How we work and what you can expect
Our practitioners understand that often a person's current condition is a reflection of difficult situations and life events, rather than any “fault” in how they have managed them. We therefore approach therapy with a compassionate and non-judgemental frame of mind.
The first meeting
The first session is primarily an information-sharing exercise. Its aim is to help you decide whether therapy would be beneficial and whether the therapist feels like a good fit.
After this session, you are free to decide whether or not to continue therapy, and whether to work with that particular therapist. It may be that another practitioner’s style or expertise feels more suitable. Equally, your therapist may occasionally recommend another professional if they feel it would better meet your needs.
This initial meeting also helps build an understanding of the difficulties you are facing and clarifies your goals for therapy. You may find that your therapist asks more questions than in later sessions, giving the first meeting a slightly different feel.
The course of treatment and ending therapy
An important component of standard CBT is that therapy begins with the end in mind. The duration and direction of therapy are guided by your goals and the difficulties identified early on. CBT is typically a time-limited approach, often lasting between six and twenty sessions.
A key aim is to help you become your own therapist — developing tools and understanding that you can continue to use independently. Some people choose to have additional sessions, and follow-up or “booster” sessions can also be helpful in maintaining progress and managing setbacks.
Some therapies we offer are also short-term and structured. For example, Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy typically follows an eight-week programme.
Mindfulness can also be integrated into other approaches such as CBT, Schema Therapy, or coaching.
Schema Therapy is usually a medium to longer-term approach. The number of sessions varies depending on your needs and goals, ranging from around six months to longer-term work where appropriate.
