Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Starting therapy can bring up a lot of questions.

You may be wondering what happens in the first session, whether you need to know which therapy you want, how much it costs or whether you will have to talk about difficult experiences straight away. Below are answers to some of the questions I am most often asked. If your question is not covered here, you are welcome to get in touch.

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Starting Therapy

Is therapy right for me?

How do I know if therapy might be right for me?

You do not need to be certain before contacting me. People come to therapy for many different reasons, including trauma, anxiety, low mood, difficult relationships, fears, emotional overwhelm or simply feeling that something needs to change. An initial conversation can help us understand what you are looking for and whether my approach may be suitable.

Do I need a diagnosis before I start therapy?

No. You do not need to arrive with a diagnosis or know the clinical name for what you are experiencing. You can begin by describing what has been difficult for you, how it is affecting your life and what you would like help with.

Do I need to know which type of therapy I want?

No. You may have read about EMDR, CBT, DBT, somatic psychotherapy or hypnotherapy and still be unsure which approach applies to you. That is completely reasonable. We can first talk about what is happening and then consider which therapeutic approach, or combination of approaches, may be appropriate.

What happens when I first contact you?

You can contact me by phone, email or through the enquiry form. You only need to provide a brief explanation of what you would like support with. There is no need to send a detailed trauma history or medical history through the contact form. I will then respond using the contact details you provide.

The First Session

What happens when we begin?

What should I expect from my first therapy session?

The first session gives us an opportunity to understand what has brought you to therapy. We may discuss what is happening now, what you would like help with, relevant background, your goals, any concerns about therapy, which approach may be appropriate, and fees and practical arrangements. You will not be expected to tell me everything immediately.

Will I have to talk about traumatic experiences in detail?

No. You decide what you are ready to share and when. Trauma-informed therapy should not begin by forcing you to describe everything that has happened. Before working with difficult memories, we can focus on understanding your current experience, building trust and developing ways to help you feel sufficiently safe and grounded.

What if I find it difficult to talk about my emotions?

That is not unusual. You do not need to arrive knowing exactly how to explain what you feel. Part of therapy can involve finding language for experiences that have previously been difficult to describe. We can work gradually and use different therapeutic approaches depending on what feels manageable for you.

EMDR

Questions about EMDR

What is EMDR?

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing. It is a structured form of psychotherapy commonly associated with trauma work. During parts of the process, you may briefly focus on aspects of a distressing experience while engaging in bilateral stimulation, such as guided eye movements. The process is paced around you.

Is EMDR only for PTSD?

EMDR is strongly associated with trauma and PTSD work, although therapists may sometimes incorporate it when working with other difficulties. Whether EMDR is appropriate depends on your individual circumstances rather than simply the name of a condition.

Do I have to relive everything during EMDR?

No. EMDR does not require you to immediately describe every detail of a difficult experience. Preparation is an important part of the process. You remain involved in decisions about what we work with, when we begin processing and when we need to slow down. Learn about EMDR therapy.

Trauma Therapy

What does trauma therapy involve?

Trauma therapy can involve understanding how difficult experiences continue to affect thoughts, emotions, relationships, behaviour and physical responses. Depending on your needs, my work may draw from approaches including EMDR, somatic body psychotherapy, CBT, DBT-informed work, hypnotherapy, and counselling and psychotherapy. The approach is adapted around the individual.

What if I am not sure whether what happened to me counts as trauma?

You do not need to decide that before contacting me. Rather than starting with a label, we can begin with what you are experiencing now and how it affects your life. From there, we can consider whether trauma-focused work may be appropriate.

CBT & DBT

Questions about CBT and DBT

What is CBT?

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, explores relationships between thoughts, emotions and behaviour. It can help you notice patterns that may be maintaining anxiety or other difficulties and consider whether different ways of thinking or responding may be more useful. Learn about CBT.

What is DBT?

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, or DBT, includes practical skills around emotional regulation, mindfulness, distress tolerance, and relationships and communication. At The Choice to Change, DBT is a supporting, DBT-informed approach within individual therapy. Learn about DBT.

Length of Therapy

How long does therapy take?

There is no single answer. Therapy length can depend on what you would like help with, how long the difficulties have been present, whether there is one concern or several, what approach we use, what feels manageable for you and how the work develops. I do not promise a fixed number of sessions or a specific outcome.

How quickly will I notice a difference?

People respond to therapy differently. Some may notice changes earlier in the process, while others may need more time. It would not be appropriate to promise when you will notice a particular result. We can review how therapy is progressing and discuss what feels helpful or needs adjusting.

Fees, Payment & Cancellations

Fees and practical details

How much does therapy cost?

The current listed fees are: Trauma / EMDR psychotherapy £100 per session; hypnotherapy £100 per session; couples / family therapy £95 per session; home visit therapy £120 plus travel expenses; and a low-income therapy place at £75 per session. View full fees.

Is lower-cost therapy available?

A £75 low-income therapy rate is available. If you would like to ask whether it may apply to you, you can contact me directly.

How can I pay?

Payment can be made by BACS / bank transfer or cash. Payment arrangements are explained before therapy begins.

What happens if I need to cancel an appointment?

Please provide at least 48 hours’ notice if you need to cancel or reschedule. Appointments cancelled with less than 48 hours’ notice may still be charged. Missed appointments are also chargeable under the current policy.

Confidentiality

Privacy and your information

Is therapy confidential?

Confidentiality is an important part of therapy. How information is handled, record keeping and any professional limits to confidentiality are explained clearly before or at the beginning of therapy. For full details, please see the Privacy Policy and discuss any questions with me directly.

Is the contact form confidential?

You should still avoid entering detailed clinical or trauma information into the general website contact form. A short explanation of what you would like help with is enough. More sensitive information should be discussed through the appropriate therapeutic process.

Online & Location Questions

Where and how we meet

Do you offer online therapy?

Yes. Online one-to-one sessions are available. Please ask which approaches are currently available online.

Where do you see clients?

I work with clients around High Wycombe, Marlow, Lane End, Stokenchurch, Bourne End and Cressex in Buckinghamshire, and around Strood / Medway, Maidstone and Dartford in Kent. Please ask about current venues and appointment days when you get in touch.

Do you offer home visits?

Home visits may be available within the London M25 area at £120 plus travel expenses. Availability depends on location, so please ask before an appointment is arranged.

Do you work with couples?

Yes. Couples therapy is offered at £95 per session. Couples may come for support with communication, conflict, trust, separation, family pressures or other relationship difficulties. Learn about couples therapy.

Professional Standards

Qualifications, guarantees and ending therapy

How do I know you are professionally qualified?

I have completed more than 2,000 clinical client hours, I am fully insured and I work within professional frameworks including BACP and CNHC. You can read more on the About Genovieve page.

Do you guarantee that therapy will work?

No. Therapy outcomes vary from person to person and can be influenced by many factors. It would not be professional to guarantee that therapy will produce a particular result, work within a specific timeframe or succeed for a particular percentage of people.

Can I stop therapy at any time?

Yes. You can choose to end therapy. Where possible, discussing your decision during a session can give us an opportunity to review the work and bring the therapeutic relationship to a considered close. Any outstanding appointment fees or cancellation terms still apply.

What if I need urgent mental health help?

The Choice to Change is not an emergency service. If you need urgent support, please use the Urgent Help page rather than waiting for a reply to an enquiry.

Urgent Help

Getting in Touch

What if I still have questions?

You are welcome to contact me. You do not need to prepare a detailed explanation. Start with what feels manageable.

Book a Free Introductory Callor call: 01494 883815