What happens in therapy? Answering your questions.

Many who have not experienced therapy directly may be unsure what to expect, and even those who have received therapy elsewhere will still be apprehensive about what it will be like this time. It is a big step to reach out for support, to meet someone now and share your greatest challenges. We hope to answer some of the questions we often hear in this article, but we are always available to talk through any concerns you may have so please do get in touch.

Where are you based?

We have two premises for our psychotherapy services. Our Nottingham clinic is based in Carrington, on Clinton Avenue, just off Hucknall Road. This is a small quiet street and we have a dedicated care park, we are also close to public transport links from the city and further afield, we are a short walk from Mansfield Road, or the tram stop at The Forest. Our Clinics

Our Derby clinic is on Friar Gate. There are many local parking options, with metered parking on Friar Gate itself. We are a short walk from the city centre with local public transport links. Our Clinics

Both of our clinics are close to local shops and cafes if you wish to take some time before travelling on to work or home after your session.

How do I get an appointment booked?

Our website has a booking button on every page to make it easy to find the start of your therapy journey with us. Book here.

We offer a free ten-minute consultation so you can share with us the area you want to work on, the outcomes you are hoping for and ask any questions you may have. In this call we can make suggestions as to which approach and which our therapy team might best match your needs. We can then get you booked in for a full psychotherapy assessment in either Nottingham or Derby, or remotely if you prefer.

Alternatively, you can give us a call, where Steph our friendly administrator can take your details and answer your queries, as well as getting you booked in for that first step.

You can go straight to booking your assessment and choose which of our skilled therapists you’d like to meet, there is some information on their backgrounds and specialisms on our meet the team page, to support this decision. We have a range of times available, but if you are looking for something you can’t see please call or email us and we will do our best to accommodate.

What does an assessment involve?

A thorough and collaborative assessment is the essential underpinning to your therapeutic journey. Your assessment will usually last an hour, and your therapist will give you space to share your experiences, concerns and goals, they will ask you some questions to support a shared understanding of the current problem, where this may have arisen from and the factors involved in maintaining it. They will work with you to understand your therapy goals, and devise a bespoke treatment plan with you, based upon your individual challenges and objectives.

In a couples assessment, the therapist will support you both to share your experiences and perspectives, ensuring you can both express your views and desired outcomes. They will use this to create a collaborative treatment that supports you both.

As part of the assessment, we will produce a report summarising the difficulties described and treatment plan outlines, for your records.

What will my therapist be like?

It’s common to have some trepidation about the therapist you will meet. For this reason, all of our team have written some information about themselves here so you can see where their experience has been, supporting you to decide who you may choose to see. All of our team are accredited, which means their training has been of a high standard, and their professional body has signed off their competence in role. They received clinical supervision to ensure they work safely and to a high standard and keep up with training and research to provide the most up to date and robust treatments.

How long does treatment last?

This is really individual. Each person will have an individualised treatment plan designed between them and their therapist. The length will be based on a number of things including their history, their personal therapy goals, the type of difficulty they present with and the evidence for treating this, their availability and also any funding limits. We appreciate some people may only be able to access a certain number of sessions, and your assessment is an opportunity to decide together what work can be done and your priority areas for the sessions you are able to manage. We will work with you to design an approach that works with you to create meaningful change.

What if I am not making progress?

Therapeutic journeys vary. Some people will make progress quickly and achieve their goals in a short amount of time, others may take longer for a range of reasons. It is therefore important to have expectations that are individual to you. Your therapist will check in and review with you to see what is going well, and you can discuss your progress at any time with your therapist to ensure it is meeting your needs, and changes can be made as needed.

Which therapy is right for me?

Our expert therapy team can guide you in deciding this, our team are trained in a range of approaches which are outlined here, which therapy is best suited will be based on evidence from research, but also how you like to work and your preferences. We can help you make this decision in the free telephone consultation which you can book here. We will make suggestions, and work together to find the best fit. We would only recommend an approach if we feel it can work based on experience and research.

What is your age limit?

We work with adolescents and adults, so this will be from 11 plus. Our team have significant experience in the unique needs of young people and working with them, tailoring the therapy approach in a way that is understandable and relatable. We use creative methods, and have a range of therapy tools to cater for everyone. We can also work holistically, including the family and education setting for young people, to ensure they have a full support package to help them reach their goals. See more about our young persons services here.

Adults experience difficulties at all ages so we have no upper age limit, we can support people at times of transition and life change including job changes, starting a family, losing loved ones, adjusting to retirement or learning to live with the impact of long-term physical health conditions. All of our therapy is bespoke to the individual, understanding your uniqueness to create an approach that will really work.

Do you work with couples and relationship issues?

Yes, we can work with you as a couple, addressing relationship issues including psychosexual difficulties. Our therapy team will take time to understand you as individuals and as a couple, to address those things that are getting in the way of the meaningful and fulfilling relationship you wish to have. We welcome all couples regardless of gender identity or sexuality.

Can I bring someone with me to my appointment?

Please discuss this with us. Sometimes it can be useful to have someone else to support you, we would advise this for young people for their first session. We may also encourage you to bring a loved one as we can involve them in your therapy work, supporting you between sessions and enhancing your therapy progress. It is important however that the therapy is about you, being able to focus on what is important to you and not others in your life.

How will you keep what I tell you confidential?

We have a confidentiality policy that aims to keep your information confidential, unless there are concerns about significant harm (to yourself or others). There are certain exclusions to confidentiality where we need to adhere to legal requirements, including the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults, You will get more information in the therapy agreement we send with your appointment confirmation, and we will discuss this with you when we meet with you. Any concerns can be addressed with your therapist who can support you with these.

All information we gather is stored on a secure patient management system, only accessed by our staff. If you wish to know more our privacy policy can be found here.

Is your environment neuroinclusive?

We aim to create a calm, comfortable environment in both our Derby and Nottingham clinics. We are keen to understand your individual and unique needs and preferences when you are seen by us. As such, we will take time in your assessment to explore any sensory or environmental needs or challenges so we can tailor the room to you. For example, we can see you in a quieter part of our building, lower our lighting, provide a quiet space while waiting, or even see you remotely if this is preferable. We have fidget toys in all of our clinic rooms as well as using creative methods to express yourself, including art materials. You may want to bring something from home that helps to ground you or make you feel safe, and this is absolutely fine,

We can ensure all information is presented in a way that supports you to get the most from it. Please speak to us about what you, or your child, would find helpful so we can adept our approach to meet your needs.

What do I need to do to prepare for a therapy session?

It can be dauting to think about coming for therapy, particularly if you don’t know what will happen, this might mean we find our mind goes blank or we haven’t shared what we would really like to focus on so some preparation can be useful.

Firstly, our free telephone consultation gives chance to decide who you will see, what type of therapy will suit you and arrange an appointment, so it is useful to have considered your goal for therapy – what do you want to focus on? What would you like to achieve from therapy? What would this look like in your day to day life? You may also want to have you diary to hand so you can agree a time and date that will work for you.

Once you have booked a session there are some things you can do before your first session. Firstly congratulate yourself for taking this step! Planning your journey ahead might be useful, we can provide maps to both our clinics in Nottingham and Derby, but planning your driving or public transport route will help you to feel more relaxed on the day.

Secondly, consider what you want to focus on, remember those goals and you may even like to write a few notes to bring into session. Think about bringing pen and paper along too, there can be a lot of information at an emotional time so taking some notes can help you to take away key points so you don’t forget these.

Plan what you will do after the session. Your appointments may be emotionally draining so consider how you will take some time for yourself afterwards. You may wish to go for a coffee or walk locally before travelling home (our therapists can suggest their favourite local cafes!), or want to consider what you will do when you return home to feel calm and able to continue with your day. For some sessions, you may not want to return to work, so think about this and discuss with our therapist when booking your session. Maybe even plan a reward for your hard work.

Why should I choose The Condition Management Company?

There are a range of options available and it can be hard to choose where to access your therapy from. Having trust in your therapist and the company is essential. You can be assured all of our therapists are trained to the highest standard, accredited by their professional bodies and receive ongoing high quality supervision and onward training. We encourage you to read their profiles, and discuss your preferences at your initial consultation to get a good match.

We are unique as a service, in that all our therapists are employed directly by us, allowing us to have the utmost confidence in recommending them, we know how they work and the experience and skills they can bring you. We also provide ourselves on providing a unique approach to every therapy session, placing you at the centre. We are informed by the evidence but apply an idiosyncratic view, rather than a one size fits all approach, helping you to embrace your unique potential and reach your own goals.

If you want to know more please give us a call, or see our testimonials for how we have helped others on their journey.