Therapy in Colchester

MORE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is therapy the only way I can change my life?
Certainly not. Change can be possible from all sorts of experiences, for instance, new relationships, parenthood, education, careers and spiritual experiences.
Can I end therapy when I want to?
Yes, you can certainly finish therapy at any time, but it is always better to work towards an ending rather than leaving suddenly.
Why should I see a psychotherapist rather than talk to my friends or family?
Sharing and understanding of friends or family is important and valuable. However, when symptoms of pain, anger or confusion are too painful for friends to hear without simply wanting to cheer you up or to judge you, then you may need the help of a professional.
How do you work all the time with people who are suffering?
By helping people explore their internal worlds you offer them opportunities to learn about themselves and to change. Sometimes it is very challenging, but it can also be very rewarding. Holding the most intimate details of a person's life; their behaviour, thoughts and emotions is a privilege and if I ever changed that view I would leave the profession. I choose to work part-time, so that I can afford time to think about my clients, keep up to date with current thinking and look after myself.
Do you work with people who have addiction problems?
People can be addicted to all many things, e.g. danger, food, work, exercise. Clients who have drug or alcoholic addictions can find it very difficult to make progress in therapy as the drugs can prevent access to the material which needs to be understood before psychological change can be possible. It is recommended, therefore, that such potential clients seek specialist drug/alcohol treatments before embarking on psychotherapy.
Do I have to be really ill to come into therapy?
No. Some people come into therapy because they are simply going through a difficult period in their lives and need someone to be alongside them until they come through it. (See "What difficulties can be addressed with Therapy?")
Can I see you as well as seeing a couples therapist?
It is not a good idea to see two therapists concurrently. Some people, during therapy, recognise that they need couples therapy and in such cases I always recommend a break from individual therapy, so that time and energy can be devoted to one treatment.
Why should I see a private therapist rather than seek help from my GP?
There are many answers to this question and these are just a few. Some people simply don't want to talk to their GPs about psychological problems. They might think that there is insufficient time for this in a busy surgery, or they might believe that only medication will be on offer as a solution. In a 2006 survey, 93% of doctors admitted that they were prescribing antidepressants purely because of a lack of viable alternatives. Many GPs can offer counselling, but it is most often short-term and there may be long waiting lists. GPs can refer patients to the mental health team for assessment, but again, unless the patient is in absolute crisis, there will be a long wait for assessment and a further wait until a suitable therapist becomes available.

MORE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is therapy the only way I can change my life?

Certainly not. Change can be possible from all sorts of experiences, for instance, new relationships, parenthood, education, careers and spiritual experiences.

Can I end therapy when I want to?

Yes, you can certainly finish therapy at any time, but it is always better to work towards an ending rather than leaving suddenly.

Why should I see a psychotherapist rather than talk to my friends or family?

Sharing and understanding of friends or family is important and valuable. However, when symptoms of pain, anger or confusion are too painful for friends to hear without simply wanting to cheer you up or to judge you, then you may need the help of a professional.

How do you work all the time with people who are suffering?

By helping people explore their internal worlds you offer them opportunities to learn about themselves and to change. Sometimes it is very challenging, but it can also be very rewarding. Holding the most intimate details of a person's life; their behaviour, thoughts and emotions is a privilege and if I ever changed that view I would leave the profession. I choose to work part-time, so that I can afford time to think about my clients, keep up to date with current thinking and look after myself.

Do you work with people who have addiction problems?

People can be addicted to all many things, e.g. danger, food, work, exercise. Clients who have drug or alcoholic addictions can find it very difficult to make progress in therapy as the drugs can prevent access to the material which needs to be understood before psychological change can be possible. It is recommended, therefore, that such potential clients seek specialist drug/alcohol treatments before embarking on psychotherapy.

Do I have to be really ill to come into therapy?

No. Some people come into therapy because they are simply going through a difficult period in their lives and need someone to be alongside them until they come through it. (See "What difficulties can be addressed with Therapy?")

Can I see you as well as seeing a couples therapist?

It is not a good idea to see two therapists concurrently. Some people, during therapy, recognise that they need couples therapy and in such cases I always recommend a break from individual therapy, so that time and energy can be devoted to one treatment.

Why should I see a private therapist rather than seek help from my GP?

There are many answers to this question and these are just a few. Some people simply don't want to talk to their GPs about psychological problems. They might think that there is insufficient time for this in a busy surgery, or they might believe that only medication will be on offer as a solution. In a 2006 survey, 93% of doctors admitted that they were prescribing antidepressants purely because of a lack of viable alternatives. Many GPs can offer counselling, but it is most often short-term and there may be long waiting lists. GPs can refer patients to the mental health team for assessment, but again, unless the patient is in absolute crisis, there will be a long wait for assessment and a further wait until a suitable therapist becomes available.