Is psychotherapy right for you?

This will be carefully assessed at your initial consultation.  Sometimes more than one appointment is needed in order to get a full picture.  Your individual situation, wishes and anxieties are discussed before a joint decision is made to continue.

If necessary we can discuss different treatments together and explore whether an alternative approach would be more beneficial.

What happens at the first session?

Usually I suggest an initial one hour consultation where you can tell me something about yourself and what has brought you to consider psychotherapy.  It is helpful if you can be as honest as possible when describing what is troubling you.  Also it will be important for you to get a sense for the way I work.

There will be time for you to ask questions and discuss any concerns you have.  There is no commitment to ongoing therapy at this stage.

I will let you know whether I believe psychotherapy will benefit you, and you can take your time to decide whether it offers the best way forward.

If you decide to have psychotherapy, what will you need to do?

You will be making an arrangement to attend regular sessions at a time, or times, which are mutually convenient.  For the process to work it is important that you are able to maintain this commitment.

Psychotherapy sessions are arranged for the same day and time each week.  I see clients between 9am and 6pm.  A session lasts for fifty minutes.

In a secure relationship with your therapist, you are encouraged to be as open and honest as possible.

You will be encouraged to bring whatever is on your mind.  This means you can talk about whatever is relevant for you, and the conversation is open and exploratory.  You will not be asked to talk about any area of your life where you are not willing or ready to do so.

How long might it take?

The duration of your therapy will depend on your specific difficulties and what you want to achieve.

It could be anything from several months to over a year. It isn’t normally possible to be sure about this at the outset.

It is something we can discuss and review as therapy progresses.

Is it confidential?

As a British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC) member, I am bound by their code of ethics, which includes a commitment to client confidentiality.

To ensure that professional standards are maintained, all BPC registered psychotherapists are required to have their work professionally supervised. Your anonymity is respected, with no identifying information being shared during supervision.

What if therapy isn’t working?

It is common during therapy to feel stuck or hopeless about progress.  This is a normal part of the work, as all sorts of feelings and thoughts are stirred up. 

Sometimes you might feel worse before you feel better.  We would talk about these reactions and try to figure out what is going on.

A planned ending is a key part of the therapeutic process.

What is the difference between psychotherapy and counselling?

There is not a clear line between psychotherapy and counselling, but generally counselling is once weekly or less, the work may be short term and focused on a specific problem.

Psychotherapy may be once weekly or more frequent.  For example, twice a week works well for some people.

Psychoanalytic psychotherapists have undergone a lengthy and rigorous training in order to treat complex difficulties and work in-depth and intensively when appropriate.

What is the difference between psychoanalytic and psychodynamic?

Psychoanalytic and psychodynamic are terms which are used interchangeably.

It means that I work with how you relate to others and also with your “inner world”, addressing the unconscious roots of feelings, thoughts and behaviour.

This type of therapy aims for lasting improvement in the ways you think and feel in relation to yourself and others.

It’s a minefield out there! How do you find a reputable therapist?

Psychoanalytic psychotherapists hold a position of considerable responsibility towards their patients and their profession. 

The British Psychoanalytic Council ensures its allied training institutions and its registered practitioners maintain the very highest standards.

How much does it cost?

My fee is £70 per session. My fee reflects my initial training and level of experience.

However, therapy is an intensely personal journey and you may need to shop around before finding a therapist who is a good match for you.

How do you know it’s going to be worth it?

At the initial consultation I will give you my professional opinion about whether or not I believe you will benefit, and you will be able to use your own judgment to decide whether you want to continue.

Most people who come for psychotherapy have reached a stage in their lives where they feel they must address their problems and they urgently need to achieve more fulfilment.  Where there are blocks to achieving this, these can be discussed in the course of the work together.

Psychotherapy doesn’t offer a quick fix or a short cut to solving problems, but with hard work and a commitment to greater self-awareness it can bring about significant and enduring change.