Frequently asked questions
What will happen when I contact you?
I will either email you or speak to you on the phone to ask you some brief questions that help me to decide whether it will be useful for you to progress to having an initial assessment with me. If you then decide that you would like an initial assessment with me, we will get your first assessment session booked in at a time that suits you.
Will my assessment be completed in one session?
This varies from person. Your initial psychological assessment may require one or more sessions. People often find that the assessment process itself – opening up, sharing their story and being heard – can be therapeutic in itself.
How long are the psychotherapy sessions?
All sessions are 50 minutes, including initial assessment sessions and therapy sessions.
What will happen at my psychological assessment appointment?
I will ask you to complete some questionnaires about yourself and your mental health prior to the appointment. During your initial assessment, I will ask you more about the concerns that have brought you to me, about your current life, your past experiences, other health issues, and any other treatments you have had/are having. Once I have gathered this information from you, I am able to recommend the kind of therapy/treatment approach that I think is likely to be helpful. We decide together at the end of your assessment whether you will proceed to therapy sessions with me.
How do I book sessions with you?
You can book your online psychotherapy sessions using the client portal on this website. Alternatively, I can book your next session for you at the end of your appointment with me.
How long does therapy last?
This varies a lot from person to person. For some people, it may be as few as 6 sessions, for others it can be 50 or more sessions. On average, I see people for around 20 sessions.
Will I see you at the same time and day each session?
I don't reserve specific slots for clients. You may book several appointments in advance if you wish to reserve your appointments slots.
How frequent are the sessions?
I have a flexible approach to frequency – some therapists insist on once weekly (sometimes more). I prefer to figure out with my clients what is right for them. Some people find they lose the momentum of the therapy if they have a gap of more than one week in between sessions. Others appreciate having a fortnight gap in order to absorb what was discussed and put into practice some of the techniques and strategies they have learned. You choose and book your appointments online (using the booking portal), so you can decide when to book your next session. If I feel the gaps are too long in between your booked sessions are not optimal for you, we will discuss this together.
When do I pay for the sessions?
I ask you to pay on booking. If you decide to proceed to have sessions with me, I will send you details Terms and Conditions about requirements for payment, attendance and cancellations.
How do I pay for the sessions?
If you are self-funding, you can pay using your debit or credit card online when you book. If you prefer to pay by BACS transfer, please let me know so I can give you my bank details. I ask you to pay on booking in order to secure your slot.
Will my health insurance cover the cost of my sessions?
I am registered as a provider with a range of insurers so your insurer may contribute to funding your therapy fully or in part. The process works differently with different insurers and it is your responsibility to find out how the process works with your particular insurer. I recommend that you:
• contact your insurer and ask them whether your policy covers psychotherapy;
• check with them what their billing procedure is - (for example they may ask you to pay for the sessions then put in your claim for payment or they may want your therapist to invoice them);
• check whether you can self refer to your therapist or whether they require you to be referred by your GP or a psychiatrist;
• ask them how many sessions they would fund;
• ask whether other treatments you are having on the policy will impact on the financial limits for funding of your therapy;
• ask them whether you will get a further “allowance” for funding of therapy sessions after the annual renewal of your policy;
• check whether you need an authorization number from them;
• ask if there is an excess to pay and what the procedure is – you would probably pay the excess to your therapist to cover your initial fees and after that your insurer should start funding the sessions in accordance with their Terms and Conditions.
It’s really important that you understand it is your responsibility to find out from your insurer how this will work. If you are hoping your insurer will cover some or all of your session fees, you should not book or pay for your sessions online until you have received authorization from your insurer otherwise you may not be able to recover the cost from them.