OUR APPROACH: THE THREE STAGE PROCESS AND HOW IT WORKS

The three stages of our approach are as follows:

1.    Consultation – usually an initial meeting to gain some understanding of the problems as seen by the parents, wider family and the children themselves, and to explain how we work. This would usually last for between one and two hours.

2.    Assessment – to see the family together or separately over several weeks to build up a detailed view of the family situation and consider the best way to address the perceived problems; this phase usually requires between two and six one hour sessions.

Having completed the assessment we would then make our recommendations for further treatment, if necessary. Our involvement may end at this point: for example, it may be that the family can resolve the issues themselves by adopting some fairly straightforward strategies, or that psychotherapy is not an appropriate treatment, or that other specialised help might be more suitable.

However, if it is agreed that extended psychotherapy is likely to be the best way of providing lasting help, we will then agree upon a programme of regular sessions.

3.  Therapy – regular weekly sessions over several months or longer, with the individual(s) and therapist working closely and in great depth to understand the emotional aspects of the subjects’ lives and how they affect themselves and others. It is by giving the troubled individual, whether child or adult, the opportunity to explore their emotional states over an extended period in words and, for children, in play as well, that they may be able to come to understand their feelings better and to master them.

Fees are discussed and agreed privately between each individual therapist and their clients at every stage of the process. In some cases the cost of treatment can be recovered under medical insurance policies.

Needless to say, we observe strict standards of client confidentiality.