FAQ
1) How many sessions will I need?
This is probably the question I am asked most often. The answer is an honest “at this stage, I don’t know”. I will need to meet you for an assessment, and gain a better understanding of your difficulties before I can say how many sessions you will need. CBT is not a “one size fits all” approach and I will therefore want to find out more about your difficulties. CBT is time-limited; typically, it lasts between 5-20 sessions. However, if a problem is long-standing (has been around for many years) or you have multiple problems, therapy can last longer than 20 sessions. Duration of therapy depends on the nature of your problems and on your progress.
2) How often do I need to attend for therapy?
We will meet weekly at the start of treatment. Once you start to feel better we will discuss reducing the frequency of our sessions to every fortnight, etc. When you feel ready to end therapy, we can plan some follow-up appointments to help you maintain the progress you have made, usually at 3 and 6 month intervals.
3) Who can refer for therapy?
I accept referrals from GPs, Consultant Psychiatrists, other Health Professionals, Employers, Occupational Health Departments, Insurance Companies, Solicitors.
4) Do I need a referral by my GP or can I refer myself?
You can refer yourself, however if you would like to pay for your treatment through your health insurance company, your health insurer may require you to have an assessment with a consultant psychiatrist first. I can recommend a consultant if you would like me to.
5) Will anyone else have to be involved in my treatment?
No, nobody else has to know that you are seeking therapy, however, my normal policy is to write to your GP at the start of therapy and at the end of therapy. I do this for two reasons:
a) I do not provide an emergency service and if you needed help out of hours, a GP would normally be the first person to contact on their out of hours phone number.
b) If you had a set-back after therapy ends, and needed help from your GP, they would have some information about your therapy experience with me, which could help them recommend further treatment for you. I would not write to your GP without your consent.
If you do not want me to involve you GP in your treatment, you do not need to have them involved.
6) Is everything we discuss confidential?
Yes, I treat all information disclosed to me as confidential. Your confidentiality will be maintained at all times however, as part of my own professional development, from time to time, I will need to discuss the clients I see with my supervisor. My supervisor is bound by the same ethical guidelines regarding confidentiality as I am. I will not disclose your details to a third party without your prior consent, except under the following circumstances: 1) if, in my opinion you are at risk of hurting yourself, 2) if, in my opinion, you present a risk to others. Under these circumstances, I reserve the right to inform appropriate external agencies, normally your GP (as in circumstance 1) or the police (as in circumstance 2). In the event that I need to disclose information to a third party, I will discuss this with you beforehand.
7) Will I need medication? Do you prescribe medication?
If we decide that your mood is so low that it is making it difficult for you to concentrate on the therapy, and if your low mood is also making it difficult for you to attend work, or attend to your day to day tasks at home, we can discuss the role of medication. I am not qualified to prescribe medication (most therapists are not qualified). If I thought you would benefit from starting an anti-depressant, or other medication, I would recommend that you visit your GP, or a psychiatrist. They are both qualified to prescribe medication.
8) Why Should I Choose CBT over other therapies?
There are a lot of “talking therapies” available, with some offering longer-term therapy (traditionally, psychoanalysis lasts over one year). CBT is a relatively short-term therapy (up to 20 sessions), and is goal-focused.
NICE (The National Institute for Clinical Excellence) issues guidelines for the treatment and care of people with depression and anxiety, and sets National Standards for care for people with depression and anxiety. NICE recommends CBT as the psychological therapy for the treatment of depression and anxiety. Clinical trials have been carried out which have demonstrated CBT’s effectiveness, compared to other talking therapies. Click here for the updated version on NICE’s guideline for the treatment of depression in adults.
Recently, CBT has received a lot of coverage in the media because it is evidence-based and has shown to be effective in treating a number of emotional and behavioural problems. Here are two recent newspaper articles supporting the effectiveness of CBT.
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,2190903,00.html
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/health/article2633797.ece
The government have recently recommended CBT as the treatment of choice for common mental health problems. Click here to read about the government’s recent announcement to provide additional funding for CBT on the NHS.
9) Are there problems CBT cannot help?
CBT can help with most emotional and psychological problems, though therapists vary in their experience and skill base. I have listed below the three main problem areas that I do not specialise in. If you think you may be suffering from any of these, you can find a list of websites for each problem area on my Links page.
Problems I do not specialise in :
- Psychosis
- Addictions (Alcohol or Drug)
- Eating Disorders
10) Will CBT work for me?
This is largely dependent on how much time, effort and hard work you are prepared to put into your treatment. We will review your progress regularly and if you do not think you are making progress, we can discuss the possible reasons why this may be.
CBT is not for everyone; after your initial assessment, if I think you will benefit more from a different therapy approach, I will discuss this with you, and will either provide you with contact details of another therapist or Service, or I may offer to refer you elsewhere if necessary.