What to Expect
Assessment and formulation
The first session consists of an assessment where you can share what your needs are and I will collect information about you from your background history. This includes details of your early life up to present day, related to family relationships, home life, school/uni experiences, health, social networks, work experiences, losses and trauma and day-to-day functioning. Sometimes it is helpful to collect extra information via questionnaires too.
I use this information about you to help formulate i.e understand what factors might have contributed to your current experiencing, what is maintaining it, current strengths and resilience and how to help. We discuss this together, alongside your personal reflections, and then are in a position to work out a suitable structure for your therapy. This includes discussion on therapy approach and length of therapy. The length of therapy depends on therapy goals and the nature of issues addressed. I offer both short and long-term therapy.
Sometimes it may be necessary to continue to collect assessment information in the first few therapy sessions in order to get more clarity on your formulation and to work out the best way to help you.
Therapy sessions
Each session is 50 minutes long. It is beneficial for you that we meet at the same time and day per session as this helps with your therapeutic process. I allocate your regular session in my diary and keep this space for you.
I recommend that initially we meet weekly for the first six sessions and then we can review this. Often it is best to continue with weekly sessions but in some cases it works to change to fortnightly or monthly. If you are having short term therapy with me we can discuss the most beneficial frequency.
On our first session we will discuss confidentiality and data protection. A detailed explanation of this can be seen here
You have the option of online video or in-person Counselling Psychology.
Online video counselling is a surprisingly effective way to receive therapy and has many advantages. For example there are no geographical limitations, you will save time with no travel and you can be in the comfort of your own home, work place or anywhere that is convenient to you.
Research shows they are as helpful as in-person and I am certainly finding this with my clients. Online and telephone counselling has become increasingly popular over the recent years.
If you would like help setting up online video I am happy to do this before your first session by telephone. You will need internet access and a space where you will have privacy. I use Zoom for therapy sessions as it is a secure platform. It is easy to install and use and I will guide you through this process if necessary.
Please note that the fees include activities outside of the therapy session such as session preparation, note taking, and associated administration.
Self-funding
Ongoing Counselling Psychology Sessions (50 mins) £105 online £110 in-person.
Sessions are payable prior to the meetings. This can be done via bank transfer (preferable) or cheque or cash if more suitable for you. Monthly payments can also be arranged in advance.
Health Insurance
I am registered with a number of private health insurance companies including Axa, Vitality, Aviva, Aetna, WPA and Cigna. If you have private health insurance not listed here you can ask them if you are covered for my services. Please note that the health insurance companies may pay me slightly more than for self-funding to accommodate associated administration.
Indirectly funded
If your fees are being paid by somebody else (e.g. insurance company, rehabilitation agency, employer, solicitor, family), written confirmation that they will be responsible for all of the fees will be required. They will usually then be invoiced directly.
On our first session we will discuss confidentiality and data protection. A detailed explanation of this can be seen here