First time going to therapy, or haven't been for a while? Therapy can seem mysterious, especially if this is your first experience. Here is a brief rundown on what to expect in your first therapy sessions.
Before Your Appointment
When you book your first appointment you will be sent a few forms to complete. These forms collect your contact information, emergency contact details, payment details, etc. You will also receive consent forms with more information on privacy, cancellation policies, and safe engagement in therapy. If you have any questions you are encouraged to reach out before signing.
Assessment
The first few sessions of seeing a psychologist involves a thorough assessment of your presenting concern and any relevant history. This means that I ask a lot of questions to help me get to know you and the problems you've been experiencing. Sometimes I will also send out questionnaires to help me gather more information. Don't worry if you don't feel ready to talk about certain things yet, I will make sure to check in with you as we go. It's completely okay if some questions are left for later 🙂
Occassionally the assessment process will result in a diagnosis or a recommendation for further testing, though this isn't always the case.
Once I feel I have enough information to move forward I will talk you through the treatment plan I believe will best suit you. This is to make sure you are comfortable with everything before we jump in.
Intervention
The interventions psychologists use are well researched and have strong evidence supporting their effectiveness. There are many approaches/styles of therapy a psychologist may use, meaning not all therapy looks the same. I work primarily with a type of therapy called schema-therapy.
A schema is a deep rooted pattern of thinking and feeling that typically develops in childhood/adolescence. These schemas can be painful, and we often develop unhelpful ways of coping with them as a result. Throughout therapy we work together to identify your schemas and learn to challenge and replace them with more helpful ways of thinking and coping.
Other interventions that I utilise include ACT, DBT, CBT, MBT, EMDR, Exposure Therapy, Exposure/Response Prevention, and Narrative Therapy.
Frequency and Duration
The frequency and duration of therapy is dependent on a range of factors, including the type and severity of symptoms you are experiencing, your goals for therapy, and external factors that may impact your ability to practice what you've learned outside of sessions. Of course, your personal preference is also a factor - some people prefer more frequent appointments, some prefer less. I will make recommendations based on my assessment for what I think will be most helpful for you. As a general guide, most adult clients start with fortnightly appointments.
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