- What does therapy involve? What happens in a first session?
Therapy is a collaborative process where we work together to explore your thoughts, feelings and experiences in a safe, confidential environment. It’s about helping you gain insight, build coping skills, and make positive changes. The focus of our sessions will depend on your needs and goals, but the overall aim is to support your growth and healing.
In our first session, we’ll talk about what’s going on for you right now, what led you to seek therapy, and what you’re hoping to achieve. We may also touch on some important events from your past, though this might happen in later sessions. The first session is a chance for both of us to see if we’re a good fit. If I feel my approach isn’t quite what you’re looking for, I’ll let you know and suggest another therapist. You’re also welcome to decide after the first session whether you’d like to continue.
It’s completely normal to feel unsure about what to talk about at first. I’ll guide the conversation and ask questions to help you open up and explore what’s on your mind.
- What if I just want a one-off session to help me work out where I’m at with my faith?
This is exactly what my Finding My Way Again sessions are for – stand alone, dedicated sessions to reflect on your experiences of faith and where you want to go next.
- Who do you work with?
I work with anyone over the age of 18 years. I am insured to work with individuals across the world, with the exception of the USA.
About me
- Are you LGBTQIA+ affirming, anti-racist and neurodiversity affirming?
Absolutely. I welcome clients of all sexual orientations, gender identities, races, ethnicities, cultures, faiths, relationship styles, and neurotypes. I am committed to my own ongoing learning to ensure my practice remains inclusive, culturally responsive, anti-oppressive and informed by the experiences of the communities I work with. Themes of structural inequality and how these shape people’s lives often emerge in therapy with me, and I approach these conversations with care and openness. My aim is to offer a space where you feel respected, understood, and free to bring your whole self.
- You are fully certified in AEDP. What does that mean?
Becoming fully certified in AEDP (Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy) is a rigorous, in-depth process – it took me six years, over 125 hours of specialist training, and extensive supervision, including expert review of my own session recordings. You can read more about what AEDP certification involves and what it means for you as a client here.
- How will I know if you are the right therapist for me?
Have a read about my approach to therapy here. If you think we might be a good fit but want to speak to me before booking a session, get in touch to arrange a free consultation phone call. It can take a while to build a rapport and feel comfortable with any therapist, so if you still aren’t sure, you are welcome to give a couple of sessions a try before committing to a longer course of therapy.
- Do you offer therapy to therapists/psychologists/counsellors or trainees?
Yes! Therapists tend to come to me for AEDP, either because they are familiar with the model and want to experience it as a client, or because they like the idea of a relational, reflective and somatic approach that they are not trained in themselves.
Practical details
- How much do sessions cost?
See this page for information on fees.
- Why are your rates higher than another therapist I’ve found online?
Starting therapy is a big decision, both emotionally and financially, and it’s important to consider your options carefully. My rates reflect the level of training and experience I bring as a Clinical Psychologist: as well as almost a decade of post-qualification experience, I spent ten years training to be a Clinical Psychologist, completing both an undergraduate degree in Psychology and a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology.
Since qualifying, I’ve continued to invest in specialist training in a number of therapy approaches, including AEDP, CBT, Compassion Focused Therapy, EMDR, and Narrative Exposure Therapy. I am a fully certified AEDP therapist. I teach on multiple Clinical Psychology Doctorate programmes, supervise both trainee and qualified psychologists, and deliver training to other mental health professionals. This ongoing professional engagement helps keep my practice informed, flexible, and grounded in the most up-to-date evidence.
When you work with me, you’re accessing a high level of psychological training and clinical expertise. I draw on years of advanced education and diverse experience to tailor therapy to your individual needs, ensuring that the support you receive is thoughtful, effective, and rooted in evidence-based approaches.
- Do you accept insurance?
Yes, I am registered with a number of insurers. Please get in touch if you are interested in therapy funded by your health insurance.
- How long is a session and how many sessions will I have?
Therapy sessions are 50 minutes. The length of therapy depends on your goals – some people have a few sessions, others work with me for longer. We’ll discuss how many sessions you might need in our first appointment and I offer regular reviews to ensure our sessions remain useful and to work towards a planned ending.
Finding My Way Again sessions are one-off and 90 minutes long.
- How often will we meet for therapy?
I recommend weekly sessions to start, which helps build momentum and a strong working relationship. Sessions usually take place on the same day and time each week, but I can offer some flexibility for clients with a less structured work schedule. Some people switch to fortnightly sessions after a while, which I am happy to accommodate.
- Where will we meet?
All sessions are online over Zoom. I will send a secure link for the appointments. I recommend finding a space where you feel certain that you cannot be overheard and will not be interrupted so you can speak freely.
Some people are not sure about the idea of online therapy. I started working online during the pandemic and had my own hesitations. However I was very pleasantly surprised by how easy it is to form a rapport over a video call, with no difference in effectiveness compared to in person work. I now only offer sessions online as it reduces logistical difficulties for clients and means that I can work with people not local to me. You are welcome to try out an initial session to see how you find it before deciding whether online therapy is right for you.
- What happens if I don’t like the way that therapy is going or if I want to stop sessions?
Ideally this would be something we would discuss together, so we can adjust how we are working. I welcome feedback at any time and offer regular reviews to keep our sessions useful. It’s best if we can agree when sessions will end and work towards that together. That said, if you wanted sessions to stop without discussing it further, you could always email me to let me know.
- What is your cancellation policy?
If you are able to give 24 hours’ notice, there is no cancellation fee. Cancellations made with less than 24 hours’ notice are charged at the full rate.
Confidentiality and safety
- Will you keep what I say confidential?
Confidentiality is extremely important to the way therapy works. I won’t typically share anything about you with anyone else without your consent, with two exceptions: firstly as mandated by my regulating body (the HCPC), I have regular supervision and discuss my work with my supervisor, who is bound by the same confidentiality rules; and secondly, where there’s an indication that you or someone else is at risk of harm, in which case keeping you or them safe becomes the priority, which may mean sharing information with others. Except in cases of significant risk where it isn’t possible to discuss with you first, we’d agree together on whether I contact someone and what I’d share.
- What do I do in a crisis?
If an emergency, contact 999 immediately. For non-emergency support, reach out to your GP or call The Samaritans on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org. For text support, you can contact Shout by texting SHOUT to 85258. Please note that Connection Psychology is not a crisis service and cannot offer a crisis response.