Approach

What to expect

from therapy

It can feel daunting navigating the world of therapy and working out what type of therapy would be most suitable. I aim to take the complexity out of this process, supporting you in taking the next steps that best suit your needs, whether that is with me or elsewhere.

Below are some examples of statements that people may relate to when thinking about pursuing therapy. If any of these fit for you, it may be an indicator that I am able to support you. This is not an exhaustive list, so if your challenges don’t fit neatly into one of the below statements, please don’t assume this means we wouldn’t be able to work together. Get in touch to discuss.

I don’t always understand what I am feeling or why I am feeling like that
I am feeling really low and depressed
I’ve experienced something traumatic in my past and I keep thinking about it. When it pops into my head, it is as though it is happening all over again
I notice myself feeling anxious and avoiding situations
My confidence is really low or I struggle with my self-esteem
I recognise the same patterns repeating themselves in different relationships and I want to consider how to start changing them
I am really stressed and I am not sure how best to manage my stress
I feel really stuck in life. I’m not sure what I want for myself
I am struggling with a big life transition (relationship ending, divorce, empty nesting, job loss or job change, financial gain or loss, etc.)

I find it hard to make and keep relationships or my relationships tend to be very up and down
I struggle with motivation to work toward the things that I want to achieve
I struggle to put in boundaries in relationships
I have received a diagnosis of ADHD or ASD and I want to learn what this means for me
My emotions feel like they rule me
My relationship with my child is turbulent and I don’t always feel I know how to talk to them
I am finding it hard to ensure the boundaries and rules I put in place for my child are adhered to
My child is neurodivergent and I am wanting to understand how to support them

I don’t always understand what I am feeling or why I am feeling like that
I am feeling really low and depressed
I’ve experienced something traumatic in my past and I keep thinking about it. When it pops into my head, it is as though it is happening all over again
I notice myself feeling anxious and avoiding situations
My confidence is really low or I struggle with my self-esteem
I recognise the same patterns repeating themselves in different relationships and I want to consider how to start changing them
I am really stressed and I am not sure how best to manage my stress
I feel really stuck in life. I’m not sure what I want for myself
I am struggling with a big life transition (relationship ending, divorce, empty nesting, job loss or job change, financial gain or loss, etc.)
I find it hard to make and keep relationships or my relationships tend to be very up and down
I struggle with motivation to work toward the things that I want to achieve
I struggle to put in boundaries in relationships
I have received a diagnosis of ADHD or ASD and I want to learn what this means for me
My emotions feel like they rule me
My relationship with my child is turbulent and I don’t always feel I know how to talk to them
I am finding it hard to ensure the boundaries and rules I put in place for my child are adhered to
My child is neurodivergent and I am wanting to understand how to support them

TYPES OF THERAPY

I am trained in, and have clinical experience with, a number of different types of therapy. During our initial consultation, we can discuss if you have a particular preference for the type of therapy used or whether you would like to be guided by me. I will blend in different modalities depending on how our sessions evolve, whilst holding in mind evidence-based practice and what we know research tells us is most effective.

Therapeutic orientations:

TYPES OF THERAPY

Therapeutic orientations:

Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)
Prolonged Exposure therapy (PE)
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT)
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

What to expect from therapy

INITIAL ONLINE CONSULTATION

This is a free-of-charge online conversation to help me understand what is bringing you to therapy and what your hopes for the therapy would be. Sometimes it can be hard to put into words what is going on and that is OK. We can talk about things that are going well and areas where there are more challenges. It will also be an opportunity for you to see whether you feel we would work well together. It will last around 15 minutes.

After this, we can consider next steps. If we decide we are not the right pairing, I can signpost you to someone who may be better suited if you would find that helpful. If we proceed, we can arrange a full assessment, either online or in-person, to suit your preferences.

ASSESSMENT PHASE

Together, during our first few sessions, we will develop a more in-depth understanding of the difficulties that have brought you to therapy, as well as what may have contributed to them and the things that keep them going. If you are wanting a time-limited treatment, it is at this point that I will be able to give an indication of the length of treatment.

TREATMENT & REVIEWS

This is the main body of our work together and will look different for each person coming to therapy. The focus will depend on the current difficulties, as well as any expressed desire for a particular type of therapy. There can be regular reviews of progress to help focus and plan our work together and consider when the work will come to an end.

ENDINGS

There may be any number of reasons why therapy comes to an end. The way in which we approach endings can often reflect earlier experiences of endings in our life. Therefore, the process of ending is an important and normal part of therapy and I would encourage you to bring your desire to end therapy to our sessions so that we can make a plan for this to be done in as helpful, and sometimes restorative, a way as possible. If you would find it helpful, I also offer the opportunity to have a follow-up session a few months after the end of therapy.