What to expect when you start therapy
Therapy Pathway Overview
Sessions usually occur weekly or fortnightly and last 50 minutes.
There is no right or wrong number of sessions and it is difficult to estimate the exact number of sessions someone might need. This can often depend on the nature of the problem and the treatment method agreed. However, typically people tend to average around 12 – 15 sessions. Some people might require more longer term / ongoing therapy, this is very dependent on the individual, their needs relating to the presenting problem and reaction to therapy.
Once therapy begins, we start by completing an initial assessment (this can often take between 1 – 3 sessions) to allow us to develop a clear and shared understanding of the difficulties and treatment goals.
We then move into the focus of the therapy. The focus / structure will vary, depending on the nature of difficulty and the method / model applied. This will be agreed jointly with you, along with an approximation of how many sessions we will be aiming for, during the initial assessment phase.
Initial Assessment Sessions
Initial assessment sessions are typically between 1 – 3 sessions.
We tend to start by establishing your treatment goals and how you want sessions to work (weekly / what time of day / what you hope to achieve).
I will give you a little more information about myself and explain how sessions tend to work (note taking / a breakdown of how we use the 50 minute sessions / expectations and boundaries).
We review the therapy contract to make sure you’re happy and I can answer any questions. I will go over risk sharing / confidentiality limits to ensure you fully understand this.
I will gather background information relating to the difficulty as well as a general history (family life, relationships, school, work etc).
We will review a formulation – this is a joint effort to summarise your difficulties, explain why they may be happening and to make sense of them.
Psych ed: I will share information about the problem, diagnosis, symptoms etc. and we will discuss and agree what the best options are regarding a therapy approach.
Therapy Sessions
The therapy sessions where we are focusing in on the areas we are wanting to change, can be anything from 4 sessions up to 20 sessions (occasionally more)
The exact nature and structure of these sessions will be very dependant on the outcome of the initial assessment and formulation and the method of treatment approach we agree (i.e. CBT). Therapy is very person centred and will be orientated to what you specifically need.
CBT example: If we are taking a CBT approach we typically start to explore the triggers, thoughts and feelings associated with behaviour(s) that are causing distress / difficulties. We will track these and reflect on any patterns we notice together. We also spend time noticing any physiological responses and consider how this might impact our reactions. Once we have a shared understanding, we can move onto skills building. This is where we consider what needs were being met through the unhelpful behaviours or patterns and can start to build new strategies that make sense to you.
Ending Therapy
Ending therapy is an important part of the journey. We will spend a session reviewing and reflecting on what we have learnt and consider if the initial therapy goals have been met. If there are any areas that might continue to require support we can either jointly agree to continue with the therapy process or I will signpost you to useful resources.
I always welcome feedback from clients – to try to ensure that I am continually reviewing and improving my practice – so I might ask you for 1 or 2 things you found particularly helpful or enjoyed and 1 or 2 areas that I might be able to develop moving forward.