FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 

  • Psychological Therapy involves meeting a trained professional and talking about what it is you have been going through. Most of us want somebody to talk to, someone who listens and accepts, especially when we are going through a difficult time. Therapists are trained to listen attentively, without judgment.

    There is extensive evidence supporting the effectiveness of Psychological Therapies in helping people with a wide range of psychological difficulties or emotional distress. Therapy can be hard work, however many people find it very helpful as it offers perspectives we often cannot gain alone, and solutions we did not know were possible.

    There are many different types of Psychological Therapy. There are similarities between them; however they differ in their focus. Different therapies have been found to be more effective than others in treating certain problems.

  • Clinical Psychologists complete at least seven years full-time training prior to qualification. A degree in psychology is followed by various years’ practical experience as an Assistant Psychologist or related profession. Subsequently, we undergo three years of academic work and practical placements as a Trainee Clinical Psychologist in the NHS. This results in the qualification of Doctor of Clinical Psychology. Professional development continues throughout our career.

    Clinical Psychologists also differ from many other therapeutic professionals in that we are experienced in a variety of different treatment methods. We integrate scientific research and clinical practice, enabling us to enhance current psychological treatments, and facilitate effective psychological services.

    To find out more about my particular journey pre-and post-qualification click here.

  • People engage in psychological therapy for all sorts of reasons. It is effective in helping people work through a whole range of problems, big or small. It is suitable for and can be beneficial to people from a wide range of situations and backgrounds, and with a wide variety of needs. Whether you are:

    • Experiencing an extreme amount of psychological distress and are looking for help to move forward and become more content with life;

    Or

    • You are wanting to be pro active and look after your emotional well-being and understand yourself more.

  • I offer a range of psychological therapies,l including Schema Therapy, Compassion Focused Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.

    Different types of therapies and techniques have been found more effective for various problems and you may already have a preference from your own research.

    During your initial free telephone consultation we will begin the process of considering which therapy or combination of therapies may be most useful in helping you.

  • One session will usually last for around one hour.

    This may vary depending on the format in which you choose to have the session ( telephone, video conferencing, instant messaging, email), or the type of therapy that you are receiving. Also, please know we can discuss the length of the session to adapt it to your needs. For example, sometimes people with chronic health problems prefer to have shorter sessions due to concentration issues, fatigue, etc.

  • Most people choose to have a session once a week, as this is what research has found to be most helpful. However, the recommended frequency of sessions can also depend on your individual circumstances and preferences, contingent on available slots for less frequent work.

    I do try wherever possible to keep sessions on the same day every week/fortnight.

  • Not at all. This tends to vary greatly, depending on each individual's circumstances. The number of sessions you have will depend on what it is you are experiencing, what you would like to get out of therapy, and the type of therapy you are receiving and of course guided by your insurance or financial circumstances.

    The number of sessions vary from a one-off therapeutic session, to help you reflect upon a particular issue, to a vast number of sessions to reach your goals and process what is going on in your life.

    It can often be helpful to discuss a set amount of sessions at the beginning of therapy and as these come to an end, review how therapy is progressing and decide whether and how many additional sessions may be needed.

    Or you may like to leave things more open ended, and decide on the number of sessions as therapy progresses.

    You may conclude therapy whenever you deem it appropriate, but I advise discussing it with me so we can consider next steps together.

    .

  • It is important that you are able to feel comfortable with your therapist. Research has shown that regardless of what problem you are experiencing, or the type of therapy you choose to engage in, having a good relationship with your therapist is key to getting the most out of psychological therapy. It may be that after your initial free consultation with Dr Abercrombie, you decide you would prefer to work with somebody else. If this is the case, Dr Abercrombie would be more than happy to refer you on to any of her colleagues whom she feels would be able to help. Even if you do choose to engage in in person or online psychological therapy with Dr Abercrombie, there will undoubtedly be times where you are unsure whether the therapy is working for you, or you identify things about the therapeutic process that you think could be different. Dr Abercrombie encourages open conversations throughout the course of therapy, and aims to provide you with a containing space, whereby you feel free to reflect and work together to think about how to make your therapeutic experience as good as possible.

Questions about Psychological Therapy 

Questions about online therapy.

  • Online therapy is therapy delivered through the use of the internet/telephone rather than the traditional in-person format. Online therapy can be delivered in many different ways, including video conferencing (the most popular), instant messaging or email messaging. It surged in popularity during COVID, with many realising how beneficial this mode of therapy can be.

  • Many studies have found online therapy to work equally as well, and in some cases better than traditional in-person therapy.

  • Online therapy has many benefits, and there are many reasons why somebody chooses this mode of therapy.

  • Obviously, the primary difference is that instead of being in the same room as your therapist you are working with them from a distance using the internet, or the telephone.

    For some people it feels important to be able to sit opposite their therapist. Others, for a range of reasons, enjoy being able to access therapy from the comfort and privacy of their own home, or another place more convenient to them.

    Video chat therapy is the most similar to in-person therapy, as you are still able to see your therapist as you speak with them.

    Telephone therapy, although you cannot see your therapist, still enables you to speak with them verbally.

    Instant messaging therapy and email therapy have different advantages and disadvantages again. The written word can be very therapeutic, and for many people is more preferable way to share some of their personal experiences. It also means that people have a record of all communication with their therapist, in addition to having time to reflect upon their response before writing it down.

    Disadvantages of therapy using the written word include lack of non-verbal communication.

Questions about scheduling and paying for sessions.

  • i understand that circumstances may arise that cannot be foreseen. If you know you cannot attend a session please let me know as soon possible. Sessions cancelled with less than 24 hours notice or unattended without notification will be charged.

Questions about confidentiality, privacy and security.

  • All of your personal information is confidential. I will keep brief records of our time together, to help monitor and review your progress. All records are kept safe and secure, and are not shared without your knowledge or consent. There are rare occasions where it is my professional duty to break confidentiality. This will only occur if I feel you are an immediate risk to yourself or anyone else. If this is necessary I will discuss this with you so you are aware of whom I need to share this with, and what information will be discussed. You are kept in the loop at all times.

    In addition, I attend regular clinical supervision to ensure I am providing clients with the best treatment possible. There may be occasions were I bring your case to supervision. Your name and any identifying features will not be shared.

  • Yes! A platform called jotform is used, ensuring that all the information you provide is encrypted and kept secure, meeting GDPR guidelines.