Some Frequently Asked Questions

How many sessions will I need?

This is probably the most frequently asked question about CBT. 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.

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.

Is everything we discuss confidential?

I treat all information disclosed to me as confidential. However, there are some exceptions to this. As part of my own professional development, 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 never disclose names when discussing my clients with my supervisor. 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 imminent 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 always attempt to discuss this with you beforehand.