What can you expect?

A first session will last approximately an hour and a half. For the first hour you will be able to 'have your say' and tell me about your situation, I will listen and may offer some early diagnosis and explanation of what is happening. At the end of the hour you can decide whether psychotherapy is for you. If you decide to proceed then I will take some basic details such as name, address, GP etc.

How long will the full course of treatment last?

This will depend on the nature and severity of your symptoms. All work is done contractually so we both know what we are aiming for. There will be regular reviews of progress and guidance as to the length of treatment required. In the end, you are in control of your own therapy and you decide how long you wish to come for. Some clients have a very specific target and will complete their work within 6 - 10 weeks, for others the situation may be far more complex and they will wish to be in therapy for anything up to 3 years. At the end of each session you will be given the option to rebook and to specify whether you want to book for an hour or an hour and a half.

If I finish my contract for therapy can I come back?

Of course you can! I have many clients who book 'top up' sessions as and when they need them. Some clients prefer to reach one target, discontinue therapy and then return to do more work at a time to suite themselves.

What happens if I can't make my appointment?

I usually ask for 24 hours notice so that I have the opportunity to offer the appointment to a client who may be waiting. However, as long as you let me know at any point before the appointment that you are not coming I do not charge for missed appointments.

If you do not inform me that you will not be keeping the appointment then I will send you an invoice for £15. When you book a session, you are booking my time - if you fail to attend then I will spend that time researching or working on your case, I will therefore charge a proportion of the session fee.

What happens if I am late for a session?

Providing I do not have a client coming in straight after you, I will try to be as flexible as I can. I do understand that traffic can be bad! However I cannot guarantee that I will be able to extend the session past the formal end time, so please do not assume this will be the case. I will inform you as soon as you arrive.