What happens in therapy?
Consultations with a psychologist usually last 50 minutes (plus 10 minutes at the end of the session for the psychologist to make notes). Working with a psychologist usually involves a period of assessment followed by a period of treatment. The length of time taken to complete the 'therapy process' is different depending upon the type of problem. This will be discussed with you.
Psychological therapy is a two way process which centres on moving towards specific goals. The first session is about understanding your current difficulties and agreeing on treatment targets with your therapist. For example you may want to overcome feelings of sadness and a lack of enjoyment related to depression. Perhaps you would like to feel in control of your life rather than be consumed by worry. It can be helpful to think about your expectations from therapy and raise any concerns that you have with your therapist.
Research shows that therapy works best when you attend regularly and give some thought to what you want to discuss during each session. You will usually be asked to practice skills and strategies between sessions. People who do this generally get more out of therapy.
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