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What actually is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, what will it be like?
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is commonly abbreviated to CBT. This type of therapy helps a person to explore patterns in their thoughts (cognitions), feelings and behaviours to find new ways of understanding and managing their difficulties.
A typical CBT session may involve a general review of between-session time, agreeing an agenda for discussion, and exploring examples of recent problems to support you in better understanding your experiences. We would then agree to work on a specific problem together and we'll hopefully learn something new together about yourself, about your difficulties and/or about how we can continue aiming for your therapy goals. We'll then agree something for you to think about or work on using new knowledge and skills until our next session.
CBT is proven to be most effective when delivered consistently, so most people prefer to meet on a weekly or fortnightly basis.
How do I attend appointments?
All appointments offered by Unearth Psychotherapy are remote, meaning either by phone or on Google Meet video calls, so you can access support from wherever you feel the most comfortable. You should aim to join all appointments in a quiet, private and uninterrupted space, so you feel as comfortable as possible throughout your session.
I would personally always recommend meeting via Google Meet so that we can 'put a face to the name' and encourage a more personal approach to your therapy journey - but this doesn't have to happen straight away for anyone who may be nervous. How you choose to attend appointments can vary each session, if you'd prefer!
How many therapy sessions will I need?
Since CBT is a practical, focused and goal-orientated therapy, it's designed to be a short-term experience. Lots of people find that anywhere between 6-20 sessions helps them to make meaningful progress to their goals.
With that being said, every person's experiences are unique and it's hard to place an exact number on the amount of sessions you may benefit from. It depends on factors such as the complexity of your difficulties, how often you practice new knowledge and skills between our appointents and many other variables life can sometimes send our way.
Who would know that I am attending therapy sessions?
No one, unless you told them! Your therapy journey is strictly confidential, and your privacy is so important. The things we talk about during your appointments are both legally and ethically protected by confidentiality laws. This means that without your explicit consent, your personal details and experiences will not be shared with anyone else.
As an accredited therapist, I'm always well supported with my own supervision from another experienced colleague; whilst I might discuss aspects of your difficulties in my own supervision, your details would be anonymised so that no one could identify you.
There are only a few exceptions to confidentially, to ensure your safety. As your therapist, I have a duty of care to support you and will always have your best interests at heart. Examples of exceptions would be if I believed you intended harm to yourself or someone else, if I believed you or someone else were in danger, or if you told me about a serious crime/neglect/abuse.
So does therapy involve homework?
Kind of, but don't think of being back at school!
We would agree together on what you would benefit the most from thinking about/doing between our sessions. Between sessions tasks could include reviewing new learning and information, reading/watching supplementary psychoeducation (extra psychological educational content) or simply taking time to reflect on your experiences and build your self-awareness to your difficulties and the progress you'll be making along the way.
When would my appointments take place?
I work full-time as a therapist and supervisor for the NHS, so appointments are strictly offered around these working hours.
Typical availability offered would be early evening and twilight appointments, with some limited availability over the weekend. For most people accessing private therapy, this allows greater flexibility, privacy, and control over your therapy experience.
How do I know if we'll be a good match?
I believe it's important to follow your gut with this one. I would encourage anyone who is feeling unsure about therapy to take advantage of the free telephone consultation, with no obligations or commitment needed from you during.
If you decide we're not quite the right for each other, I'd happily support you in finding the right support for you, even if this involved referring you on to another clinican or support service.
How much does therapy cost?
Your first telephone consultation will always be free, with no obligation to meet again if this therapy style or my approach isn't for you.
If we decide to go ahead and agree to start your therapy together, future therapy appointments will cost £85 per session. If you prefer to plan ahead and you would like to book multiple appointments in advance, we can discuss a block booking discount.
If you're a therapist interested in supervision or mentoring sessions, rates can be discussed depending on the frequency and length of time you require supervision. I also offer a slightly reduced rate to therapists completing training.
I'm a CBT therapist wanting supervision and/or considering mentoring, what can you offer?
Hello! I look forward to meeting you and discussing how we can work best together. I have over 7 years of clinical experience and 3 years of experience supervising fellow clinicians and colleagues in the NHS, with specialist interests in anxiety disorders, trauma and OCD symptoms. My approach is calm, collaborative and curious.
Let's schedule an initial consultation so I can make sure I'd be the best fit for you, your clinical expertise, mentorship and/or supervision expectations. My typical rate for clinical supervision is £80 an hour, but duration of supervision can be discussed on a personal basis and adjusted to fit your caseload and clinical needs. Mentoring rates would depend on the length of our meetings and the type of support you'd benefit from.
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