What-to-expect | Towy Valley Psychotherapy Practice

What to expect

Assessment

The initial session will be an assessment session. During this time we will talk through your current difficulties and assess for suitability for CBT / EMDR and whether you feel it is for you. We will gain a better understanding of what is maintaining these difficulties, any relevant history across your lifespan, the impact they are having on your life and what you would like to get out of therapy (what you want to change). We will also begin to discuss what CBT / EMDR is and how it could help you. At the end of this session we will agree a treatment plan and you will be provided with written information on CBT / EMDR.

Homework

An important part of the treatment is putting in to practice ideas and techniques discussed in the session in to the 'real world'. We refer to this as 'between session tasks' or 'homework', tasks will be discussed and agreed between us in session, this allows you to put into practice what you have learnt in session, we will then reflect on this together. This between session work can make a real difference to the success of your therapy.

Follow up

Towards the end of treatment our sessions will begin to become more spaced out, following treatment completion a one month follow up session can be arranged. This increases your confidence in your ability to continue putting into practice any changes made and provides an opportunity to discuss any set backs.

If you have therapy:

You will usually meet with a therapist for between 5 and 20, weekly, or fortnightly sessions. Each session will last for 50 - 60 minutes although in certain circumstances longer sessions can be agreed.
In the first sessions, the therapist will assess for suitability for therapy and you will check that you feel comfortable with it.
Although sessions concentrate on creating change in the here and now, this is often achieved through working on the past.
Therapy is a collaborative approach, you decide what you want to deal with in the short, medium and long term (set therapy goals)
The strength of therapy is that you can continue to practise and develop your skills even after the sessions have finished. This makes it less likely that your symptoms or problems will return.