Knowing When to Seek Professional Support
There is no one reason to seek the services of a trained professional, however it might be time to consider making an appointment if you experience any of the following:
- You have been unable to resolve issues that are troubling you, despite your best efforts
- The way you feel is having an impact on your sleep, concentration, eating habits, memory, relationships and ability to enjoy life
- You feel stuck or the obstacles that prevent you feeling better or achieving your desired goals are hard to tackle
- You feel that you have less control over your life and find it difficult to make choices and decisions that move you in the direction you want to go
- You find it increasingly difficult to regulate your emotions and the effect is beginning to show in your relationship with yourself and others
- You increasingly doubt yourself or your self esteem and confidence are diminishing
- You find yourself re-traumatised from something that happened in the past or your have experienced a recent traumatic event
- Trusted family members, friends, your doctor and others have expressed concern about changes in your demeanor
Appointments, Referrals and Cancellations
Appointments are typically 50-60 minutes long and are at a regular time that will be arranged at your first appointment.
You do not need a referral for an appointment, simply email or call to make an appointment. Please be aware that you may need to leave a message on my own secure and confidential answerphone, as I may be consulting at the time of your call.
What to Expect from Your First Appointment
Whatever the reason for seeking help, you will probably feel more comfortable and confident if you know what to expect from the first appointment. In the first session you will have an opportunity to talk about why you have come and what you hope to achieve. Ashley may ask you some questions in order to reach a shared understanding of what the issues are. Some of the things you might talk about will include:
The reason for seeking psychotherapy
Discussing the particular issue made you decide to seek help, what attempts you have made on your own and how successful these attempts were.
Your personal history and current life circumstances
Human behaviour and the way we cope with situations is does not occur is isolation but rather reflects the fact that we are part of larger system. Our family history has a profound influence on how we experience and relate to other people, the world and ourselves.
The impact the difficulties you face are having on your life
Our lives are multi layered and as such the difficulties we experience may be more noticeable in one area of our life. Understanding the impact of the difficulties you are experiencing will assist with formulating an assessment and diagnosis and determine appropriate treatment.
Active participation as part of psychotherapy
Therapy requires a great deal of work and like any relationship is reciprocal. It is helpful if you are as open and honest. It is understandable that it takes time to build up trust, particularly if you want to discuss sensitive issues. You should never feel pressured to talk about anything you do not wish to share, however it is useful to remember that the therapist is guided by you. To maximise the benefit of psychotherapy it is suggested that you make the time to think about and reflect on what you want to work.
Cancellations
If you need to cancel or change an appointment, please give at least 24 hours notice or a cancellation fee will apply. This policy is in place because the time has been kept specifically for you and should you cancel, it allows Ashley to offer the allocated time to another client who is on a waiting list for an appointment.