Assessments

Assessments last sixty minutes and are an opportunity for you to reflect on past and current experiences while sharing them with your psychologist so we can have a shared understanding of the challenges you are experiencing. Discussing your difficulties can be helpful and healing.

It is helpful for you to think about your assessment in advance and make some notes about your reason for seeking therapy at this time, possible goals and past and current difficulties. We can then work together to set clear goals in the medium and long term, so that the treatment plan is guided by what you want to get out of therapy.

Often, we continue to take a history and learn more about you during the next few sessions. Psychologists use questionnaires and other assessment tools to assist in provisional diagnosis and guide treatment.  After the assessment we agree an initial treatment plan.

Occasionally people feel anxious about their first appointment. My aim is to try to ensure you feel settled within the first ten minutes. To assist with that I spend a few minutes discussing my role, confidentiality and taking a few light details to give you time to settle in.  There is no pressure and no right or wrong answers.

I look forward to seeing you for your assessment as your first step in your therapeutic journey.