life-threatening situation. Calls are free, and they will direct you to the best medical care for you. For urgent out of hours support please attend your local A&E.

Alternatively, you may find the following contacts helpful;
Telephone Mindline on 01823 276892 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Telephone the Samaritans on 116 123, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can also email them at joe@samaritans.org or visit www.samaritans.org