Frequently Asked Questions
You Ask - I Answer
How do I pay?
Each therapy session is £115 per 50 minute session. Fees can be paid by credit or debit card (via Stripe) or bank transfer and must be paid 48 hours in advance of sessions in order to confirm your booking.
A concessionary rate for therapy sessions is offered to full-time students and counsellors in training. Please contact me for further information about fees.
Each supervision session is 50 minutes. A concessionary rate of £75 is offered to those in training.
Please contact me to discuss payment via your health insurance provider.
Is online therapy for me?
Working online enables you greater choice in which therapist you work with as you're not restricted to geographical location or accessibility issues. Perhaps you like the idea of talking to somebody who lives far away from your family and work situation so you can talk freely with ease.
Some people prefer being able to have sessions in the comfort and safety of their home, rather than having to rush back into the outside world from a busy practice. Of course, for this to work you need a quiet and private space to take a video call and a reliable, secure internet connection.
If you're in crisis and need immediate help, online therapy is not appropriate for you. Some mental health issues that might put your safety at risk are also not appropriate to be supported via remote therapy (for example, bipolar disorder with suicidal thoughts and self-harm, psychotic depression etc).
You can get in touch to ask me more about this if you're unsure, that's why it's important to speak on the phone before we agree to work this way together. I will make sure that you have all the information you need to decide whether online therapy is for you.
Do I need special technical knowledge or software for online appointments?
You don't need to download any apps or special software. I will email you a link to our meetings that you can click and open up when you're ready to start a session.
You need to be able to navigate your way around having your microphone and camera on, starting and ending video calls and be comfortable with email communication. These are things I can help you with. It's important you have antivirus software if you're on a laptop or computer and that your passwords for your email and phone or equipment are secure.
How many sessions will I have?
This varies from person to person. Open ended therapy can last anywhere from only a few sessions to two or three years. If you have a set budget or timeframe, I'm happy to work in a time-limited way and set in advance the number of sessions you wish to have. Some people know from the outset that they want to work on a long term basis but if you're unsure, as a rough guide, having 6 or so sessions then reviewing the work is a good place to start.
Individual therapy usually takes place once a week at the same time and day. It's my preferred way of working that weekly sessions over a shorter timeframe are more beneficial than sessions spread out over several months. This helps us both to keep a focus on the issues you're working through and over the long term, you may end up having fewer sessions and getting more from therapy this way.
What happens when I want to stop therapy?
When you decide that you wish to end your therapy I would always recommend that we discuss it in advance. For example, if you have been coming to see me for a year, 3 or 4 weeks' notice would allow us to conclude the work and say our goodbyes.
The longer you've been in therapy the more notice is recommended but generally, a couple of sessions would be fine. It's better to have a planned ending to our work rather than stop abruptly.
How do I cancel or re-arrange an appointment?
Please let me know as soon as you need to change a booked session by calling, leaving a message, texting, or emailing me.
I require strictly 48 hours notice of cancellations otherwise the full fee will be payable. This includes in unforeseen circumstances.
What about confidentiality?
All information relating to your therapy is treated as confidential. I do discuss my work with a supervsior but all client information is anonymised.
I am only obliged to disclose information about our work if I am ordered to by a court of law. However, in circumstances where your own or someone else's safety is seriously at risk it might also be necessary to share information. This is detailed in our working agreement and will be discussed further with you when we first meet.
What if I'm unhappy about the service I receive?
If you have raised a concern or complaint with me that you feel hasn't been satisfactorily resolved between us, you can contact the HCPC on +44 (0)300 500 6184 about fitness to practice concerns, or alternatively contact the UKCP for further advice and guidance on raising a concern about the therapy service you have received: https://www.psychotherapy.org.uk/ukcp-members/complaints/
I am a member of the British Psychological Society (BPS), Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) and the Association for Counselling and Therapy Online (ACTO), and abide by their Codes of Ethics.
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