You’ve decided to try therapy but don’t know where to start? With so many options available it can be hard to know what is best. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is great for those who are more comfortable working on their thought process or those who are new to therapy and worry that a longer term course of therapy is too big a commitment. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy isn’t necessarily the best solution for those who have deep rooted or early trauma, those who have experienced abuse, those who feel they want to explore their emotions in depth or for those who cannot commit to the in-between session task element. If you are considering therapy, it is worth doing your research to see what might work best for you.
Sources of information can be found below:
Committing to therapy does not mean that your difficulties won’t be immune to trials. If you don’t feel therapy is working for you, talk to me. I may opt to change my approach to treatment and include more in between session task options for you or even make suggestions of an alternative therapy. It helps if you have psychological flexibility and fully invested in doing the work for individual growth however, it may not be successful or suitable for everyone.
Before starting CBT, it is recommended that you check that your therapist is accredited by the BABCP (in the UK). BABCP believes that accreditation is important in protecting the public and raising the quality of CBT. I know how important it is to find the right therapist; there are plenty of qualified and compassionate therapists that look forward to helping you but it may take some time to find the right one
Give yourself some time to research and explore therapist’s websites, social media posts and or talk with them on the phone for a few minutes in order to help you in making your decision. If you enter therapy and don’t feel that the person is the right fit for you, don’t ignore your feelings and talk to them about it. They may be able to accommodate your needs. However, if your needs can’t be accommodated you can part ways in a healthy therapeutic way. A rule of thumb is to give your therapist three tries. It usually takes three sessions before you start to understand how your therapist can impact your life. It is important to remember that when you meet people first impressions are important and lasting. It’s the same with therapy, you are getting to know each other so give yourself time to get used to the experience.
In most cases, yes. All CBT therapists are bound by their professional code of conduct regarding confidentiality. I will only share information about our work in clinical supervision however, your details will be kept anonymous. In the same way as visiting your G.P, I ensure that your treatment and areas that you discuss with me are contained in a confidential environment and keep a written record of sessions which are stored securely. The only times where I will share information with others if either your clinical notes are subpoenaed by a court of law or there is a concern that you might pose a risk of harm to yourself and others. In this instance I may have to contact statutory services.
Some client’s like me to inform their G.P that they are receiving treatment and to send a discharge letter at the end of therapy. Discharge letters provide a brief overview of the work we have done and this service is free of charge. Any additional letters required may incur an additional fee which will be discussed in advance.
Data protection and GDPR
Lisa Blake Therapy is compliant with General Data Protection Regulation. Before we begin therapy I will provide you with information explaining how your information is collected, stored and shared.
This website
For information about data protection and this website please see our Privacy Policy.
The only times that I will be unable to work with a client is either if I know you (your therapist should not be a close friend because that would create what’s called a dual relationship, something that is unethical in therapy). Due to the structured nature of CBT, it may not be suitable for people with more complex mental health needs or learning difficulties; any client who is immediately suicidal and with whom I feel is a risk to themselves and or others and clients who require medico-legal reports
In the event that you are seeking treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), I adhere to the National Institute of Clinical Effectiveness (NICE) Guidelines and discuss the implications of timing of treatment to help you make an informed decision about it and when to proceed.
I only work with clients who are registered with a G.P in their local area. If you are under the care of a local Mental Health Team and or CAMHS I will require your formal diagnosis and psychiatric report(s) in order to establish if therapy is the right treatment for you at this time.
It helps if you can have a think about the main difficulties that you want to work on and also help if you come prepared with a few ideas about what you hope to achieve from therapy.
When you attend your initial assessment appointment, it is useful to bring details of any medication that you are currently prescribed.
The same appointment time will be reserved for you each week should you decided to continue with your therapy sessions. Weekly attendance is recommended in order for you to benefit from therapy. I will be able to give you detailed recommendations for your personal circumstances during an initial assessment session. CBT is a targeted psychotherapy to reduce emotional problems therefore it tends to require less sessions than many other types of therapy. How many sessions you will need will vary dependent upon the nature of your problem we work on. Typical lengths of treatment vary between 8-10 sessions on average however, the National Institute of clinical Effectiveness (NICE) guidelines recommend significantly more.
Some people can benefit from single session therapy. This is where therapy lasts for one session where the client and therapist meet to help the client deal with their nominated concern in one session knowing that more help is available if needed. It is a way of practising therapy based on a way of thinking about therapy known as “single session thinking” which emphasises the intent of the work, to help the client in one session.
It is normal to occasionally feel temporarily worse before you feel better especially during the beginning of your work with a therapist. This can happen sometimes as emotions you weren’t aware of or tried to ignore can be brought to the surface. It can be a sign of progress and as counter intuitive as it may sound, feeling bad during therapy can be positive and a good therapist will be able to help you.