FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: HOW WILL YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE THE RIGHT THERAPIST FOR YOU? The first session is an assessment interview. This provides both the client and therapist with the opportunity of deciding whether they wish to work together. WHAT WILL YOU HAVE TO TALK ABOUT? Whatever you choose that seems to be relevant. These may be things that are happening in the present or from your past. HOW OFTEN WILL YOU HAVE TO COME? Once a week is desirable. This gives you time to reflect on the work, without there being too long a break in between. WHO ELSE WILL KNOW? It is very important that what you talk about in psychotherapy or counselling is kept confidential. Therapists have a professional obligation to maintain confidentiality and to have their work supervised to ensure they are working ethically and in your best interests. Supervisors and supervision groups are also bound to confidentiality. Therapists will reserve the right to inform appropriate outside agencies (eg your GP) if they believe that you are at risk of harming yourself or others. HOW LONG WILL IT LAST? Sessions usually last for approximately one hour. Timing and frequency are agreed between you and the therapist. The number of sessions depends upon the complexity of the problem and the type of therapy. HOW MUCH WILL IT COST AND HOW DO YOU PAY? Contact individual practitioners directly for details of their fees (see Psychotherapists and Counsellors pages). Fees for psychotherapy and counselling range from approximately £35-£55 per session and some practitioners offer sliding scales or consessionary places. Fees for cognitive analytic therapy, counselling psychology and psychodynamic psychotherapy are in the range of £80-£100 per session. The fee is usually payable by cheque or cash at the beginning of each session. WHAT IF YOU DON'T KEEP YOUR APPOINTMENT? Usually you will be expected to pay for the time you have booked, unless you have given 24-48 hours notice. Each practitioner sets their own conditions. WHERE WILL SESSIONS BE HELD? At the The Worsley Centre, 50 Bridgewater Road, Walkden, Worsley M28 3AE. WHAT IS COUNSELLING? Counselling is a ‘talking therapy’ and encompasses many different approaches that are all designed to help people make changes in their lives. For all of us there are times in our lives when we feel confused, distressed or unable to cope. A counsellor will provide you with an objective listening ear, in a safe and supportive environment. They will also help you to recognise your resources and successes. People come to counselling for a range of reasons including relationship difficulties, bereavement, anxiety, depression and dealing with past experiences. The therapeutic relationship is crucial to the process of counselling. You will need to feel you can be open with your counsellor and trust them with the most intimate details of your life. You should expect your counsellor to provide a series of confidential, professional appointments, usually of one hour in length, in a suitable private setting. The length of time you may come to counselling depends very much on the individual and the problems you bring. A specific difficulty may only take a few sessions, while more complex and deep-rooted problems may take longer. You can find more information about counselling and independent counsellors by contacting The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy on 0870 443 5353. WHAT IS TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS PSYCHOTHERAPY? Transactional Analysis (TA) is both a theory of personality and a system for the improvement of personal and social functioning, within the humanistic tradition. Eric Berne, its’ founder, re-examined the basic assumptions of psychiatry, and from his radical pioneering work developed a system of for in-depth analysis and change. The philosophy of TA accentuates that respect and empathic acceptance are essential. Its’ practice is based on a contract between client and practitioner in which they take equal responsibility towards achieving common goals. The methods and concepts used are made open to the client in the understanding that power is shared. Below is a brief explanation of some of the main models and theory used: Structural Analysis: Identifies three ego states: the Parent, Adult and Child (PAC model). It enables us to clarify our life experiences, thoughts and feelings, examining how we learned our beliefs and values from our parents and other parent figures, and how being in different ego states can influence our behaviour and relationships. Analysis of Transactions: Examines both social and psychological forms of human communication using the PAC ego state model to diagram the types of transactions. Transactions may be open and clear, or combined with ulterior messages. Their analysis provides a way to understand our ‘stroking’ patterns: how we exchange the level of contact and recognition that all humans need in order to thrive, and how we can make changes. Script Analysis: Offers an approach to the question: ‘How do we get to be the people we are?’ The origins are embedded in the history of our childhoods, families, culture and life experiences. A ‘life script’ develops without our being aware of it, for purposes of survival, approval and security rather than for self-realisation. By analysing our scripts, we can reconsider and change the decisions we made when we were too little to realise what options existed. Analysis of Games: Eric Berne’s writings on ‘Games’ drew the public’s attention to TA. People learn to play Games in childhood, as often they are the best possible response to family and life circumstances. The motivation in continuing to do so as adults is the need for stimulus, structure and as a substitute for true intimacy. Games are predictable patterns of indirect communications using ulterior transactions. They are ‘played’ out of our awareness. Game analysis identifies these patterns, their consequences, and what we can do to change. What will a TA psychotherapist do? They will help you to analyze your transactions (ie interactions with self and others), so that you can understand yourself and your relationships better, and decide what changes you wish to make. WHAT IS HYPNOTHERAPY? Hypnotherapy is one of the older psychotherapies and was first used in the eighteenth century in England and France. It was the subject of an early work by Freud and continued to be developed in the twentieth century. What is the hypnotic state? Best described as a state of very deep relaxation, it is important to remember that, despite the popular view, a client does not lose awareness during therapy and can break the state if she/he wishes to do so. However, and the reasons for this are not fully understood, the client can access subconscious abilities to learn and to redefine their experiences, thus making it possible to come to terms with early or painful experiences. Looking forward, building self-esteem and learning to relax in a deeper way than with some other methods, through self-hypnosis, are also important applications of hypnotherapy. Recent applications also include learning to control the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, control of the side effects of chemotherapy for cancer patients, and many others. The value of hypnotherapy has also been recognised in the dental and medical professions (B.M.A. Reports 1892, 1955). Practitioners should be members of an established professional body with a code of ethics and professional practice, and make this known to clients. Such practitioners will welcome clients who ask for details of the therapist’s qualifications and experience and who ask questions about the therapy being offered. **************************************************** THE WORSLEY CENTRE FOR PSYCHOTHERAPY AND COUNSELLING 50 Bridgewater Road Walkden Worsley M28 3AE Greater Manchester United Kingdom Freephone: 0800-0199767 Mobile: 07980 559460 Email: annheathcote@theworsleycentre.co.uk Web: http://www.theworsleycentre.co.uk