About Therapy

Life can be complicated and the challenges it throws up can bring the best and the worst of times. Sometimes we cope alone or with the help of the people around us but sometimes that’s not working or not what we need.

This is when we may benefit from a confidential space to talk things through at a pace that suits us and with a professional who will listen without judgement and without the history and associations we have with friends and family.

Talking about how you feel and being heard is at the heart of therapy and sometimes a chance to express your feelings is enough. Beyond this, it may be helpful to consider unhelpful life patterns and gain new insight into habitual ways of thinking and behaving, to get a better understanding of why you feel the way you do and how you can manage those feelings if they are unwelcome or overwhelming.

We can also explore fresh perspectives, different possibilities and strategies for change and growth. Together we can explore where you are now, where you would like to be and how you can work towards getting there.

People are unique and so are their reasons for coming to therapy – although there are some common causes.

• Often it’s about coping with change and the difficult circumstances life throws up – the end of a relationship for example, the struggles of new parenthood, a difficult boss or stressful job, redundancy or bereavement.

• Sometimes problems are connected instead to historic life events like abuse, parental separation, loss, or some other kind of trauma.

• As a result of either recent or historic factors, people can find they are struggling with episodes of anxiety or depression that make everyday life, work and relationships difficult. For others, this may be expressed as problems managing anger, panic attacks, phobias, disordered eating or other self-destructive behaviour like drinking too much, sex addiction, gambling or over-spending. At worst, unresolved problems can lead to suicidal thinking and planning.

• The problem can also be something harder to define –  feeling flat, confused, adrift or overwhelmed without understanding why or over-reacting to everyday irritations for no apparent reason.

• By contrast, some people feel that life is going well but may be interested in therapy as a form of personal development.

There are many different types of counselling and psychotherapy available but one of the most important factors in terms of successful therapy is a good therapeutic relationship between client and therapist.

For this reason, it can be a good idea to meet for an initial assessment session and decide from there if you would like to continue. An assessment session is a chance to meet and see whether you feel comfortable together. It’s also an opportunity for the therapist to get an overview of what’s bringing you to therapy and what you want from it and also for you to ask any questions you may have.

Therapy can be open ended or time limited (typically 6-24 sessions). This is up to you and something we can discuss at an initial session although it’s fine if you’re not sure.

Sessions last for 50 minutes and take place at the same time every week. An assessment session is also 50 minutes.

At the moment we are working online and face-to-face. Both kinds of therapy can work well but for some people it is important to meet face-to-face.