Fathom Psychology

Many people are apprehensive about their first visit to a psychologist. Let's demystify that a little!

 

Preparation
Prior to your first visit, you will be given the opportunity to answer some questionnaires via an email intake process. These are not diagnostic, but simply give a broad overview of what might be going on for you right now. They also provide a "baseline" to help us gauge your progress on resolving issues over time.

It is helpful to have some clear and specific goals for change in mind upon engaging with your psychologist. For example: "My goal is to learn skills to better regulate my strong emotions in the face of stressors".

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First Appointment

Your first session is centered around getting to know you, answering questions you might have and getting a feel for whether this is the right setting for your needs. We'll discuss any additional assessments recommended, your goals and expectations, and start to conceptualise your individual situation and treatment plan. We'll also discuss a plan for suggested appointment frequency and direction. Research suggests that weekly sessions help with keeping yourself on track with skills learning and application, helping you to reach your goals faster.

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Ongoing sessions

Evidence-based psychological education, treatment and support work in harmony to improve self-understanding and enhance personal effectiveness and practical skills. You will develop new insights, attitudes, feelings and practical skills to apply towards life situations.

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It is essential to keep in mind that therapy is not a magic pill or a quick fix: therapy is a healing process that necessitates participation and investment from the patient and psychologist alike. Your psychologist is like the banister on a set of stairs, someone to guide and provide support while you climb the stairs.

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Let's face it, sometimes therapy can feel uncomfortable! This is a normal part of the process of change.

Engaging in agreed upon skills practice between sessions is usually an essential part of your therapy process.

Making small consistent changes to self-defeating behavior and developing skills for resilience in managing feelings of sadness, anxiety, anger and pain can bring long-term, life-altering results.

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Ending Therapy

Many clients are unsure about when therapy should end. This is really up to you! Some clients wish to work on one specific issue and then move on when that is resolved. Some clients like to work on one issue and then take a break before wanting to work on something new.  Some clients  have very complex challenges and may wish to continue with psychological therapy for extended periods of time. Therapy duration is different for everyone, because everyone is different! Therapy ends when you feel you have gained the amount of change and benefit that feels right for you.

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It can be useful to think of therapy in a similar way to any other kind of healthcare treatment. For example, if we have a simple problem then the "dose" of treatment needed may be short in duration before a successful outcome is achieved. However, with more complex problems to solve, then the course of treatment "dose" can be of a longer duration, with a more comprehensive treatment strategy to reflect that. In either case, you are the person who chooses your direction.

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