Individual therapy
Finding the right therapist can be a daunting challenge but now you have found us, we would like to welcome you in and give you a friendly tour of our practice and the people who work here. We also want to assure you that meeting our therapists is as safe as it can be during COVID-19 pandemic. We have arranged our schedules in a way that you will not meet anyone else than your therapist when coming for your appointment, you will be able to keep 2m distance during your session, furthermore, we ventilate and disinfect the place on regular basis.
Now, let’s talk about the therapy because this is what you are here for. Below, you can find a brief description of what’s involved in therapy, how therapy/counselling can help you – in the good times as well as the bad – how to choose the right therapist for you and how the sessions at Pimlico work.
Do take a look around our practice and if you have any questions or would like any more info do get in contact with our practitioners. We would be more than happy to help you on your journey to a better, more fulfilled life.
What’s involved
Both psychotherapy and counselling aim to improve the quality of your life. They involve regular meetings with a trained professional who helps you to build a healthier, more productive and joyful life. Psychotherapy and counselling require commitment and courage, they will not provide a quick fix but they can lead you to a place where you feel more satisfied and your life is in your hands.
When can you benefit from psychotherapy and counselling?
- When you are struggling. You may be feeling “stuck,” stressed, helpless, inadequate or disoriented because of your current life situation, or because a traumatic experience from your past, which you may only be vaguely aware of, is holding you back.
- When you want to improve your wellbeing. Psychotherapy and counselling are excellent ways to explore your potential and to make an already decent life even better.
For the hard times. When you are going through a hard time, the therapist/counsellor will support you in a warm, non-judgmental way with respect, empathy and acceptance. They will also help you resolve or mitigate destructive patterns in your thinking, attitudes, emotional reactions, physical experiences or the way you relate to others. Therapy will help you develop new healthier ways to get on with your life.
For the good times. However, therapy is not only for the hard times when life seems to be falling apart, it can be an enriching experience in itself. It can, for instance, help you in:
- expanding your awareness, enabling you to accept yourself and become a true friend to yourself;
- working towards healthier self-esteem and better self-care;
- improving already functional relationships with your loved ones;
- promoting healthy changes in your career by exploring what you need to progress, helping you overcome fears and interpersonal problems;
- generally becoming more aware of your purpose, beliefs and emotional reality, which will often return excitement and inspiration to your life.
For yourself. Psychotherapy is also the time when you can switch off from daily concerns and focus on yourself. Often you will leave the session feeling a different person – physically, emotionally and with a clearer mind. Therapy can be used as the place to express your emotions, rehearse new behaviours, practice new ways of taking physical space, experiment with voice and posture. Find what works for you and gradually introduce your new skills into your daily life to enjoy the benefits!
Psychotherapy or counselling?
The terms psychotherapy and counselling are often used interchangeably but there are some differences.
Counselling tends to be shorter-term and focuses on supporting your through a current difficult experience such as bereavement, illness, divorce, milder mental health dysfunctions. Counsellors tend to receive a shorter, more skill-oriented training.
Psychotherapy typically involves a more in-depth process of self-exploration, for example, looking at how ways of thinking, feeling and behaving that formed in early life are affecting you now and what new attitudes and skills you can develop to live a happier and healthier life. A great benefit of psychotherapy is its long-lasting effect. Apart from helping you to cope better now, you will learn and practice new skills that will become a part of you and expand your potential.
Psychotherapists usually receive a longer, broader and more academic training and as a rule are required to undergo substantial clinical practice, including in mental health institutions, while in training.
What happens in therapy?
Therapy/counselling sessions normally take place at the same time and place on a weekly basis and last 50 minutes. At the first session, you will discuss what you want to focus on and will have an opportunity to ask the therapist how they work. You can decide together on a structure of work or choose to take a route of free exploration. Your therapist will support you in finding what works best for you.
Various approaches and techniques are practised by the Pimlico practitioners and details can be found in their individual profiles. There is no right or wrong therapy so take a look and choose a therapist whose working method chimes with you. Whatever approach the practitioner adheres to, they will give you their full attention during sessions and commit to providing a warm, safe and non-judgmental space for your exploration.
