How much does therapy cost?

My normal fee is £125 per 55-minute session. Some clients cannot afford this fee; please tell me what you can afford and I will do my best to accommodate you. My aim is for you to get the help you need and to feel comfortable affording it. I will bill you monthly. You may pay by cash or bank transfer.

How long does therapy usually take?

My aim is to help you secure the skills to help yourself as quickly as you can. So, therapy might be just 6 sessions, if you are coming for help with a specific problem, or several months, if you want to repair traumatic patterns. Usually we will meet once a week for a month or two, then fortnightly as you integrate new ways of working with the world and yourself. Some clients want to continue meeting occasionally for ‘tune-ups.’ I will not discharge you until you feel you’re ready; at the same time, there is never any obligation to continue.

What will we talk about in therapy?

My approach is basically practical. Our main focus in therapy will be on what’s happening in your present life and what you want for the future. I want you to feel more confident about your ability to deal with your feelings and handle conflicts within yourself and with other people. We’ll practice ways to communicate better and handle your life in a more satisfying way. At times we will also look at your past.  This is where coming to therapy can be more challenging — though this is also where you get to understand what has happened to you and free yourself from ways of thinking and behaving that no longer serve you. Of course, remembering things you haven’t yet resolved can bring up a range of unpleasant emotions: you might be just a bit uncomfortable or you might have strong feelings of anger, sadness, worry, and fear. You might experience some anxiety or feel down. It is possible you will feel preoccupied. I may challenge some of your assumptions or perceptions or propose different ways of looking at, thinking about, or handling situations. Despite all the possible discomforts of therapy, though, the peace of mind you can experience makes it all worth it.

Do I have to do anything outside of our therapy session?

Yes. The real, sustaining changes from therapy come from putting what you’ve discovered during our session into practice. You’ll start by experimenting with different ways of doing things, seeing what works for you, then moving on to developing self-sustaining habits that you can rely on. Some changes will be quick and easy, others will take some perseverance. You will need to be actively involved, and honest and open with me and yourself. I will usually set you some homework to keep your mind and emotions engaged when you’re not in session. ‘Homework’ typically consists of experimenting with different ways of approaching a problem, trying a new way of behaving toward someone, or doing some free writing, which means you might just think and write for a short time, typically 10 minutes.

Will my insurance cover the fees?

Your insurance company may or may not reimburse you for my fees, as I am an independent psychotherapist. I can provide you with a copy of your receipt monthly, which you can then submit to your insurance company for reimbursement.

What if I’m late?

If you’re late, just let me know; your session will end at the scheduled time but we will focus on just one topic only for that session.

Are sessions confidential?

Yes. All information disclosed within sessions and the written records from those sessions is confidential.  That information may not be revealed to anyone without your written permission, except where disclosure is required by law.

When Disclosure is Required or May Be Required Some of the circumstances where disclosure is required or may be required by law are:

• where there is a reasonable suspicion of child, dependent, or elder abuse or neglect

• where a client presents a life-threatening danger to self, to others, to property, or is gravely disabled

• or when a client's family members communicate to me that the client presents a danger to others.

• Disclosure may also be required pursuant to a legal proceeding by or against you. If you place your mental status at issue in litigation initiated by you, the defendant may have the right to obtain the psychotherapy records and/or testimony by me.

Family members In couple and family treatment, or when different family members are seen individually, even over a period of time, confidentiality and privilege do not typically apply between the couple or among family members, unless otherwise agreed upon. However, I will always use my clinical judgment when revealing such information. I will not release records to any outside party unless I am authorised to do so by all adult parties who were part of the family therapy, couple therapy or other treatment that involved more than one adult client. Minors seeking therapy services should be aware that the law may provide parents the right to examine your treatment records. It is my policy to work with teens and their parents to come to an agreement about what information can be shared and what information the teen would prefer to keep private.

Litigation Limitation Due to the nature of the therapeutic process and the fact that it often involves you making a full disclosure with regard to many matters which may be confidential, it is agreed that, should there be legal proceedings (such as, but not limited to divorce and custody disputes, injuries, lawsuits, etc.), neither you nor your attorney(s), nor anyone else acting on your behalf, will call on me to testify in court or at any other proceeding, nor will a disclosure of the psychotherapy records be requested unless otherwise agreed upon.

What’s the cancellation policy?

If you have a conflict for a scheduled session, let me know the day before and I will not charge you for the session. If you cancel on the day, I will try to fill that session; if I can, I won’t charge you for the session. If I can’t fill it, I will charge you the full fee for the session. You can message me or e-mail. Please don’t phone, as I may be in another session and will not answer the phone. Ideally, cancellations should be made during business hours (Monday through Friday 8am to 6pm).

Do you do psychological testing?

No. My practice focuses on strengthening relationships, understanding, and well-being through developing healthier thoughts and behaviours. Psychological testing, custody evaluation recommendations, medication, prescription recommendations, and legal advice aren’t within my scope of practice.

Would you come talk at my school?

Yes, of course. I work with teachers, parents, and students. I offer training for teachers in a couple of formats: specific inset day topics like working with autistic children or helping children with eating disorders or self-harm; I also provide intensive skill-building workshops in emotional awareness and effective communication with students, handling behaviour challenges, and using problem-solving to reduce the need for punishments. For parents, I give interactive talks on topics ranging from how to handle parties to how to develop healthy screen habits, from developing a growth mindset to helping their children settle into school and make friends. My aim for each talk is for parents to come away feeling enlightened and equipped for healthy discussions with their children. For students I give PSHE well-being talks on coping with pressure, feeling empowered to face stress and create happiness for themselves, effective strategies for balancing school demands and friendships, dealing with disappointment and ultimately finding meaning so their education can serve what they value most.

How do you handle cultural differences?

For over 20 years I have lived in different countries and cultures, from USA to India, the Middle East (Egypt and Saudi Arabia) to Eastern Europe (Romania). I have worked with clients from over 50 different nationalities. I will always listen for your cultural background and assumptions. Through my years around the world, I am struck by how universal our deeper concerns are. We all want to feel loved and respected, to feel useful and effective. I also work with individuals and families adjusting to new cultures to find meaning in expat life. Frequent moves can create isolation and stress marriages and families to the limit. I want to help you feel settled, feel confident that your family is going to grow closer from the experiences in a new culture, and understand what to expect as you cycle through your postings.

What is your background?

My professional background is in Humanist Psychology, which is founded on helping each individual grow to their potential. Humanism looks at the whole person and how to increase their strengths, rather than just at their problems. I earned my PhD in Psychology at the University of Leicester, England, in 2001. During my research and training, I worked in two tertiary referral centres for eating disorders, as well as in a large European group researching eating disorder treatments. Additionally, I worked in a group studying the causes of major depression in women, and how good relationships helped protect women from getting depressed. In my own research, I looked at attachments and how being able to build a strong therapy relationship helped people finish treatment. My undergraduate degrees are from Columbia University and City University of New York. I have had specific training in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT), Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP), and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), and call upon all of these therapies to fit your need.