Initial Contact
I will aim to reply to you within 24 hours on weekdays when you contact me.
I am then happy to offer a brief phone conversation (up to fifteen minutes) during which you can ask me questions and find out if therapy with me is right for you.
Most people, however, find it much better to have a full-length initial session, as this gives us a chance to get to know each other, and for you to explain what you are looking for from therapy.
First Meeting
We will use this initial session to get to know each other a little, and for you to explain the challenges you are facing and your hopes for therapy. We will also decide whether to go ahead and meet for regular therapy.
Continuing Therapy
We will generally meet for 50 minutes at the same time every week, but I am happy to discuss different kinds of regularity. Generally we would aim to meet for around six weeks, and then review where we have got, before committing to further sessions.
I put no limit on the number of weeks, months or years that we continue our work, other than what works best for you in terms of your clinical needs.
I will work with you as an individual, drawing on many therapeutic perspectives and theories to focus on what’s right for you, right now. I believe that our early experiences and our entire environment – the most intimate relationships, as well as the kind of society we were born into and grew up in – can have a lasting impact on the sort of person that we become and the kind of relationships that we seek out. Psychotherapy can help us to unravel and repair the damage that this can cause.
Confidentiality
What we talk about in the therapy room is confidential. I will explain my confidentiality policy when we meet, and you can ask me any questions about it. I am bound by GDPR and am registered with the Information Commissioners’ Office (ICO) to protect your data.
Fees and Cancellation
Fees
Fees are payable in advance of sessions, including the first session.
Cancellation
I need a minimum of one week’s notice of cancellation. I will usually try to offer a different slot in the same week, but cancellation fees will apply if you give me less notice than this, and I am unable to provide an alternative time during the same week. I will give as much notice as possible of times when I am away. If I have to cancel a session because of an emergency, you will not be charged.
Ethical practice
I work to the highest ethical principles, and adhere to the strict ethical codes of the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) and the Sherwood Psychotherapy Training Institute.