FAQ
What if I cannot afford therapy?
Unfortunately Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy is not widely available in an equitable manner in the NHS, but it is always worth asking your GP for a referral for NHS Psychotherapy.
Most General Practitioners also have Counsellors who can offer short-term therapy usually up to six sessions.
Issues in Psychoanalytic Therapy See for example : Mark Solms (2018) and Oliver Burkeman in the The Guardian(2016)
Do you offer CBT?
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is increasingly being recommended to patients in the NHS. This can be an effective method of treatment in the short - term, but it is important to look at the longer - term evidence for effectiveness of any psychotherapy treatment whether psychoanalytic or cognitive.
Contact the UKCP or BPC or BACP for further information/ types of therapy.
Is it safe to see a Trainee Psychotherapist?
All of BPC trainings require trainees, who do not already have a mental health qualification for example, psychiatrists, doctors, nurses, psychologists or social workers, to demonstrate sufficient clinical experience.
Students are also supervised weekly by experienced training psychotherapists.
Can I use My Health Insurance cover?
This depends on the nature of your policy.
You should check with your provider to see whether psychotherapy sessions will be covered, how many sessions can be included and if there are any other restrictions. I am eligible and do register with the major health insurance providers as required.
Please ask first, as you will be responsible for any payments, not the third party.
Are you Registered?
I am fully registered and abide by the code of ethics of the BPC and UKCP professional registers. I also have a Substantive NHS post in Psychotherapy and receive regular CRB checks.
How can I choose a therapist I can trust?
This is a very important question as there are a vast number of Counsellors and Psychotherapists who advertise their services and currently no law that prevents anyone from calling themselves a Psychotherapist or Counsellor.
So how do you know if your therapist is right for you? Does the Psychotherapist provide a designated and private room for sessions, and are you treated with respect? Does the therapist maintain boundaries and give you time and an opportunity to ask appropriate questions?
Alternatively does the therapist make inappropriate self-disclosures or ask intrusive questions, behave in a seductive manner or make sexual advances? If this occurs you can seek advice from your GP and /or the therapist’s registration body.
The most important decision is based on how you feel when you meet the Psychotherapist or Counsellor for the first time. Trust your intuition and check that the Practioner is registered or whether they have a substantive paid post or is it rather a voluntary post (sometimes called honorary or trainee) post in the NHS.
Certainly at the initial assessment meeting with your therapist you should begin to get a sense of what you want from therapy aside from your presenting problem(s) or unhappiness and some sort of formulation that makes sense to you.