FAQs

Below you will find a list of our Frequently Asked Questions.  Simply click on the ‘read more’ section after each question to find the information you are looking for. If you are unable to find the answer to your question then please contact us here.

Why should I choose Brighton and Hove Psychotherapy?  Read more We are a talking therapies practice run by two UKCP registered psychotherapists and comprised of a select group of specialists in psychotherapy and psychology. Every associate brings something unique to our practice along with many years of experience in their field. Each of our associates is interviewed and selected according to their area of expertise, rigorous training and experience. We work together as a team meaning we meet regularly to share best practice and cross-refer.  We can also assist you in finding both the right therapy and the right clinician to see.

I don’t know what therapy I need – can you help me?  Read more At Brighton and Hove Psychotherapy, we have two physical practices, one in Hove and one in Lewes, where we offer a full range of psychological therapies. On our website you can view each profile of our associates and contact them directly using the form on their profile page. You can also use our handy search function to find the right practitioner for your needs.

Are your associates employed by you?  Read more Our associates are carefully selected and all bring unique skills and qualities to the practice.  We all collaborate to be able to offer a full range of psychological therapies to every client group.  As associates each of them is self-employed and so responsible for their own clinical work and their contract with you.

What can I expect when I make the first appointment?  Read more The therapist will meet you and discuss with you the issues you want to deal with and whether a limited amount of sessions or longer-term work is appropriate. We recommend a minimum of twelve sessions as, in our view, this is the minimum number of sessions needed to work through a single issue. The first session is also a time when you can ask questions of the therapist and make sure that this is the right therapeutic approach for you and that you feel comfortable with the therapist.

How much does it cost?  Read more The cost of counselling, psychotherapy or clinical psychology varies depending on whom you work with and the type of work required. A fee is agreed in the first session, which is agreeable to both parties.  Your fee is payable directly to your therapist. Please note that although some of us charge on a sliding scale, we do not offer low-cost psychotherapy or counselling.

How do I know your associates are good at what they do? Read more As we do not simply rent rooms to clinicians, but run an integrated practice, all of our team are known to us personally and are clinically highly competent.  Each associate attends reflective practice meetings, and contributes blogs.  Most of our associates hold, or have held, clinical NHS positions, or teach on psychotherapy training courses. We get many requests from psychotherapists who wish to join us and only select those who are clinically strong, have many years of experience and complement our practice. We have chosen to remain relatively small in order to ensure the cohesiveness and excellence of our practice.

How long is a therapy session?  Read more Counselling and psychotherapy sessions last for what is known as a ‘therapy hour’, traditionally fifty minutes.  Some therapists do offer longer sessions, double sessions or multiple sessions per week.

What if I can’t make a session one week?  Read more It’s important that the therapy is regular, but the therapist will discuss their holidays and cancellation policy with you during the first session.

What’s the difference between psychotherapy and counselling?  Read more In brief, psychotherapy training is more extensive and requires at least five years spent in training at a post-graduate level, a minimum of four years of personal therapy, and ongoing clinical supervision. Counselling can be directive or non-directive, depending on the approach used, and the primary aim is to create a safe environment where difficult issues can be talked through. Psychotherapy is a more in-depth process which deals with changes in personality structure and ingrained patterns of behaviour; therefore the work is usually longer-term. Counselling and psychotherapy can be long or short-term, depending on how much support is needed and the particular issue of the client.

How much therapy will I need?  Read more This is not possible to answer as it depends on what has brought you to therapy. At your initial consultation, your issues and goals will be discussed and then your therapist will agree with you how best to proceed together. Psychotherapeutic change is a process that takes place over time. You may be able to stop or change certain behaviours that are not serving you – often a first step – but coming to terms with the need driving those behaviours, is a longer process.

What is the therapist’s approach and how do I find out about it?  Read more All therapists and counsellors have a particular modality or approach but experienced therapists often work with different approaches. For example here our practitioners combine psychodynamic, integrative and relational approaches, as well as employing specific cognitive behavioural techniques and those drawn from body and energy psychotherapy. You can find out about specific approaches under types of therapy or by contacting our associates directly.

Why do you only offer talking therapy and not other ‘therapies’?  Read more We are a specialist practice who focuses on providing high quality psychological therapies with experienced clinicians.  By ensuring that we focus exclusively on applied psychology, our aim is to offer an environment tailored especially to our clients.  We are a psychotherapy practice run by psychotherapists.

What continuing professional development (CPD) does each therapist undertake?  Read more Each of our therapists undertakes ongoing professional development as stipulated by their professional body. For example, we each do different trainings to update our skills, attend conferences, workshops, seminars and engage in our own personal therapy and self-development.  All counsellors, psychologists and psychotherapists are required to be in ongoing clinical supervision to ensure ethical and professional practice.

Where can I find out about your code of ethics?  Read more Our practitioners are registered with clinically appropriate professional bodies pertaining to their qualifications, which expect their members to adhere to strict codes of ethics. All our associates are also fully insured.

All the content on this page has been reviewed and vetted by Mark Vahrmeyer UKCP Registered Psychotherapist, Supervisor and Co-Founder of Brighton and Hove Psychotherapy. For any questions or more information about the subjects discussed on this page please contact us.