Initial sessions

In the first session or two, I will take a thorough history of your concerns as well as your background. I will ask many questions, and you will do most of the talking. Also, feel free to ask me any questions that you might have. Once I have a sense of what you are bringing and seeking, I will convey my understanding back to you. Together, we will work out how best to approach our work. The time and resources that you are willing to devote to therapy forms part of this discussion. Some clients like to come weekly, others fortnightly. Anything less than fortnightly is too diluted to be therapeutic.

Importance
of rapport

Therapy works best when you feel there is a good fit between you and me. This fit is based on many factors, including personality, background, worldview and your sense of how much I understand about what you are bringing.

Therapy can be challenging

Therapy does not always feel comfortable. At times it may be painful and challenging. However, the most challenging sessions in which we work through knotty problems can often be the most useful.

Let’s keep talking about how it is going

It’s important for you to keep talking to me about how the process is feeling, what is working for you and what may not be working. This is an ongoing process and one we will revisit at several points in our work together.

Some clients prefer a more structured approach, with set goals and a focus on solutions. Other people are happy to be less structured and more exploratory. In my experience, it’s important to have at least some understanding of the root causes of your concerns. These often have their origins in childhood and may take time to surface as we explore issues. Bringing unconscious factors and defences into awareness is fruitful and only happens if you trust the process that we are engaged in and give it time.

Therapeutic relationship: working in the here and now

The way we relate to each other can offer valuable insights into your relationships with yourself and others. Exploring what emerges between us may prove fruitful, as our dynamic can reflect patterns in your other important relationships. By focusing on our therapeutic relationship, we can foster a deeper, mindful understanding of interpersonal dynamics.

A note on cancellation fees

I have a 24-hour cancellation policy. If you cancel a session with less than 24 hours’ notice, I will do my best to find you another slot that week. However, if that is not possible, I will need to charge the full fee. This does not mean I don’t care about you or your circumstances. It’s simply necessary for the sustainability of my practice. As a self-employed practitioner, I rely on a predictable schedule. This also means that if you hold a regular slot, I ask that you commit to attending consistently.

Healthy closure

It is important to end therapy well. This involves a process of reflection on our work together, including the gains you have made and what you might need to be aware of in yourself going forward. Please don’t end without giving us enough time to discuss these issues.