Frequently Asked Questions about Treatment
Starting therapy is an important decision. Please use the tabs below to find out more about what you can expect in treatment, making payments or therapy referrals. Alternatively, get in touch should you have any other questions.
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Treatments like cognitive behavioural therapy are called "talking therapies". Talking therapy usually involves working with a trained psychological therapist to improve the difficulties you are struggling with.
Therapy appointments last 50 minutes. I offer a collaborative approach to treatment which means we will work together as a team to improve your difficulties. You will be encouraged to provide feedback throughout the course of therapy so that I will be able to work with you in the most helpful way possible.
{slider title="2. What happens at an initial consultation?" class="icon"}
An initial consultation, which lasts 50 minutes, provides an opportunity to explore your difficulties and establish what you hope to gain from therapy. It also provides you with an opportunity to meet with me in person and decide if I am someone you would feel comfortable working with.
At the end of the initial assessment, I will aim to provide you with a preliminary understanding of your difficulties. Based upon this and your goals for treatment, I will outline what therapy is likely to involve and how long it will last. This tailor-made treatment plan will be informed by your personal needs and the latest clinical research. You will then be free to decide if you wish to take up further sessions.
{slider title="3. Will my personal information be kept confidential?" class="icon"}
It is important that you feel as comfortable as possible in therapy. For this reason, any information that you share with me will be kept strictly confidential. I am chartered with the British Psychological Society (BPS) and adhere to their codes of conduct regarding the protection of confidential information.
In rare situations, a therapist may have a professional duty to extend the boundaries of confidentiality. Situations where this may be necessary include there being a risk an individual may harm themselves or someone else, or if there are serious concerns about their physical health. If it is necessary to share information in this way, it is always with a view to keeping you or someone else safe.
{slider title="4. How long will therapy last?" class="icon"}
It can be difficult to predict the length of therapy as each individual is different. Factors such as the challenges you are experiencing and your goals for therapy will influence the recommended length of treatment.
Gnerally speaking, most people begin to experience improvements within the first three to six sessions of therapy. The treatments I provide can be provided on a short-term or longer-term basis according to your needs. I am always happy to work within specific time-frames or over a fixed number of sessions if this is preferred. You can be assured that your progress will be reviewed in every session and that treatment can be adjusted in light of any changes in your circumstances.
{slider title="5. How quickly can I expect to see improvements?" class="icon"}
I always aim to help individuals achieve positive changes as quickly as possible. My priority will always be to help you experience improvements in a speedy and long-lasting fashion.
{slider title="6. Are you suitably qualified?" class="icon"}
I have completed training in psychological therapy at both doctoral and post-doctoral levels, and have been providing talking therapy for over 10 years. My expertise is reflected by my accreditation with the Health and Care Professions Council (the national regulator of practitioner psychologists), the British Psychological Society (which charters practitioner psychologists) and leading healthcare insurers. In addition, I am accredited by specialist psychotherapy regulators such as the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy (BABCP) - the only body in the UK which accredits fully qualified cognitive behavioural therapists.
{slider title="7. Is there a difference between psychologists, psychotherapists and psychiatrists?" class="icon"}
The variety of mental health professions offering talking therapies is large. Whilst there is some overlap between different professions, there are also some important differences both in terms of their training and the type of support they are able to provide.
Psychiatrists are medical professionals who have chosen to specialise in the field of mental health. Psychiatrists are responsible for providing psychiatric diagnoses and prescribing medications to treat mental illnesses. Relatively few psychiatrists have completed training in talking therapies.
Counsellors provide supportive and non-directive ("unstructured") talking therapies. These are usually provided over a relatively short period of time (for example, six - eight sessions) but may be longer. Counselling can be helpful when an individual requires support during a difficult period in life or has suffered an important loss (for example, bereavement counselling). Counselling training is relatively short (around one year) but individual counsellors may be very experienced.
Psychotherapists are mental health professionals who have completed specialist training in a specific form of psychotherapy (for example, psychoanalytic psychotherapy) but they may also be trained in several psychotherapies. Psychotherapy training is typically completed over two - four years.
Clinical Psychologists and Counselling Psychologists (also known as "practitioner psychologists") are trained to provide many different types of talking therapy. They are also able to conduct psychological assessments, use psychometric tests (for example, personality tests), and carry out clinical research. Some Psychologists go on to complete psychotherapy training after they have completed their doctoral training. Clinical and Counselling Psychologists complete around six years of training (three years of undergraduate and at least three years of postgraduate study), often in addition to extended periods of clinic-based work experience.
I am a fully accredited Clinical Psychologist and Psychotherapist.
{slider title="8. What does “evidence-based treatment” mean and why is it important?" class="icon"}
Whilst there are many forms of psychological therapy available, only a small proportion are proven to work through scientific research. “Evidence-based practice” refers to the provision of therapies which are shown to be effective. The cornerstone of my practice is the provision of treatments which are proven to work. This ensures that you receive the best treatment possible, using the most helpful therapies available.
For more information about evidence-based therapies recommended for treating specific emotional difficulties, please visit the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) where disorder-specific guidelines are available.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Referrals and Payments
Please follow the links below...
{slider title="1. Do you accept self-referrals and/or referrals from healthcare professionals?" open="false" class="icon"}
I accept self-referrals and referrals from other healthcare professionals, including General Practitioners (GPs), Psychiatrists, and healthcare insurers.
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Yes you can. I am a registered provider with Bupa, Bupa International, AXA-PPP, Cigna, and Pruhealth. Whether you are able to access psychological therapy through your insurer, and the number of sessions available to you, will depend upon your policy. Please contact your insurer for more information.
{slider title="3. How can I pay for my sessions?" class="icon"}
I accept cash payments and online bank transfers.
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Something I've missed?
If so, please get in touch - I'd be very happy to tell you more about the services I offer.
