1. What is Psychotherapy?
Psychotherapy is the process of talking through issues to gain resolution, understanding of self, and relief from psychological stress. This includes things like anxiety, grief, depression, low self esteem and stress.
The therapist, as part of their ethical practice, will be having supervision with an experienced supervisor to maintain a quality service to the client. The supervisor also follows a code of ethics though their professional association.
The psychotherapy is a confidential relationship between the client and the therapist, from the therapist's position. Although aspects of the relationship are discussed within supervision, confidentially is maintained.
2. What will happen when I go to see a therapist?
Initially the therapist will explain aspects of the therapy such as the cost, and cancellation policy, and time of therapy. Then, usually in the first session the therapist will ask questions about the issue that the client wants to focus on, or the problem that brought the client to psychotherapy. The therapist will often ask questions about life history to get a sense of the person's style of being a person, as most therapists will understand the issue that the client brings is related to the style of the person. From this point the therapy may head in many different directions depending on what the client finds useful to talk about. Within the first session, the client should have space to ask any questions, or for clarification, at any time.
3. How do I know whether the psychotherapist I go to is a good one?
Firstly, therapists should be affiliated to a professional body, i.e. the PBANZ or NZAP, which has ethical guidelines and complaint procedures. With this affiliation comes qualifications and experience. However, beyond these aspects it is very much a matter of personal choice. You should be able to feel that your therapist is someone you feel relatively comfortable talking to, although it may take some time to get to know your therapist well enough to feel comfortable enough to talk freely about anything.
4. How long will I be in therapy for?
This is dependent on what you want to get out of your psychotherapy, or how useful you find the therapy. A lot of people may initially contract for ten sessions, to deal with a particular situation, and this is usually enough time to make use of therapy and see how useful they find psychotherapy. From this point on people may find that their issue is understood, or that they would like to continue as they find the therapy useful.
5. Why are there different styles of counselling or psychotherapy, and which one should I go to?
As there are different styles of people, there are different styles of counselling and psychotherapy that research has shown to be effective, and so it is very much a matter of finding a therapist whom you feel can relate to.
6. What kind of questions will I be asked?
Psychotherapy is about dealing with stressful or unwanted emotions arising from different situations. The questions asked within the therapy will focus on what was happening, or happened, and be curious about your emotional response to the situation, and at the same time, what emotions come up in the present as the therapy occurs.
7. What if I have concerns about my psychotherapist?
You should first make a complaint to the therapist, and if this does not satisfy your complaint, you have to option of a complaints procedure through the therapist's professional body, which the therapist should identify if asked.
Psychotherapy is the process of talking through issues to gain resolution, understanding of self, and relief from psychological stress. This includes things like anxiety, grief, depression, low self esteem and stress.
The therapist, as part of their ethical practice, will be having supervision with an experienced supervisor to maintain a quality service to the client. The supervisor also follows a code of ethics though their professional association.
The psychotherapy is a confidential relationship between the client and the therapist, from the therapist's position. Although aspects of the relationship are discussed within supervision, confidentially is maintained.
2. What will happen when I go to see a therapist?
Initially the therapist will explain aspects of the therapy such as the cost, and cancellation policy, and time of therapy. Then, usually in the first session the therapist will ask questions about the issue that the client wants to focus on, or the problem that brought the client to psychotherapy. The therapist will often ask questions about life history to get a sense of the person's style of being a person, as most therapists will understand the issue that the client brings is related to the style of the person. From this point the therapy may head in many different directions depending on what the client finds useful to talk about. Within the first session, the client should have space to ask any questions, or for clarification, at any time.
3. How do I know whether the psychotherapist I go to is a good one?
Firstly, therapists should be affiliated to a professional body, i.e. the PBANZ or NZAP, which has ethical guidelines and complaint procedures. With this affiliation comes qualifications and experience. However, beyond these aspects it is very much a matter of personal choice. You should be able to feel that your therapist is someone you feel relatively comfortable talking to, although it may take some time to get to know your therapist well enough to feel comfortable enough to talk freely about anything.
4. How long will I be in therapy for?
This is dependent on what you want to get out of your psychotherapy, or how useful you find the therapy. A lot of people may initially contract for ten sessions, to deal with a particular situation, and this is usually enough time to make use of therapy and see how useful they find psychotherapy. From this point on people may find that their issue is understood, or that they would like to continue as they find the therapy useful.
5. Why are there different styles of counselling or psychotherapy, and which one should I go to?
As there are different styles of people, there are different styles of counselling and psychotherapy that research has shown to be effective, and so it is very much a matter of finding a therapist whom you feel can relate to.
6. What kind of questions will I be asked?
Psychotherapy is about dealing with stressful or unwanted emotions arising from different situations. The questions asked within the therapy will focus on what was happening, or happened, and be curious about your emotional response to the situation, and at the same time, what emotions come up in the present as the therapy occurs.
7. What if I have concerns about my psychotherapist?
You should first make a complaint to the therapist, and if this does not satisfy your complaint, you have to option of a complaints procedure through the therapist's professional body, which the therapist should identify if asked.