FAQs

Well, the initial meeting is where you get the opportunity to talk in detail about what has contributed to you seeking help at this time. The therapist will fully assess your problem and its impact on your daily life using an interview style and questionnaires which can also help to monitor your progress in therapy. By the end of the session your therapist and you will have a shared understanding or formulation of your problem and how your thoughts and behaviour influence your feelings. Together you will begin to define your goals and targets for therapy which is most important as these will provide the pathway for treatment. Your therapist will also be able to accurately assess the number of sessions they think you will need. They will offer guidance on some work you can be doing on your problems between sessions, as a definite aspect of CBT is to help you become your own therapist!  Suitability for EMDR will also be considered.

A session lasts approximately an hour and can be weekly or fortnightly depending on the problem you are seeking help for, its severity, chronicity and impact on your daily life. The number of sessions can be more accurately estimated following our initial meeting but on average people need between 8 and 12 sessions with follow up sessions at 1, 3 and 6 month intervals. Obviously if you are self-funding then affordability must be factored in.

CBT has been researched for many years now and proven to be effective with a number of difficulties including: * Depression * Anxiety * Obsessive Compulsive Disorder * Traumatic events which are taking some time to overcome * Social anxiety or shyness * Panic attacks * Low self esteem * Poor self confidence

The National Institute for Clincial Excellence (NICE) has put CBT as the treatment of choice for a number of these problems. You can see more via the link on the Resources page.