Therapies

The type of approach that you wish to take will be dependant on what your particular problems and issues are, and what you want to achieve.

At Gateway Therapy we offer a range of therapies and techniques to help you to gain the best result for you.

Telephone Consultation and Assessment

Before embarking on therapy there will be a free telephone consultation, so that we can discuss what is troubling you and what you would like to achieve. The purpose of this telephone consultation is to enable you to make an informed decision as to whether Gateway Therapy is the most appropriate source of support for you.

We will also talk about the best therapeutic approach for your needs and whether the work is likely to be short or long term. This will be followed up in our first session with an in-depth assessment where we will discuss the background to your current difficulties in more detail.

For certain difficulties, it may be recommended that you consult with your GP before embarking on a course of therapy, in case there is an underlying physical cause contributing to your problem, or to discuss with them if any additional support may be needed.

Different types of Therapies

Integrative Psychotherapy/Counselling

This approach enables you to explore your thoughts, feelings and experiences in order to resolve issues and move forward with your life in the way that is right for you.

It is is very much a reparative process, dealing with deep issues from the past and the causes of your difficulties. It stresses the importance of the unconscious, early relationships and past experiences in shaping current behaviour.

This form of therapy is exploratory because you may not be aware of the root cause of what is troubling you and you may also not have a specific goal in mind. The work is ongoing, with regular reviews built into the process and the ending is usually mutually agreed.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for a range of issues. CBT has been effective for stress-related ailments, phobias, obsessions, eating disorders, and major depression (sometimes when combined with drug treatment).

CBT emphasises that how we react to events is largely determined by our views of them, not by the events themselves. Through examining and re- evaluating some of our less helpful views, we can develop and try out alternative viewpoints and behaviours that may be more effective in dealing with problems, coping with challenges and finding solutions to difficulties.

Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy (REBT)

REBT is a subset of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and is problem focused and practical. It encourages you to experiment with new ways of tackling problems and, as a a result, gives you new coping skills. REBT is based on the idea that emotional and behavioural difficulties are the result of irrational thoughts and beliefs. REBT helps you to identify these thoughts and replace them with more rational and realistic assumptions and ideas.

Coaching

Coaching helps you to solve problems and will support you in developing life and work skills. Whereas therapy is non-directive, coaching can help you to direct your life in the way that is right for you.

Coaching is different from counselling in that it focuses on the present and the future. It is forward facing and goal focussed. Taking a positive and optimistic approach it builds on strengths and is developmental, rather than focusing on deficiencies. It connects to work and uses experience as the main focus of learning, emphasising performance and visible results.

Number of Sessions

The number of sessions can vary. For example, it may be that you have a specific goal that you would like to achieve and therefore a short term contract will be the best approach for you. It may also be the case that you have a number of goals in mind, or you would like to take more time to explore your emotions and experiences in depth. It this is the case, the therapy would be longer term. We would then regularly review our work together to ensure that it is effective and is meeting your needs.

Each session is weekly and lasts 50 minutes.

Confidentiality

As your therapist, I recognise that anything you share with me of either a personal or professional nature is confidential and will always be regarded as such. I will undertake not to disclose any information, either directly or indirectly to any other party, unless I am legally obliged to do so, or where I think you or someone else may be at risk. I abide by the Code of Ethics and Good Practice of the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP) in all my work with clients.

Information Sharing

During the course of your therapy, it may be helpful to gain additional information from other professionals involved in your care. This will only be sought following a full explanation of the reasons and after gaining your written consent.