FAQ's

It is very difficult to navigate finding a therapist if you do not understand who different therapists are and what people offer. Whether you choose to engage in therapy with me or not, it is important you understand what to look for when finding the right therapist for you. All therapists should be part of a regulatory body, which they pay to be members of. This regulatory body ensures that therapists have the qualifications they say they do, are up to date with training, have appropriate insurances in place and are there to protect people if therapists are not performing as they should do. I am registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

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Secondly, finding a therapist depends on what you are looking for. Different therapists will specialise in different things. Some people are seeking a space for someone to listen and to help them think through things by themselves, whereas other people may want support to overcome a very specific challenge/mental health difficulty. It is useful to have in mind what you want and what you are looking for from therapy before you try to find the most appropriate therapist. Sometimes having an assessment session is useful to enable you to understand what it is you want help with and what you are looking for.

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All therapists should also be part of the ICO, which ensures that they are handling your data in line with UK GDPR and data protection laws.

The main differences between a Clinical Psychologist and a Counsellor is the training, qualifications and the protected title they hold. Clinical Psychologists usually have a minimum of 10 years’ experience, have trained at doctorate level meaning that they are awarded their protected title based on stringent examination criteria in both therapy and research skills across a range of mental and physical health settings. Clinical psychologists use the most recent evidence base to work with a range of mental and physical health conditions to provide treatment/strategies/tools for specific difficulties. Treatment is usually time-limited to achieve the goal set out (although this depends on what the client wants). All Clinical Psychologists, irrespective of where they trained will have been assessed under the same competency framework to be able to practice and the HCPC set out the minimum requirements expected of us to be able to practice (such as frequent continuing professional development and regular supervision).

Counsellor training varies and is dependent on what the therapist has chosen. Some counsellors may have extensive experience, whereas others may have engaged in a short course. Counsellors main aim is to listen to the client and hold a non-judgemental space for the client to understand themselves better and find their own strengths and solutions to the challenges they face. Some people choose to see a therapist indefinitely, whereas others may choose a therapist to help them talk through a particular challenge.

Both types of therapists are extremely useful depending on what it is you are looking for. The difference between the therapists is also reflected in the price of therapy.

This will be dependent on what your difficulties are and what you hope to achieve from therapy. Typically, therapy is between 6-20 sessions but is dependent on a range of factors that can be discussed during the assessment session.

Therapy is not a ‘quick fix’ and is not something that is done to you. Therapy is a collaborative process between you and the therapist. Whilst the therapist can offer strategies/tools and guidance, the success of therapy happens outside of the therapy room, when the client is able to use what they have learnt in therapy in their everyday life. To achieve the best from the therapy, it is expected that the client can be honest and transparent with the therapist and can agree to try their best to try different things. It can be extremely difficult to try new things, especially when we may have learnt to behave in specific ways for many years. Therapy therefore can be a difficult process, and it is important that individuals understand that whilst therapy can be beneficial, the process can be hard and take a lot of commitment. It is my job as a therapist to support you through this.