Frequently Asked Questions

How long will therapy take?

I do not normally set an end date to therapy as it can be very helpful for clients not to feel rushed or under pressure. When clients feel the time has come to end their therapy, I usually suggest that we have a few weeks or months to ‘wind down’ the work, so that we can take stock of progress and look towards the future. That said, there is no official notice period, and all I request from clients wishing to end their work is seven days of notice.

Some clients prefer to have an end date in mind from the outset of the work. This may be because the thought of open-ended psychotherapy feels overwhelming, or because major life changes are on the horizon (e.g. pregnancy, a move abroad, a sabbatical). It is helpful to discuss this from the outset, so we can tailor the work accordingly.

Do I need to prepare anything before coming?

You do not need to prepare or bring anything to the therapy, other than yourself. There will be no homework and no pressure for you to do anything outside our sessions.

We will work with the thoughts and feelings you bring to the session each week. Some of these might already be familiar to you, others may arise spontaneously and surprise you. Whatever happens, there is no right or wrong way to ‘do’ therapy, and we will carefully explore whatever it is that is on your mind.

What if my partner cannot attend?

Sometimes it may not be possible for you both to attend together. If that is the case, we can think about whether it may be helpful for one of you to attend without the other.

If you are in a relationship but would like to explore relationship difficulties on your own in individual therapy, we would keep the relationship in mind throughout the work. This may help you to discover new things about difficult dynamics and unhelpful patterns, while also being mindful of your own role in these dynamics (incl. the underlying reasons for your own thoughts, feelings and behaviours).

What happens if I need to cancel a session?

Ongoing therapy sessions take place at the same time each week at my consulting room in Camden. Part of creating a safe and helpful therapeutic environment is having a reliable ‘frame’ for our work. This includes the location and the timing of the sessions, as well as clients’ regular attendance.

Once we make the decision to start working together in regular therapy, I make a commitment to keep our agreed appointment time available for clients every week. This means that I will also ask clients to pay for missed sessions, as they are kept open for them even in their absence.

I understand that family or work commitments can sometimes get in the way of a session time. Wherever possible, I will try offer a replacement session during the same week at no additional cost, but unfortunately this might not always be possible.

If I cancel a session, you will of course not be charged.