Clinical Psychologist
WHAT TO EXPECT AND FAQS
What To Expect in Your Therapy Appointment
Our first appointment will be an assessment session, which is a chance for me to hear about what is going on for you and what you are hoping for from therapy. Research shows that a good connection between therapist and client is important for effective therapy. This first appointment gives us both the chance to work out if I am the right therapist for you and for me to get to know you a bit and think about what type of work may be helpful for you going forwards. If you have an assessment session there is no obligation for further sessions.
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If we arrange therapy sessions I will suggest a block of sessions and then a review to monitor our progress. I work using a range of approaches including Narrative Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Systemic/Family Therapy, and other approaches. If we are working specifically with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder I use Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET). For some clients I work with them for a short-term, for example 6-12 sessions. I also offer longer term work. I provide weekly therapy sessions online or via telephone.
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I want to support clients to develop good mental health that they can then maintain independently, through developing skills and tools to address and overcome the challenges that life can bring. I offer an empathetic approach to clients and am committed to working collaboratively to help them achieve their goals. Our work is confidential unless you inform me that you or someone else are at risk of harm.
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NB: The process for cognitive assessments for children is different. I can provide further information on this, if requested.
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FAQ'S
DO YOU OFFER SLIDING SCALE RATES?
At this time of COVID-19 financial circumstances are changing for many and therefore if finances are something that would stop you accessing support please do get in contact to discuss this with me.
HOW LONG DOES EACH THERAPY SESSION TAKE?
Each therapy session is 50 minutes. This is also what I offer for an assessment session. However, if you feel that you would like a longer assessment session to be able to discuss your concerns in more detail, then this can be arranged. Please contact me to discuss this.
WHY ARE YOU ONLY USING ONLINE/TELEPHONE SESSIONS CURRENTLY?
Due to the current pandemic of COVID-19 I am working a way that adheres to government guidelines and protects both myself and clients in the best possible way at this time. Normally, I do offer face-to-face assessment and therapy and aim to return to this as soon as it is safe to do so.
DO YOU PROVIDE REPORTS OR LETTERS?
Reports and letters are not included within therapy costs. They are charged based on an hourly rate which varies based on what has been requested. Please discuss directly with me if this something you would like. I always aim to complete these promptly. A report is automatically included in the cognitive assessment.
WHERE ARE YOU BASED?
I am based in both South West London and Bristol, in the UK. However IÂ often have clients outside of these areas, particularly for cognitive assessments of children.
DO YOU DO SCHOOL LIAISON, OBSERVATIONS OR CONSULTATION?
Yes. I do all of the above. Sometimes this is requested as a specific piece of work by a parent or school and at other times it is part of an assessment process to inform therapy. Please contact me to discuss this further if you are interested in these services. They are costed at an hourly rate.
WHEN DO YOU ASK FOR PAYMENT?
I ask for payment prior to a session to confirm booking of the specific session. Prior to payment your time/date is not considered booked. If you have difficulties with payment please do discuss this with me. I appreciate circumstances can change and do my best to accommodate clients when I can.
DO YOU PRESCRIBE MEDICATION?
No. Clinical Psychologists do not have the medical training to prescribe medication. Please speak to your GP or Psychiatrist if this is something you are seeking.
WHAT IS YOUR CANCELLATION POLICY?
Please refer to my terms and conditions for detailed information on this. However, sessions cancelled within 48 hours will be charged at the full rate. There are on occasion extenuating circumstances for clients upon which I will consider waiving this fee.
WHAT IS HCPC REGISTRATION?
In the UK, all Clinical Psychologists must be registered with the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) on order to practise. This also applies to Counselling Psychologists. You can check the register on hcpc-uk.org. The HCPC sets out policies and guidelines for practise and standards that we must uphold. Please ensure that your psychologist is HCPC registered.
THE TIME/DATE I WOULD LIKE THERAPY IS NOT AVAILABLE, WHAT DO I DO?
When this occurs you have the option of going onto my waiting list. I should be able to give you an estimate of how long you may have to wait. Alternatively you can seek support from other psychologists. You can use the HCPC website to ensure their professional registration.
WHAT AGED CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE DO YOU WORK WITH?
I work with toddlers through to those in their late teens. (I also work with adults). My approach and style differs dependent on the developmental stage and needs of the child. For some younger children I work only with their parents to bring about the desired change but with others I work with children alongside their parents.
MY TEENAGER IS RECEIVING THERAPY FROM YOU - DO YOU KEEP ME INFORMED?
At the assessment session we would discuss how we will manage sharing information. For some young people, additional support from parents through the therapy process can be very helpful. For others, it can be more difficult. Agreeing what feedback may occur to parents at the start of therapy is important alongside considering the preferences of the young person regarding this. Safeguarding is also of high importance within therapy and carefully managed.
Feedback is usually brief, unless additional specific sessions are arranged to discuss progress.
YOU HAVE ASKED FOR MY GP DETAILS - ARE YOU GOING TO TALK TO MY GP?
Please see my terms and conditions to explain this further but in short, I ask for these details in case I am informed of anything that makes me concerned about a risk to you or to others. No general therapy information is shared. Our work is confidential.
DO YOU ASSESS AND DIAGNOSES DIFFICULTIES SUCH AS ADHD OR ASD?
No. My perspective is that a formal diagnosis is best done by a multidisciplinary team and that is not a service I can provide. However, in our work I may identify traits that indicate particular diagnoses and discuss these with you, when appropriate. You can then seek formal diagnoses if you wish to do so.
WHAT DIFFICULTIES DO YOU WORKÂ WITH?
I work with individuals with a wide range of needs including anxiety, low mood, ADHD, ASD, domestic abuse, trauma, phobias, OCD, loneliness, low self-esteem, relational issues, etc. I also have experience in working with adults and young people with chronic conditions, life changing injuries, adjustment, bereavement and medication adherence difficulties. Please contact me if you want to enquire about my experience with a particular difficulty. If I do not feel best able to help you I will be honest with you about this as I it is important to me that individuals obtain effective and appropriate support.