How long does each session last?
Each session lasts 50 minutes. During the first meeting, which may sometimes take longer and which we call an assessment, we would ask you questions and get you to describe yourself, so you and the therapist get a sense of why you have come to seek therapy. The session is also an opportunity for you to see whether you feel this might be the right place for you.
The type of therapy we practice involves thinking about often deep-seated ideas and sometimes traumas that are not easily talked about. Building up a sense of trust with the therapist takes time and is another reason for working for what may seem like quite a long time together.
Fees
The initial consultation is assessment based, and it is here you will decide with your therapist the fees for sessions. Depending on experience, therapist’s fees can vary. You are welcome to discuss this with our secretary if you wish to work with low-income salary.
Sometimes the therapist and client may agree to a second consultation session before agreeing whether to work together on an ongoing basis.
All fees are subject to annual review
FAQ
Who are our Counsellors & Psychotherapist’s?
Our counsellors and psychotherapists are professionally trained people who can relate to and treat people who are in distress. They can work with individuals, groups, families or couples. Many tend to specialise in who they work with and what issues they address. For example, counsellors and psychotherapists can decide whether they work with children or couples, or be trained specifically in working with anxiety or depression.
We also facilitate training counsellors and psychotherapists. As a result of this we are in a position to offer affordable therapy to the less well off. It is important you mention you are looking for affordable therapy when making your appointment as it will determine a different process for assessment.
What problems are addressed in Psychotherapy?
- Relationship difficulties
- Painful feelings associated with grief or loss
- Difficulties during life stages
- Past and present trauma’s
- Abuse
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Isolation
- Phobias
- Obsessions
- ADHD
- Eating Disorders
- Gender Dysphoria
What Is the Difference between Counselling and Psychotherapy?
While counselling and psychotherapy are often thought of as being the same thing, there are some important distinctions between the two.
In the context of mental and emotional health, counselling is generally used as a short-term treatment which is focused most upon the symptom and managing this symptom, for example anxiety.
Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, on the other hand, is generally a longer-term treatment that focuses more on gaining insight into chronic physical and emotional problems and treating the symptoms. Its focus is on the patient’s conscious and unconscious thought processes and way of being in the world, rather than on specific problems.
How Do I Choose a Therapist?
Choosing a therapist is an important part of your process into therapy. It’s important you connect with your therapist and feel like you can work together. This can take time to establish as you both get to know each other.
Among the things important to consider is that the therapist can provide care and expertise in addressing your presenting problem.
Of course, personal recommendation, i.e. “word of mouth”, can also be a good way of choosing a therapist.
What Should I Expect During My First Session?
Your first session is assessment based, where you will present your difficulties. Our psychotherapist will assess your difficulties in great detail. Most assessments can take up to three sessions, and at this point you will both have gained good insight into your difficulties and your comfortability with your therapist and decide on moving forward together. Should you decide not to move forward with your therapist, your therapist may refer you to a more suitable therapist for your needs.
How can I tell how much treatment will cost?
When meeting our psychotherapist, it is acceptable to discuss the following issues:
- Therapist’s training, experience and accreditation
- Therapist’s supervision
- Fees and nature of payment
- Duration and frequency of sessions
How long will treatment take?
Depending on the presenting difficulty and how far you are prepared to go into your issues, treatment time can vary. Our psychotherapists will not give you a time for recovery, this really is dependent on the presenting issue and the work you are prepared to do.
What is the Code of Ethics?
Each professional organisation with the Irish Council for Psychotherapy has a Code of Ethics and a complaints and disciplinary procedure. The Code of Ethics are the rules of practice that govern how each psychotherapist operates within the psychotherapeutic process.
The Code of Ethics obliges the therapist to uphold a high standard of professional competence and personal conduct in their practice with their patients. It also includes other areas of their practice such as confidentiality, record keeping, fees and advertising.