FAQ

The term 'talking therapies' is used to describe a broad range of talk based psychological approaches used by trained professionals to support people in the treatment of emotional distress, with the goal of improving functioning and well-being. Here at the Collective, we offer a number of different talking therapies, and we will work closely with you over you initial appointment to identify the most appropriate way forward. An overview of the talking therapies we can provide can be found here.

People often seek therapy when they are experiencing difficulties with their mental health which are impacting on how they feel about themselves, their ability to engage in day-to-day tasks and/or are struggling with specific areas of their life such as relationships, family and work. Therapy can help people to manage a wide range of difficulties including stress, phobias, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), low mood, anxiety, depression, grief, interpersonal difficulties, challenges managing emotions and trauma. This list captures some of the typical difficulties that we treat but is not exhaustive. We would encourage you to make contact with us should you be experiencing other mental health issues.

Each clinician who form the Collective are Clinical Psychologists, and have a significant amount of both academic and clinical training. The route into the profession is highly competitive, with prospective trainees having amassed a significant amount of clinical experience prior to training. The doctoral programme itself allows trainees to learn their craft across a variety of specialist NHS mental health service, whilst their work is closely scrutinised and evaluated at every step by academics and senior clinicians. Clinical psychologists have experience working with people across the life span, from children to older adults, and will often specialise in one or two areas. They are trained in multiple therapeutic approaches, as well as neuropsychological assessment. All of the Senior Psychologists at the Collective currently work within specialist NHS services and are also involved in the supervision of other psychologists and trainees. All are registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). You can inspect the training and qualifications of each member of the Collective on their individual bio page.

We would invite you to complete and submit our online self-referral form. Once we have this we will review the information you have given us and get in touch to organise an appointment with you. Alternatively you can contact us by email at hello@clinicalpsychologycollective.co.uk with your enquiry.

We know that coming along to therapy can, for some, be anxiety provoking, particularly if it is a new experience for you. We aim to provide you with a safe place to discuss your difficulties and support you to feel as comfortable as possible.. If you feel anxious about your first appointment you are welcome to make notes of the things that you would like to discuss with your clinician. Your clinician will ask you some questions about what has brought you to the appointment, in order to begin to forming an understanding of your current difficulties. We will support you to establish some specific goals for therapy and discuss the treatment approach that may be most helpful in supporting you to achieve these. Within the initial appointment, we will also discuss the logistics of therapy including the recommended frequency of sessions, the timing of these and our policy regarding cancellations. You will have opportunity to ask any questions you may have about therapy and share any previous experiences of this (if relevant).

Online therapy has increased access to psychological support for many, and research indicates that delivering therapy online is just as effective and successful as meeting in person. Furthermore, it allows access for those who may be unable to get to the therapy room, such as those with mobility or transport issues; those who live rurally; or those with certain difficulties that can make it hard to leave the home or go to new places. Online therapy allows you to access therapy at a time that is convenient for you and reduces both travel time and costs. Some individuals may also find comfort in connecting to a therapist who they know they will not bump into when they are engaging in their day to day lives. ​ Online therapy however can have some down sides. The privacy of technology can be a concern for some, however here at CPC we adhere to the highest standards of data protection and GDPR policy. We utilise well evidenced and reliable data management systems (see our privacy policy here). Furthermore, online and indeed any private practice therapy, may not be appropriate for those severe or enduring mental health presentations which require a significant level of contact and crisis management in addition to the support of a multi-disciplinary team. However, all CPC psychologists are experienced working with such presentation, and if we felt this was the case we would signpost you to the most appropriate service. ​ Finally, all of the clinicians here at the Collective are well used to delivering psychological therapies online in private practice and their respective NHS services. We are comfortable and confident in this method of delivery and find that most of our clients, even those with initial reservations about this way of working quickly find it to be more of a benefit than expected.

The duration of therapy is very much dependant on the nature of your difficulties, how motivated you are to work towards your goals and your ability to commit to therapy both financially and emotionally. Elements of this can be discussed within your initial appointment and we will review this regularly throughout your therapy journey. Typically, short term intervention can range between 16-24 sessions, however we often work with individuals for a longer period to support them to reach their desired goals. We will also take into consideration your means (e.g. if you are using health insurance and only have a certain number of sessions available to you).

What you discuss with your therapist is confidential, however there are limits to confidentiality designed for safety. Your therapist will discuss these with you early in your meetings. For example, if you disclose information which raises concern that you or another person may be at a risk of harm, we will be required to discuss this with other relevant agencies. This may include your GP, the police or another emergency service. However, we will endeavour to discuss this with you first where possible. Additionally, if the police or court request information as a result of a legal matter we may be bound to comply. If you or a third party were to request a report we would require written consent from you first of all, to be able to assist with this request.

Please contact your clinician as soon as possible should you need to cancel or rearrange an appointment. We operate a 48-hour cancellation policy which stipulates that we will not charge you should you cancel any time prior to this. However, if you cancel between 48 and 24 hours prior to your appointment, 50% of the fee will be payable. If you cancel less than 24 working hours prior to your appointment or you fail to attend your appointment, 100% of the fee will be payable. We do however understand that at times life can be unpredictable and we aim to be flexible and rearrange your appointment where possible. It is important to attend therapy regularly in order to maximise it's effectiveness. Should we identify a pattern of missed appointments, we may choose to discuss this with you to explore the impact on your therapy journey. Ultimately our aim is to support you to get the most out of attending therapy and to support you to meet your identified goals. In any instance, please get in touch with us as soon as possible if you need to cancel or change an appointment so we can assist you to do so: hello@clinicalpsychologycollective.co.uk

Our clinicians are experienced and comfortable working with people in high levels of distress; your therapist will be able to offer support during the time of your scheduled appointment and any other times which have been mutually agreed. However, the Clinical Psychology Collective is not an emergency response service and therefore if you require emergency care, or out of hours support, we urge you to contact your GP, NHS crisis support including 111 or 999 or attend your local A&E. Other crisis supports , text and telephone 24 hours support line services, can be found here. If you find you need, or use these supports, it is important to discuss this with your clinician in your next scheduled session so they can help you to plan for in between sessions and discuss the best possible supports for you.

It can be common for people to engage in multiple courses of treatment throughout their lifetime. There are many factors that contribute to ‘successful therapy’ including your relationship with your clinician, the treatment model that is used in addition to multiple competing demands that can occur in life. As clinical psychologists, CPC practitioners are qualified in multiple models of therapy, and as such it may be that we can tailor a different approach for you. We would be keen to explore these previous experiences with you to understand what you found helpful and unhelpful and what you would hope to be different. We see therapy as a collaboration between ourselves and you, and aim to give you as much choice and control as possible in the course of your experience with us.

Once you have booked your appointment with us, we will send you a booking confirmation and an invoice by email which will give you the option to pay via credit or debit card, ApplePay or BACS. These payments will show as 'CPC online' on any bank or card statements.

All sessions are required to be paid 48 hours in advance. If you have not paid prior to your session your clinician reserves the right to withhold further treatment. If there is an outstanding balance further action may be taken. ​ If you have any difficulties making payment, please discuss with your individual clinician to plan the next steps, we aim wherever possible to support you to access treatment and we are open to discussing any barriers to this.

We would not advise this. Generally it is not advisable to undertake multiple therapies with different clinicians at one time. Psychological therapy can be demanding, and different therapeutic approaches may have at times competing demands or different priorities in terms of focus of treatment. If you are currently seeing a therapist or counsellor but feel you need further support; we advise you to discuss this with them in the first instance if possible. Equally you can contact us to discuss such queries through our contact page here.

The Clinical Psychology Collective launched in January 2022. Online groups and workshops are currently being developed and finalised. A comprehensive list of these, with a timetable will be available on the website soon, and please keep an eye on our social media pages for further announcements in this regard. Currently in development are workshops on 'coping with stress', 'coping with poor sleep', and 'an introduction to compassion focused therapy'. For any specific enquires about groups or workshops, please contact us here.

Here at the Clinical Psychology Collective we uphold the highest standards of practice in line with the BPS and HCPC. Our company and individual psychologists have full liability and business insurance. We are certain that you will be happy with the services we provide however, should you have any worries or problems about the service or your treatment at any time, we would ask that you contact us in the first instance via our email at hello@clinicalpsychologycollective.co.uk. ​ Our directors will do their very best to support you with any enquiries in this regard. If you feel your issues have not been addressed adequately, we may advise you to discuss this with the clinician's professional body. You will find information relating to this on their individual profiles. We understand that the therapeutic relationship is vital to therapy progress; and whilst we endeavour to work through any issues with our individual clients, we ultimately want to support you and help to make therapy a helpful and transformative process for you. If ultimately necessary, we can facilitate a change in clinician if you so wish; there may be a small delay if you do choose to do this dependant on psychologist availability.