Frequently Asked Questions
Counselling and Therapy Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How is your clinic different from other counselling / psychology / psychotherapy clinics?
At Newcastle Psychologist & Counselling, all of our Psychologists, Counsellors and Therapists are specialists in the problems that they treat. You will not be seen by a “generic therapist” who “works with everything”.
If you are suffering from depression, you will be seen by our depression specialist… Sleep trouble? You will be seen by Dr Stuart Sadler himself, one of the few UK based therapists trained in Sleep Therapy (Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia).
Similarly, for all our other services (e.g. trauma, anger management, couples counselling, child psychology, etc.), you will always be offered to be seen by the most qualified Psychologist, Counsellor or Therapist for your situation.
Contact us using the form below to see if our specialists can help you.
Is counselling / therapy effective for my problem?
Research shows that counselling and therapy can help a large range of emotional (and sometimes even physical) problems such as depression, anxiety, trauma, anger, sleep problems among others.
All of our team attend regular CPD training in therapies such as Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) or specialist approaches such as EMDR, CBT for Insomnia or other approaches.
Many of the team also have advanced training in their area of expertise, such as advanced training in depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, trauma, OCD, worry, and other problem areas so that your therapist will be the most skilled person to help you.
Contact us using the box below to see if we can help.
Are your Psychologists, Counsellors and Therapist qualified and registered?
All our Psychologists, Counsellors and Therapists are accredited with their relevant professional bodies, such as the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), British Psychological Society (BPS) and the equivalent for counsellors and other therapists.
Many of the team have also registered with other professional bodies to prove their qualification in their specialist therapies so you can be confident your therapist meets the highest standards of proficiency possible.
Contact us using the box below if you require further information.
Will what I say be kept private and confidential?
We take privacy and confidentiality very seriously and so everything you talk about with us is kept private and confidential with whoever is in the room at the time.
As part of our duty of care, the only exceptions to our remit of confidentiality is if you say anything that indicates a risk of harm to yourself or others, a requirement to disclose for legal purposes, or if it in the public interest to disclose. In these cases we are legally and professionally obliged to disclose to the relevant service though this will be discussed with you before any disclosure takes place.
The conditions of confidentiality will be discussed with you at the beginning of counselling or therapy. We can also answer any questions about this if you contact us for further information using the contact for below.
How do first appointments work?
During the first appointment, your psychologist, counsellor or therapist will introduce themselves and explain the way they work, their confidentiality policy, and ask you if you have any questions about them or how counselling or therapy works.
From there, you will have the remainder of the session, usually 50 minutes to one hour, to talk about your situation and the way you have been feeling. This will help your therapist understand and work with you to develop better ways of coping or dealing with your problems.
Therapy is much like a conversation rather than an interview. There is a focus on understanding and helping you cope with or overcome your problem without judgement or criticism so that you can talk freely.
Many people say that they feel better for having talked about their problem even after the first session.
If you both feel that counselling or therapy will be helpful, the therapist will offer you the opportunity to meet on a regular basis to help you overcome your problem and feel better again.
What happens in a counselling or therapy session?
Generally speaking, each session lasts for 50 minutes (though EMDR might range from 60-90 minutes) and focuses on what you want to talk about and work on.
Sessions are non-judgmental and client led, rather than being focused on what the therapist wants to talk about, so that you get the most out of each session.
Most people see their psychologist, counsellor or therapist on a weekly basis though this is flexible, meaning your therapy or counselling can be adjusted to fit your needs, requirements and situation.
In each session, your psychologist, counsellor or therapist will listen to your difficulties and help you develop better ways of dealing with problems that have come up using a range of therapy techniques.
Towards the end of therapy when you are feeling better, your therapist may work with you on a relapse prevention plan to help you stay better for longer. Contact us using the box below for more information on this.
How many sessions will I need?
This is a difficult question to answer and the truth is that it depends on the nature of your problem and your goals for therapy or counselling.
Depending on your situation, it might be only as few as one session, or if there are complex problems, longer term work might be recommended. As a general guide, we recommend preparing for 5 sessions and checking progress from there.
Contact us using the form below or call us to discuss how many sessions might be suitable for you.
I've had counselling / therapy before and it didn’t work. How is your approach different?
All of our psychologists, counsellors and therapists specialise in their chosen area and are more experienced and trained to a higher level than those than offer general therapy or counselling services.
Further to this, all of our therapists undertake regular CPD and advanced training as well as regular supervision to keep up to date with the latest approaches to therapy and dealing with your problem.
We therefore believe that our approach to therapy can work for you, even if you’ve already tried it before without success.
Even if you have had therapy or counselling before with another service and not gotten the results you wanted, we are happy to speak to you to see if we can help.
Contact us using the box below for further information.
I’ve had this problem for a long time – does that matter?
Our clients range from those having have had problems from just a few days to those that have had them for many years. Some have also experienced periods of feeling well and relapse, whereas others have only just decided to seek help following a recent setback.
We have still been able to help many of them improve the way they feel and help them get back to day to day life at work, home or at school/university.
Whether your difficulties started in childhood or more recently, our experienced psychologists, counsellors and psychotherapists are highly trained and experienced in helping people like you overcome a range of problems no matter how long you have been suffering.
Contact us using the form below to arrange to discuss your difficulties with one of our therapists.
How can I arrange to see one of your therapists?
Can my partner / spouse / friend or family member come to my appointments with me?
Yes. If you feel that it would be helpful to bring someone to support you, or want someone else to be part of the therapy with you, we are happy for you to invite them to join us as frequently as you want.
In some situations (such as in family therapy or couples counselling), having others as part of the therapy can be helpful, though again this is not compulsory.
Contact us using the form below for more information.
I can't make it to your clinic... What are my options?
If you are unable to make it to our clinic in Newcastle there are several options.
If appointment times are difficult, Dr Sadler and his team offer a range of appointment times including daytime, evening and weekend appointments.
We are also experienced in providing online counselling and therapy for a range of problems using Skype, Zoom, Facetime and WhatsApp Video to work with you wherever you are, even if you travel often.
Contact us using the form below for information about our online services.
Can I use health insurance to pay for my counselling / therapy sessions?
We work with several insurance companies including AXA, AVIVA, CIGNA, WPA and Vitality.
Contact us using the form below to discuss your payment or insurance options.
Contact us About our Therapies
How To Find Our Gosforth Clinic
Newcastle Psychologist & Counselling, Dobson House, Regent Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 3PF
How To Find Our Jesmond Clinic
Fleming Business Centre, Burdon Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 3AE.
Insurance Companies We Work With
Accreditations
