What To Expect
From how to get started, through timings and settings to how to book and pay. If you need help with something not covered here, get in touch and let me know and I will come back to you.
How To Get Started
How To Get Started
To get in touch just call me , email me or book a free call here and I will call you back. We can then have a free 30-minute call to discuss your needs and see how CBT can help you.
If you decide to go ahead, you will then need to book your first session, where we can further explore what needs working on and I will suggest a plan of treatment.
After the first session you can book sessions either one at a time, or if you feel you can commit, take advantage of one of my 'Session Plans' to buy a group of sessions and get a helpful discount.
How To Book And Pay
You can see all available sessions, book and pay quickly and easily through the Bookings page on my website. If you have any difficulty get in touch and I can reserve an appointment for you and send you a payment link via email which would need to be paid the same day to secure your chosen session.
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IMPORTANT: When you have booked successfully you will receive a BOOKING CONFIRMATION EMAIL with all the details of your session. If you do not receive a Booking Confirmation Email then you might not have booked successfully. First try checking your junk folder, and if it is not there, get in touch and I will investigate.
You can book, reschedule or cancel a session up to 24hrs before its start time. Just log into your account (or sign up for an account) and go to ‘My Bookings’. You can also manage your Session Plans from your account by going to ‘My Session Plans’. Missed sessions are non-refundable. Refunds for cancelled sessions or cancelled Session Plans will have a £5 handling fee and a 3% transaction fee deducted. For Session Plan refunds any completed sessions will also be deducted at the nearest higher discounted Session Plan rate.
I accept all major credit and debit cards and if you book online you can also use PayPal.A
Therapy Sessions
All my CBT sessions last for 1 hour.
Most clients need between 6 to 24 sessions although it can take less or more depending on the number and complexity of the issues, how regularly you have sessions and how well you engage in the process.
You can stop at any point and for any reason, but there will naturally come a point at which you feel, and I assess, that you no longer need therapy.
Face To Face Therapy
When you book Face To Face therapy, you will receive a confirmation email with all the session details like the time and the address, and I receive a notification too, so I know when to expect you.
My Face To Face sessions are in my therapy room at 9-11 High Beech Road, Loughton IG10 4BN, please click here for google directions.
My room is on the first floor and unfortunately there is no lift in the building so it is only accessible by using the stairs.
Online Therapy
I use Zoom for my Online Therapy, as it is easy to use, secure and has live subtitles and whiteboard features which can help communication.
When you book Online Therapy, you will receive a confirmation email with all the session details, and I receive a notification too. There is a ‘Video Conference: Join Meeting’ link in the email, please click it just before the session and I will admit you at the start. Click here to download Zoom from before the session to familiarize yourself with it in advance or launch it straight in your web browser from the Join Meeting link.
For security, the Join Meeting link has an embedded password and participants are admitted from a waiting room and cannot join the meeting before me. I have up-to-date virus protection and, for your own security, please ensure you do too.
To help keep your session secure, and help our concentration, please close other apps or social media first. Find a private space with stable and secure broadband, where you are not overheard. Set up your device and seating so that you are comfortable and ensure nothing private is in view. If the video call fails, I will phone you to continue the session on the phone, or to reschedule.
Therapy Agreement
Once you have booked your first therapy session I will email a link to my therapy agreement to you, which is a secure online form that needs to be completed before the start of your session. This form is needed to gather some essential details from you, for Informed Consent to set out the boundaries of our therapeutic relationship and to give you some important information.
The information you provide is strictly confidential and kept securely, it will never be shared will any third party. The contact information will only be used in an emergency and with your permission unless there is a risk to your safety or the safety of others.
What I Ask Of You
I understand that we all have busy lives and sometimes it is difficult to keep to a schedule, so I will always be as flexible as possible, although you will get better results if you are committed and attend regular sessions.
Please arrive punctually for sessions whether online, or face to face, as sessions last for 1 hour from the booked start time and will finish on time.
CBT works best with one session per week, less regularly generally slows progress.
CBT is practical in nature and you will need to learn new skills which will take some practice, because of this you will need to do some work between sessions. This is a vital part of how CBT works and will help speed up your progress.
Safety And Privacy
I adhere to the standards of training, safety and ethics of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
All data is held securely and to a level of protection deemed adequate by the European Commission.
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To maintain the privacy of our therapeutic relationship, we both agree to the following:
Not to use social media to communicate, but instead use phone, email or text messages.
Not to record any part of the sessions including screen captures, video or audio without prior written permission.
Not to share any part or detail of the session by any means, including social media and text messages, with any third party.
Emergencies
CBT Therapy is not an emergency service so if you feel you are in crisis or in danger of harming yourself then it is vital you contact an emergency service:
In an emergency:
Call 999.
Go to your local A&E department.
If you are in crisis and need to speak to someone:
Call NHS 111 (for when you need help but are not in immediate danger).
Or call the Samaritans, free of charge, on 116123 during day or night.
Contact your GP and ask for an emergency appointment.
If you are outside the UK click here for a list of international helplines.
