Starting therapy
Starting therapy can be a difficult process for some people. It can be hard to come to a place of realising that we might need additional support and that is often only the beginning of the recovery journey. Making a decision to start psychological therapy is making a decision to prioritise your wellbeing.
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When it comes to therapy, there is no one-size-fits-all. We are all different and come to therapy for different reasons and with different personal backgrounds. Some people may want to start therapy to work on a particular goal, others come because "something doesn't feel right" and they want to try and find a way through difficult times.
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This is why we offer a personalised approach which is always tailored to your needs. From the moment you reach out to us, our main focus is trying to find the right support for your specific set of circumstances. Therapy is only as effective as the quality of the therapeutic relationship between therapist and client.
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We take great care in trying to find the best psychological approach to meet your needs, taking into account your personal goals, learning style and preferences. Our team are trained in multiple therapy modalities, which makes them able to adapt their approach according to what they think you will most benefit from throughout your therapy.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Psychological Therapy, sometimes referred to as "talking therapy", is a collaborative process that involves talking to someone (in my case, a Clinical Psychologist) about your thoughts, feelings and behaviours to help you understand and develop effective strategies to manage your distress.
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Therapy can involve talking about your early experiences to help you understand how these might have influenced the difficulties that you experience in the here and now by explore your thoughts, feelings and behaviour in order to understand how to make positive changes in your life.
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Therapy can take different forms for each person. We are all unique and it is important that the therapeutic approach is a good fit, so that therapist and client can collaboratively create a safe space where change can be achieved.
Generally, the therapy journey begins with an initial assessment appointment where your therapist will ask you a series of questions about your current circumstances and past experiences to gain a better understanding about you as a person and the difficulties you are experiencing now.
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Part of this process will involve identifying a goal / focus for the therapy, so thtat you and your therapist can agree on what aspects of your life you would like support with and begin to explore how change might be achieved.
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At the assessment appointment, your therapist will explain different options and therapy approaches they might be able to offer and you will make a joint decision about how best to proceed.
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Following the first appointment, your therapist will agree with you on an approximate number of sessions before setting a review point. At this stage, the therapy will either continue or you may decide that the work completed is sufficient and agree on a plan for ending the therapy journey.
In the United Kingdom, a Clinical Psychologist is a qualified professional who has usually completed a Doctorate programme in Clinical Psychology.
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Clinical Psychologists have extensive training in understanding, assessing and treating a range of mental health difficulties using different psychological approaches to best suit the client's needs. They are skilled in determining the most appropriate support and are trained in more than one therapy.
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Clinical Psychology is a protected title which is regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Anyone with an undergraduate degree may call themselves a psychologist. However, Clinical Psychologist is a legally protected title, which means that only professionals who meet standards set out by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) can use this title. All Clinical Psychologists in the UK must be registered with the HCPC. You can click here to check the HCPC register.
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