The first meeting is a time for both of us to talk about your needs. I will ask relevant questions about you, about the problem or issue that has brought you along, and about likely factors that may be contributing. I may ask you to complete more formal questionnaires that help to identify the type of problem you may be experiencing. I will give you an estimate of how many meetings you may need. We review progress together to make sure that you get the right amount of help.

By the end of the meeting it is important that you feel understood and we have agreed to a plan that’s individually tailored for you. For more complex problems, it may take more than one session to finalise a plan, and we review how things are progressing each time we meet.

Each meeting is usually 50 to 55 minutes long. I offer a range of times through the week to give you some flexibility in meeting times.