Therapy
This page explains what therapy is, how it works, and what to expect if you are considering it for the first time. Whether you are exploring your options or ready to take the next step, this guide covers the essentials.
Therapy is a professional, confidential process where you work with a trained therapist to explore your thoughts, feelings, and experiences. It can help with a wide range of difficulties including anxiety, depression, relationship problems, trauma, and life transitions. Therapy provides a safe space to understand yourself better and develop healthier ways of coping.
What Is Therapy?
Therapy — sometimes called talking therapy — is a structured, confidential process where you meet regularly with a qualified professional to explore what is troubling you. Unlike talking to a friend or family member, therapy provides a dedicated space with someone trained to listen without judgement and help you understand what is happening beneath the surface.
Therapy is not about being told what to do. It is a collaborative process. A good therapist helps you make sense of your own experiences and find your own answers, rather than imposing solutions.
How Does Therapy Work?
Most therapy follows a similar structure. You meet with your therapist at a regular time, usually weekly. Sessions typically last 50 minutes. What you talk about is led by you — your therapist is there to listen, ask questions, and help you explore things more deeply.
Over time, therapy can help you:
- Understand patterns in how you think, feel, and behave
- Process difficult experiences from the past or present
- Develop healthier ways of relating to others
- Build resilience and self-awareness
- Make decisions with greater clarity
Types of Therapy
There are many different approaches to therapy. Some of the most widely practised include:
- Person-centred therapy — focuses on creating a safe, accepting relationship where you feel heard
- Psychodynamic therapy — explores how past experiences shape present feelings and behaviour
- Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) — focuses on changing unhelpful thought patterns and behaviours
- Transactional analysis — examines communication patterns and relationship dynamics
- Integrative therapy — draws on multiple approaches and adapts to what works best for each individual
I practise as an integrative psychotherapist, which means I draw on person-centred, psychodynamic, and transactional analysis approaches depending on what is most helpful for you. You can read more about my specific approach on How I Work.
Who Is Therapy For?
Therapy is for anyone who wants to understand themselves better or work through a difficulty. You do not need to be in crisis. You do not need a diagnosis. Common reasons people come to therapy include:
- Anxiety or low mood
- Relationship difficulties
- Workplace stress or burnout
- Grief and loss
- Life transitions
- Trauma or abuse
- Low self-esteem
- Feeling stuck or directionless
Online Therapy
All my sessions are held online via a secure video platform. This makes therapy accessible from wherever you are, removes the need to travel, and can make it easier to fit sessions into your schedule. Research consistently shows that online therapy is as effective as in-person therapy for the majority of concerns. [Is Online Therapy Effective](/is-online-therapy-effective)
Scope and Boundaries
What is therapy?
Therapy is a confidential, professional process where you work with a qualified therapist to explore your thoughts, feelings, and experiences. It can help you understand yourself better, process difficult experiences, and develop healthier ways of coping with life's challenges.
How does therapy work?
You meet with your therapist regularly, usually weekly, for sessions lasting around 50 minutes. What you discuss is led by you. Your therapist listens, asks questions, and helps you explore things at a deeper level. Over time, this process can bring greater clarity, self-awareness, and the ability to make changes.
How long does therapy take?
This varies from person to person. Some people find a few sessions helpful. Others benefit from longer-term work over months or years. Whether you need short-term or ongoing support, the approach is tailored to what is right for you.
Is therapy confidential?
Yes. Everything discussed in therapy is confidential. There are limited exceptions where confidentiality may need to be broken — if there is a risk of serious harm to you or others, if disclosure is legally required by a court, or if there is suspected abuse of a child or vulnerable adult. Where possible, you would be informed before any disclosure is made.
What is the difference between therapy and counselling?
The terms are often used interchangeably, and there is significant overlap. Counselling tends to focus on specific issues and may be shorter-term, while therapy — particularly psychotherapy — often explores deeper patterns and may be longer-term. In practice, the most important factor is the quality of the relationship between you and your therapist. Therapy vs Counselling
Can therapy help with anxiety?
Yes. Therapy can help you understand what is driving your anxiety, develop coping strategies, and address the underlying patterns or experiences that contribute to it. Many people find that therapy significantly reduces their anxiety over time.
Is online therapy as effective as in-person therapy?
Research consistently shows that online therapy is as effective as face-to-face therapy for the majority of concerns. It offers added flexibility and accessibility, allowing you to attend from wherever feels most comfortable and private. Is Online Therapy Effective
How do I know if I need therapy?
If something does not feel right — whether it is your mood, your relationships, your work, or just a general sense of being stuck — therapy can help. You do not need to wait until things feel unbearable. Many people come to therapy simply because they want to understand themselves better or work through something that has been on their mind.
If you are considering therapy and would like to find out more, I offer a short, free introductory call. There is no obligation — it is simply a chance to ask questions and see if working together feels right.