Therapy FAQs

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Here are some very common questions people have about therapy.
If you can’t find the answer to your question, please contact us via email or phone.
What happens when you meet your therapist for the first time?
Like any first encounter this is when the foundations of a relationship are laid. It gives you and your therapist both a taste of how it feels to face each other and the possibilities to work together. You find out if you feel comfortable enough to talk and your therapist will assess if he/she can support you with the presenting issues you bring up.

In the event your therapist feels he/she isn’t the right person to carry the work he/she will look for more appropriate alternatives with you.

Do our sessions remain confidential?
Client confidentiality is a requirement for any licensed mental health professionals such as psychotherapists, psychologists and psychiatrists.

Confidentiality is not only about the contents of what is said during the session. It encompasses the fact that you are in therapy. Out of coincidence you might come across your therapist outside of therapy and in an effort to protect your privacy he/she won’t acknowledge you if you choose not to do so on the first place.

They are 3 circumstances under which confidentiality may be broken: in case you are to harm yourself, other(s) or are in danger from other(s).  In those events your therapist will endeavour to talk to you beforehand and notify the person you have chosen as your next of kin for those precise circumstances.

Finally, therapists can also reveal information about the type of treatment to insurers in order to allow their clients to be reimbursed but no more than what is necessary to ensure the coverage of the costs.

Can I choose to come when I want during the week and can the length of our sessions vary?
Sessions last invariably 50 minutes. In the event you are late it is not possible to overrun them. They take place on the same day and time and on a weekly basis. Regular reviews are planned to monitor progress and reassess goals. However you might not be able to attend due to some reason, and in some circumstances you therapist might be able to rearrange a day and time in the same calendar week.

It is important that the format of therapy fits in with your life style. Hectic work agendas might not allow you to commit every week and it might be more appropriate for you to choose a place that offers flexibility such as drop-in counselling services.

Is systemic use of a patient outcome questionnaire useful?
Used at the beginning and at the end of therapy, as well as a mean for regular reviews, specific questionnaires are crucial to apply an evidence-based-approach in the field of psychotherapy. A therapist that only claims effectiveness from clinical trials and research might miss the opportunity to use the data for improvement and hinder chances of a successful outcome.
Is integrative therapy a more successful approach than other modalities?

According to research, the variability of successful therapeutic outcome is 5-9 times more due to the differences in personalities more than in modalities. In other words it’s the relationship that is established that counts, and the therapist’s way of being with you that will influence the way the work progresses. Who you are working with matters more than the tools used.

https://www.julkari.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/114948/URN_ISBN_978-952-302-127-3.pdf?sequence=1

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