What difficulties can CBT and/or CFT help with?
CBT is recommended by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) for a number of mental health and emotional difficulties. Please see here for further information: https://www.nice.org.uk or alternatively contact me for a free consultation to see if CBT and/or CFT could be beneficial for you.
What happens after I have contacted you?
Prior to any paid sessions I offer a free, brief telephone consultation of approximately 15minutes during which time we can discuss your difficulties in a little more detail, consider your expectations/goals for therapy and explore how CBT and/or CFT could be helpful for you. It is also an opportunity for me to answer any questions that you might have and to ensure that I am the right therapist for you and best placed to support you with your difficulties. If we agree that CBT/CFT sounds helpful as a therapeutic approach and that I am the right therapist for you we will then discuss scheduling our first session.
What does therapy involve?
CBT is a brief therapy and typically ranges from 4-20 sessions dependant on your presenting difficulties/problems and your goals for therapy. Sessions will each last 50 minutes (longer sessions may be required dependant on your difficulties) and it is encouraged that sessions take place on a regular basis in order to maintain therapeutic flow.
During our first sessions we will explore the development and maintenance of your presenting difficulties to formulate and create a shared understanding of your main problem/s. This formulation will then be used to identify where intervention could be beneficial to break vicious cycles you are experiencing and to consider how we may develop a more self compassionate approach.
My priority as your therapist is to support you to develop skills and strategies in order to become your own therapist, which will ultimately enable you to approach and deal with present/future difficulties in a healthier and balanced way. Sessions are collaborative, bringing together your expertise of your own difficulties and my skills as a therapist, working together to reduce distress and ultimately improve your quality of life.
Will I be expected to do anything outside of our sessions?
Therapy does involve home practice between sessions as it offers an opportunity to consolidate learning and apply the strategies and interventions we have explored together within real life situations. Sometimes you might be invited to record the strategies and interventions you’ve undertaken in order to be able to consider potential barriers, difficulties encountered and hopefully successes and new understanding you have gained.
Are you a confidential service?
As a BABCP Accredited Cognitive Behavioural Therapist I am bound by the code of ethics of my professional body (BABCP), and the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Therefore, you can be confident that all information is kept confidential and stored securely within my service. I have a supervisor (who is also BABCP accredited) with whom I discuss my client work as part of best practice, however client details are anonymised as far as reasonably possible.
To maintain safe therapeutic sessions, there are some limitations to the confidentiality agreement. In the instance where I have immediate concerns surrounding you or someone else’s wellbeing and you or they are at risk of harm, we may need to access the support of other individuals or organisations. For example this might include your GP, Community Mental Health Teams, Adult or Children’s Social Care. Should this arise in sessions we would discuss what action, if any, we would need to take.
Where do sessions take place?
Sessions are offered via telephone or video conferencing (Zoom), the latter of which research has shown therapy outcomes are as equally beneficial as face to face therapy. I work from a secure, confidential space on Tuesdays during the daytime.
How long are sessions?
Sessions are approximately 50minute sessions in duration. Longer sessions may be required dependant on your difficulties and this will be discussed prior to the extension in duration of any sessions.
How much are sessions and how do I pay for them?
Privately referring client sessions are currently £80 per session (50minutes) and payment is expected in advance of the session by bank transfer in order to secure the session. At the outset of treatment we may decide on a set number of sessions and then review and clients are welcome to pay as a block or on an individual sessional basis.
I am also registered with insurance providers (AVIVA, AXA, WPA, Cigna) and therefore sessions may be funded by your insurer. Please contact me to see if am registered or can register with your provider.
What is the cancellation policy?
Clients are required to provide at least 24 hours notice of cancellation of an appointment or they will be required to pay in full for the session. Clients who fail to attend the appointment without prior notification will incur the full cost of the session.
If you have any questions which are not detailed here please feel free to contact me through the Contact tab.
New Leaf Wellbeing 