Frequently Asked Questions

Sharp Wellbeing offers remote (online) individual therapy with adults 18+ using an integrative approach. This means combining different treatment modalities to tailor to clients' needs. I utilise Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Person-Centred Counselling. 

I am a fully qualified and accredited member of the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) after completing a PG Dip in CBT and have been practicing for 4 1/2 years . Registration number: 00001004016

What does it mean to be accredited by the BABCP?:

"We are a professional association operating a highly-respected voluntary register for our accredited cognitive behavioural psychotherapists, wellbeing  practitioners, and evidence-based parenting practitioners - which is accredited by the Professional Standards Authority - and help to protect the public by supporting best practice."

Bodies such as the BABCP and others listed below required their members to abide by Ethical Codes of Conducts/Frameworks/Standards as a minimum standard. The BABCP specifically requires its members to re-accredit every year to ensure they have met the supervision, CPD, and clinical hours requirements to remain accredited to practice CBT.

I am a Graduate Member of the British Psychological Society (GMBPsS). 

"A post-nominal designation used by individuals who hold a psychology  degree accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS). It  signifies a level of professional recognition and commitment to the  field of psychology, indicating that the person has met the educational  requirements for Graduate Membership within the British Psychological Society."

I am also a student member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) which necessitates I "must currently be taking a core practitioner training course in counselling or psychotherapy."  Pending accreditation on completion of course and completion of additional clinical hours.

I can help with a range of concerns, including anxiety, low mood/depression, OCD, social anxiety, panic, and more. Some clients may not have specific concerns, but instead are looking for a safe and confidential space to talk with a professional about what is happening in their lives'. We will work collaboratively to develop a treatment plan (where necessary) that meets your unique needs and goals. 

I have a duty of care to the clients I work with; therefore, it is important to highlight that there are some presentations that I do not have the specialist training required to sufficiently support them and/or requires a team response. These include bi-polar, borderline personality disorder, schizophrenia, psychosis, forensic risk, risk to/from others, eating disorders, addiction, and PTSD. 

Being a private therapist it is important that risk is managed safely, so if there is a high presentation of risk, it is in the best interest of the client to be referred on to support services with the necessary level of expertise, which are better equipped to meet your needs. This may include a multi-disciplinary team, a community mental health team, social care, and/or specialist NHS services. 

Please be aware that should risk escalate during treatment, regardless of whether a diagnosis is present or not, as standard practice, a letter will be sent to inform your GP, and to request that a more appropriate referral for support is made (please see confidentiality tab) .

"Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a type of talking therapy. It helps you understand that your thoughts, feelings, actions, and body sensations are all connected. By changing one, you can change the others.

When we feel sad or worried, we sometimes think and act in ways that make us feel worse. CBT helps us notice and change these unhelpful thoughts and actions so we can feel better.

CBT is a team effort. You and your therapist work together to set goals and find solutions." 

Here are some useful videos to help explain:

BABCP: What is CBT?

Mind: Making sense of CBT

References:

BABCP. (2021). What is CBT? www.babcp.com. https://www.babcp.com/What-is-CBT

Mind. (2024, March). Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). www.mind.org.uk; MIND.  https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/drugs-and-treatments/talking-therapy-and-counselling/cognitive-behavioural-therapy-cbt/

"Person-centred counselling is one of the humanistic modalities or approaches. It was founded in the 1940s by the American psychologist Carl Rogers who believed that, given the right conditions, a person can reach their full potential and become their true self, which he termed ‘self-actualisation’. This actualisation process is innate and accessible to everyone.

To help you achieve self-actualisation, the person-centred therapist will offer:

• unconditional positive regard (UPR) – accepting and valuing you
• congruence - being honest and transparent in how they experience you and your world
• empathic understanding – seeing your viewpoint as if they were you

When you’re attending counselling sessions with a person-centred counsellor, you’ll be encouraged to bring your own issues to the session – the counselling is led by you and not directed by the counsellor.

Many clients, with no prior knowledge of counselling, believe that the counsellor will sort their problems out for them. A person-centred counsellor will help you to explore your own issues, feelings, beliefs, behaviour, and worldview, so you can become more self-aware and achieve greater independence."

Reference:

Stafford, J. (2021). What is person-centred counselling? www.bacp.co.uk; BACP. https://www.bacp.co.uk/about-therapy/types-of-therapy/person-centred-counselling/‌

"Integrative therapy draws on techniques from different types of therapy to tailor an approach specifically for you.

An integrative therapist believes there isn’t just one therapeutic approach that can help a client in all situations. Instead, they take into account you as an individual and your circumstances, and use elements of different approaches to help you explore and cope with your problems."

Reference:

Megase, K. (2022). Integrative counselling - Types of therapy. www.bacp.co.uk; BACP. https://www.bacp.co.uk/about-therapy/types-of-therapy/integrative-counselling/‌

Please reach out directly via email - kirsty@sharpwellbeing.co.uk and look out for my response(s) in your spam or junk folder. 

You may want to include some available days/times and a brief summary of what you are looking for support with. We will then arrange a phone call at a mutually convenient time to discuss your needs.

You may wish to consider writing some notes prior to the call, to keep it concise and to best make use of the allocated time. 

You may like to think about answers to the following questions: 

• Why are you considering therapy now? (impact on day to day, symptoms, significant event, wanting to change circumstances etc...)
• Have you been in therapy before? If so, what worked, what did not?
• What are you looking for in a therapist? 
• Do you have any specific goals you are looking to work toward? 
• When, where, and how often are you looking to meet?
• If you’re wishing meet during your work day, do you have a plan for managing      the time and emotional demands of therapy appointments?

It is also a good time to ask any questions you might have, especially as this is an opportunity to determine if we would make a good team. The key to successful therapy is the relationship between client and therapist.

If you would like to proceed with therapy, you will be sent an new client intake form, a therapy contract detailing payment information, cancellation policy etc., and a set of questionnaires sent via the Kiku platform (again, please look out for these in your junk/spam folder). Sessions cannot go ahead without the completion of the contract or intake form. It is important for you to read these documents and determine if you are happy with the conditions.

Prior to the session starting you will be sent a Microsoft Teams Link to your email address. This will enable you to access the remote video-call session during your designated booking slot. 

It is paramount that you have a good internet connection to enable the smooth running of the session. Please ensure you are in a quiet confidential space to talk, to avoid interruption. 

During your first session, I will ask questions to get to know you better and understand what brings you to therapy. Together we will look at the therapy contract; this outlines what we can expect from each other during the treatment process, including confidentiality, cancellation policy, clinical will, and payment etc. You will also have the opportunity to ask any questions you may have.

A therapy session typically lasts for 50 minutes, although session length may vary depending on your specific needs and preferences.

The cost of a therapy session varies based on the length of session you require. Please see the cost tab for more information on fees and any available discounts. 

Payment notifications will be sent automatically 48 hours prior to the booked session, if funds have been paid, please ignore the reminder.

I currently accept Aviva and Axa. Please ensure that your policy covers you for psychotherapy treatment.

The frequency of therapy sessions will depend on your individual needs and goals. Some clients may benefit from weekly sessions, while others may attend bi-weekly or monthly. 

Please be in a confidential space when undertaking sessions to provide an environment in which you feel comfortable to talk freely and also to reduce the chances of being disturbed.

Due to insurance policy and safeguarding purposes, sessions cannot be undertaken whilst abroad, whilst driving, and/or under the influence of substances, otherwise the session will need to be terminated at your expense. 

Please attend sessions appropriately dressed.

"Confidentiality is about keeping your personal information private, safe and secure (please see privacy policy for further details). If information is confidential, then nobody should share it unless you agree to it. It means that when clients talk with professionals about their mental health, they will not tell anyone else what has been said.

Will everything I tell my therapist be confidential?

In most cases, yes. Confidentiality is an important part of building trust with your therapist.

But there are some exceptions, which help your therapist to work responsibly. These should be clearly explained by the therapist in your first session and can include:

Your therapist's supervisor/peer supervision:

Therapists always discuss clients regularly with a supervisor and/or at peer supervision (a group of therapist colleagues), who also have to keep your confidence. This person will be another experienced therapist(s). It's seen as unethical for a therapist to work without supervision. This is because:

• It helps your therapist look after their own mental health, so they're better able to support you
• It means someone else is aware of how your therapist is approaching their work, to make sure it's appropriate

For safety:

If your therapist believes that you're at serious risk of harming yourself or in danger from someone else, or someone else is at risk of serious harm or that they're in danger, they may need to inform your GP, a healthcare professional, social care and/or emergency services. They should tell you first if they're going to do this.

When the law requires it:

In some specific situations your therapist is required by law to break confidentiality. For example, in the case of criminal/terrorist activities."

Adapted from Mind.

Reference:

Mind. (2024). What to Expect from Therapy.  Mind.org.uk.  https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/drugs-and-treatments/talking-therapy-and-counselling/what-to-expect-from-therapy/

It is standard practice for all therapists to ask for GP details and next of Kin. Professionals have a duty of care to their clients; this is for safeguarding purposes and to manage risk should it be present or arise during treatment. Unfortunately, treatment cannot commence unless GP details are provided, so you may wish to consider whether you are happy with this before proceeding with treatment.

Sometimes the treatment type might not suit what you are looking for. It is also important for me to acknowledge my professional remit, and if I think that I do not have the specialism(s) required to meet your needs, then I will have an honest conversation with you about that. Equally as important to highlight, is that not everyone is going to be each other's cup of tea and that is okay. If you find working together/the approach is not working for you, then it would be great to have a discussion about it and see if there is anything that can be done. If not, then I am more than happy to signpost you to other potential agencies.

Appointments are to be paid a minimum of 48 hours in advance of the session to secure the booking.

Cancellation notice of 48 hours or more (where paid in advance) a full refund will be issued. 

Less than 48 hours notice a 50% charge will be incurred and a partial refund will be issued. 

Less than 24 hours notice a 100% charge will be incurred.

Missed session a 100% charge will be incurred.

Please note: further treatment sessions cannot be booked if outstanding charges apply.

Please note that the website, processes, and policies etc. are subject to change, however, such changes will be communicated to existing clients.