What can I expect in the first appointment?
The first appointment is a 75 minute assessment session. This is an opportunity for you to talk through what has been difficult for you, areas of life (e.g., work, college, relationships) you feel are most impacted, how you’re coping with life's stressful experiences, and why you’ve chosen to come to therapy now.
It is also important for us to consider how you’re making sense of your difficulties, what factors may be getting in the way or contributing to you feeling stuck, and identify your personal goals for therapy. Based on this, we can develop a plan for therapy, tailored specifically to your needs and goals.
Therapy is private and confidential, although there may be times when it is helpful for your GP to be given an update. If needed, this is something we will talk about together in your session.
How often will I attend therapy and for how long?
It is usual practice to attend therapy on a weekly basis to ensure commitment by allocating the same day/time each week, and a consistent approach to the therapeutic change process. You will be asked to try out exercises, practices and strategies between sessions to help you with your difficulties and develop new ways of coping.
Length of therapy varies dependent on your goals, how difficult the issues are, how long you’ve been struggling, and the impact this is having on your life. As an approximate guide, short-term therapy can be anywhere up to 12 sessions, mid-term therapy between 12 and 24 sessions, and long term therapy over 24 sessions. This will be discussed in more detail in the initial assessment session, and your goals will be revisited at various points during therapy.
