Beginning.
First meetings are important. They are when we have our first impressions, start to get a sense of each other and maybe begin to imagine what coming to therapy and working alongside each other might be like.
The first meeting is also a chance for you to ask any questions or share any concerns you might have about starting therapy.
If after our first meeting you wish to proceed then I would ask you to attend an assessment which is a chance for me to gather a brief history to help me gain some understanding of your difficulties. This will include thinking together about what it is in your life that you would like to be different and whether we both think that art psychotherapy is going to be the best ‘fit’ for you. I might suggest other forms of therapy if I think they will be of greater benefit to you.
Regularity of sessions
Sessions generally take place weekly for an hour. However other patterns of attending can be considered, for instance more or less frequently, depending on what you feel able to commit to and what you want to get from the therapy.
Ending
Sometimes an ending can be planned right from the beginning of the therapy work especially if we decide that a short term piece of work is all that is needed. Usually it is an organic process ideally ending when you feel that the goals you wanted to achieve have been met or you feel more confident to continue to work on them in your life without the support of therapy.
Confidentiality
It is important to feel that you can bring anything to your therapist in total confidence. I will only break confidentiality if I feel that you or another person is at immediate risk. We will discuss confidentiality and what that means to us both as part of the initial consultation.
"Calm, patient and insightful… Paula helped me to see that I had the strength and the courage I needed already within me.”