Common Questions about Treatment 

Treatments like cognitive behavioural therapy are called "talking therapies". Talking therapy involves working with a trained psychological therapist to improve the difficulties you are struggling with. I will always aim to treat you with warmth and respect, and so ensure that your sessions are a safe, supportive and comfortable experience.

Therapy appointments last 50 minutes. I offer a collaborative approach to treatment which means we work together as a team to improve your difficulties. You will be encouraged to provide feedback throughout the course of therapy so that I am able to work with you in the most helpful way possible.

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 me and decide if you feel comfortable working together.

At the end of the initial assessment, I will provide you with an individualised understanding of your difficulties. Based upon this and your goals for treatment, I will explain what therapy is likely to involve and how long 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 treatment.

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 the Psychological Society of Ireland and adhere to their codes of conduct regarding the protection of confidential information.

In rare situations, I may have a professional duty to extend the boundaries of confidentiality. Situations where this may be necessary include there being a risk you may harm yourself or someone else, or if I am concerned about your physical health. Sharing information in this way will always be with a view to keeping you or someone else safe. If I am concerned about your safety, I will discuss this with you.

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.

Generally, I find that most people begin to experience improvements within the first three to six sessions. Treatments can be provided on a short-term or longer-term basis according to your needs. I am always happy to work within the time-frames you provide or over a fixed number of sessions. However, you are not limited to a certain number of appointments. 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.

I aim to help you achieve positive changes as quickly as possible. My priority will always be to help you experience improvements in a speedy and long-lasting fashion.   

The variety of mental health professions and talking therapies available today is vast. Whilst there is some overlap between these different professions, there are also some important differences both in terms of their level of 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 carrying 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.  

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. I provide 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.

I am available to you at your scheduled appointment time(s). However, I am unable to provide emergency support in the event of a crisis and you are encouraged to seek other help in such an event. Additional sources of support include the Samaritans (08457 90 90 90), your GP, and (if you feel at acute risk) your local Accident and Emergency Service.

I welcome both self-referrals and referrals from other healthcare professionals, including General Practitioners (GPs), Psychiatrists, and healthcare insurers. 

I am recognised as a specialist provider of psychological therapy by most healthcare insurers. These include Bupa, AXA-PPP, Cigna, WPA, Aviva 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.