Methods of practice to be used

I am trained in Hypnotherapy, Neuro-Linguistic Programming and am in training to become a Psychotherapist. Because I have been working with clients for so many years (since 2004), I utilise the approaches and tools within my repertoire in response to what my clients present in the moment. This helps me to and relies upon my staying present with my clients, perhaps the most fundamental aspect of therapy and coaching.

There are however a few universal (person-centred) principles I embody when working with everyone. For example:

  • I already know you are not broken and do not need fixing
  • I help you to accept who you are and to choose how to show up in your life
  • I relate to you with compassion and I listen with curiosity about what it’s like to be you and what it’s like to live your life
  • I actively listen to and work to accurately understand how you feel, which you are never wrong about

There are a number of additional approaches I integrate with most clients, most of the time. For example:

  • Hypno-therapy
  • Exposure therapy (CBT)
  • Existential therapy
  • Schema therapy (CBT)
  • Transpersonal therapy

Likely length of therapy

Everyone is different, has different requirements and different desires. These requirements and desires can evolve over the course of therapy, or coaching. There are a number of known factors that influence the duration of therapy and there are more unknown factors. Furthermore any time-frame can change over time, depending upon evolving needs and progress made. This complexity makes any prediction as to the length of therapy a very broad estimate, even with the best information, but I understand that you may need, or feel more comfortable with having an estimate, than not.

Some of the known factors can include:

  • Goals for therapy/coaching
  • Symptoms
  • Concerns
  • Readiness for transformation
  • Circle of support in your life
  • Our schedules
  • Financial resources
  • Understanding and view of hypnosis
  • Evolving needs and beliefs
  • Evolving circumstances

Working in an integrative way, I am able to use and combine a broad repertoire of methodologies and approaches. This flexibility can help to keep the number of sessions required somewhat lower (Psychology Today, 2022).

Evidence suggests that 24 sessions are adequate for integrative psychotherapists working with depressive symptoms to fulfil clients’ preferences and goals (Gibson et al., 2020).

For clients with Generalised Anxiety Disorder 14 2-hour sessions of integrative psychotherapy had significantly reduced symptoms for 18 participants (Newman et al., 2008).

For clients with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder research indicates that for integrative psychotherapy “15 to 20 sessions are required for 50 percent of patients to recover as indicated by self-reported symptom measures”, with some preferring to have 20 to 30 sessions to ensure a more thorough outcome (American Psychological Society, 2017)

Clients with co-occurring conditions or certain personality difficulties may require longer treatment (e.g., 12-18 months) for therapy to be effective (American Psychological Society, 2017)

I offer each client a (20 minute) free initial inquiry before therapy/coaching begins. During this session, and the initiation of therapy/coaching, we have an opportunity to work together to gain an understanding of these kinds of considerations, before a financial commitment has been made. We can, of course, revisit the question of the length of therapy at any point.

Fixed-length therapy

Sometimes there are fixed limits to the length of therapy (BACP, 2018), in the case of therapy that is contracted by a company, or organisation, for example.

Ending therapy

The decision to bring therapy to an end is, the majority of the time, made collaboratively between the client and I. The preferred process for ending therapy includes:

  • Adequate time and notice to be satisfied in the closing of therapy, tieing off any loose ends – mutually agreed (UK Council for Psychotherapy, 2021)
  • Mutual clarity that the goals for therapy are reached
  • Reflection on progress and transformation made
  • Reflection on new resourcefulness and capabilities acquired
  • Reflection on and processing of emotions related to therapy coming to an end
  • Gaining clarity about how you can continue making progress independently, putting your resourcefulness and capabilities into practice, both in good time and times of adversity (Daymond and Millward, 2022)

Where the length of therapy is fixed we can manage this process throughout the course of therapy.

While this is preferable for you to move forward in the best possible way in your life, I am respectful that it is your right to end therapy at any point you wish. Ideally you would be able to give sufficient notice for us to work together for you to complete the above process, but I understand that this may not always be possible.

The extent of my involvement as a therapist

The scope of my practice

I practice psychotherapy to the extent that my training and competence permits and not further. It is rare that I am not able to help a client. If it is clear to me at the outset of our work together (or at any point) that I cannot help you, for any reason, I tell you. I then prepare arrangements to refer you to an appropriate alternative professional (see “Arrangements for referral” below). I would never want to let you down, but believe it would be better to be honest with you than attempt to work beyond my scope.

That is part of the reason I offer a free initial inquiry.

Working with children

I do not practice psychotherapy with anyone under the age of 18, because it is not within my scope of practice, as an adult psychotherapist. If this is what you seek I would advise you instead to locate an accredited child (and/or adolescent) psychotherapist. I can assist adults (on behalf of children) in making this referral if you wish.

I do however work with children as a wellbeing coach and trainer, areas within which I have a great deal of experience. Please contact me for information about this.

I engage in CPD in order to sustain and grow my competence and I consult a supervisor in order to help me make the most beneficial therapeutic decisions for you.

Arrangements in case I can’t contact you

Your contact details would be released to a trustee if I become unable to contact you myself, in the case of my sudden illness, or death, for example. They will connect you with a professional who can support you emotionally, or help you find alternative and appropriate professional support.

If I am temporarily unable to contact you, the trustee keeps access to your contact data until I become able to contact you myself, until I am permanently unable to contact you, or after 6 months – whichever is sooner..

If I am permanently unable to contact you:

  • My trustee will delete your data after 30 days of trying, and failing, to contact you

Arrangements for referral

Here is the process I would follow in referring a client (Counselling Tutor, 2020; Roberts, 2005):

  1. Before beginning to work with the client I would inform them that referral is a way to ensure that they receive the most appropriate and effective support for their situation and presenting issues. I would explain that if it is clear that they may not get the support they need from me, I will refer them to someone else who may be a better fit – more specialised and appropriate
  2. In consultation with a supervisor, I would assess whether a referral may be in the client’s best interests, considering factors such as the ones discussed in question 16, as well as confidence in my own capabilities, if relevant
  3. I would investigate the best options for referral according to the clients needs, the professional’s competence, referral process, requirements and availability
  4. I would report this information to the client, clarifying how this referral could benefit them therapeutically. Unless the situation requires that I act without consent, I would obtain the client’s consent to share any necessary personal information with the professional .I would share referral information, such as contact and website details with the client. Depending on the client and professional’s preference and needs I would write to the professional, explaining the referral and introducing the client, along with any other important information
  5. I would continue to support the client, or offer them support if it were necessary for them to wait before they could begin working with the professional
  6. I would keep a record of each step in the referral process, any consent gained and any communication between the three parties

Complaints processes and how to make a complaint

Please feel free to talk to me if you are unsure, or have a complaint about anything. If you have a complaint and don’t feel comfortable speaking to me directly you can submit a formal complaint to any of the governing bodies of which I am a member. You can find their complaints procedures here:

Please note: any complaint made would be conducted in English with the above governing bodies and heard in the UK.