Individual therapy onlineA space just
for you.

Talking therapies involve speaking with a trained professional about your thoughts, feelings and behaviour so that you can understand them better and find new ways of responding⁴. That description sounds simple, but the work itself is quite different from talking to a friend. A therapist listens for patterns you may not notice, asks questions that open up rather than close down, and helps you test new ways of thinking and acting between sessions, so that insight gradually becomes something you can actually use in your daily life.

Therapy is not advice-giving, and it is not a place where you will be judged or told what kind of person you should be. Nor is it a quick fix. Most people notice some relief early on, often simply from saying things aloud for the first time, but lasting change usually comes from steady work over a period of weeks or months, at a pace that feels manageable to you.

Our therapists work in an integrative, evidence-informed way. In practice, that means they do not squeeze you into one model. They draw on approaches that research supports and choose what fits your situation, your goals and the way you think.

Depending on what you bring, sessions may include:

• Understanding the pattern. Mapping what happens in your mind and body when the problem shows up, what triggers it and what keeps it going.
• Working with thoughts. Using techniques from cognitive behavioural therapy, where helpful, to notice and question thoughts that are distorted, harsh or catastrophic.
• Working with emotions. Learning to recognise and tolerate feelings rather than pushing them away, which often keeps them stronger.
• Looking at your history, where it helps to understand why certain situations affect you so deeply.
• Practical change. Small, concrete steps between sessions, such as approaching something you have been avoiding, practising a new way of responding or changing a daily routine.

Across all approaches, one finding is remarkably consistent: the working relationship between you and your therapist, which researchers call the therapeutic alliance, is closely linked with how much people benefit. A large meta-analysis of 295 studies found this association in both face-to-face and internet-based therapy³. That is why the first sessions focus on building a relationship in which you feel understood and able to be honest, and why it is always fine to tell your therapist when something is not working for you.

The first session. Your therapist will ask about what brings you, your history and your current situation, and about what you would like to be different. This is a careful conversation rather than a form to fill in, and you decide how much to share. By the end, you should have a first shared understanding of the problem and an initial plan.

The early sessions. Together you clarify goals and start working on them. You may be invited to notice certain thoughts or situations during the week, or to try something small and see what happens.

The middle phase. This is where most of the change happens. You practise new responses, revisit old patterns as they come up, and adjust the plan as you learn what helps.

Ending. Therapy is meant to end. When you feel ready, you plan the ending together, review what has changed and think about how to keep it going. Some people choose to continue with less frequent sessions for a while.

Sessions usually take place weekly at first, because regularity helps momentum. Later they can become fortnightly.

It is worth considering therapy if:

• a problem has lasted for several weeks and is not easing on its own;
• you are avoiding places, people or tasks that matter to you;
• your sleep, appetite, work or relationships are being affected;
• you are relying on alcohol, substances or other habits to cope;
• the people close to you have said they are worried about you.

Therapy works alongside medical care, not instead of it. If your symptoms might have a physical cause, it is sensible to see a doctor as well. Where medication or psychiatric assessment may help, we are happy to work alongside your doctor or psychiatrist.