Psychological Therapy
As a Clinical Psychologist my practice is rooted in the application of the science of psychology to mental health and emotional difficulties. Clinical Psychologists are rigorously trained in the application of psychological theory to assess and understand psychological problems and to devise and deliver appropriate therapeutic interventions.
The British Psychological Society has more more information about Clinical Psychology - you can access their website here.
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I offer psychological therapy on a private, professional and confidential basis, aimed at helping people to overcome a range of emotional, behavioural or interpersonal difficulties. Sessions last for 50 minutes to an hour (family sessions may be longer). The general outline of the therapy process is described below.
Assessment
Your first appointment is an opportunity for us to meet, and for me to find out more about your difficulties, your background and you as a person (including your strengths and personal resources). This is often referred to as a psychological formulation and is an initial understanding of your difficulties. This session will also give you a chance to start to get to know me, and to ask any initial questions you might have.
The aim of assessment is to come up with an explanation of why your problems might have developed, what might be keeping them going and what might help. Depending on your individual difficulties, this may take more than one session.
You will be able to decide whether to go away and think about what you'd like to do next, or book another appointment immediately. Throughout therapy you are free to leave at any stage and there is never an obligation to book subsequent sessions.
Therapy sesssions
Following assessment we will review the psychological formulation together and discuss the therapy options available, based on this shared understanding of your difficulties. I individualise my therapeutic approach to each client, based on what we discuss and what I believe would be the best approach for you. Whatever we decide, research and my clinical experience both suggest that the most important factor in successful therapy is the quality of the partnership between the therapist and the client. I will always ensure that there will be ample opportunity to ask questions, and for me to seek regular feedback during therapy to make sure you are receiving the best care I can offer. It's worth bearing in mind that therapy is not a magic bullet or a quick fix: it's a collaborative process of discovery and healing that works best when both the client and therapist actively participate.
Often, the biggest realisations and changes happen in the time between therapy sessions. Recognising this and to help you make changes to reach the goals that you identify I may ask you to complete tasks or exercises between sessions (sometimes referred to as 'home practice' or 'homework'). These tasks can be a really important part of your therapeutic journey and are designed to help you to get the most out of therapy.
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The number of therapy sessions you may need is likely to vary depending on your goals from therapy, the nature, complexity and chronicity of your difficulties, which approach we decide to take and how many sessions you would like.
Please note that couples and family therapy may mean involving another therapist. This is usually done to provide a more thorough and comprehensive therapeutic intervention, as two clinicians are more able to attend to everything that is going on and to offer ideas and change strategies based on their combined experience and clinical skill.
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By definition therapy leads to change; I know from experience how difficult this can be, but part of the role of the therapist is to guide and support the client as they go through this process. Ultimately, making small changes to self-defeating behaviours and learning to cope with difficult experiences and feelings in a different and healthier way can make a huge difference to your overall happiness and quality of life.
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If you think that psychological therapy might be for you please get in touch using the contact details on the 'Contact' page. I offer an initial 30-minute telephone or online discussion free of charge and you are under no obligation to go any further if you decide not to. If you do decide to go ahead we will then arrange an assessment session to discuss your difficulties in more detail.