If you are struggling with anything, anything at all then therapy is for you. Sometimes people worry that their problems aren’t worthy of ‘wasting someone’s time’ and sometimes people worry that no one will want to listen. Equally some people worry that their problems are so enormous or so dark that they couldn’t possibly burden someone else with them.

You couldn’t be further from the truth. Therapists want to support anyone who is struggling. They train extensively to be able to work with all scenarios and they will support your transfer onto specialist support if needed.

You will be welcomed and supported regardless of your circumstances.

Try to focus on the positives. You have found this website which means you have found me, and I’ve been where you are now. I completely understand how daunting it can feel to approach a therapist, especially if it is for the very first time. The great news is that I am extremely friendly, and supportive, and I want to hear from you.

I understand that different people prefer to make initial contact in different ways, so there are a range of ways that you can connect with me. You can choose the one that you feel most comfortable with:

Telephone 07952 589578

Text 07952 589578

WhatsApp  07952 589578

Email rebecca@whitebarntherapy.co.uk

FB messenger https://www.facebook.com/Integrative-Therapy-1648123198746380/

Instagram @whitebarntherapy

The good news is that you don’t have to specify a particular style of therapy unless you particularly want to. Rebecca is trained to pair the things you want to work on, and your way of being, with the therapies that will best align to getting you results.

You can however:

• Read the information about the services we offer (listed on the Therapies page) and request that you try working in a particular way.
• Arrange your first appointment with Rebecca, explain your circumstances, and ask for guidance in how best to work through your issues. 
• Think about your past experiences of counselling and therapy. What have you tried before? What worked, and what didn’t? Do you need to try something completely different, or do you need to have another go at something you’ve tried before? 
• Read the testimonials supplied by real clients to get a feel for how they have experienced the different services. 
• Carry out some internet research on the different therapy styles, to gain a greater insight into how they work. Then enquire with us to check any information or questions that you might have.

It’s perfectly normal to not to know how to start. It’s also normal to arrive at a session and go blank. Remember there is never any pressure. Rebecca is supportive and will help you through this challenge should you experience it. The best thing you can do is tell her if you are feeling that way. You won’t be judged.

This is an interesting question as it depends largely on each individual client. However, I can share some thoughts that may be useful:

In my experience, almost all clients report feeling lighter after their first session.
Talking (and crying) are both natural ways for the body to release a build-up of unwanted emotions. We call it ‘venting’. If you create a healthy vent by engaging in therapy, and enable the unwanted emotions to empty out of you, you will experience a sense of release, lightening, and emotional unburdening. So although your problem may not be fixed instantly, in general, you can expect to feel a little bit better every time you have a session.

Furthermore, starting therapy helps a person to feel like they are proactively addressing their issues. Talking about emotionally painful experiences with a therapist helps a person to feel like they are being supported. It creates an environment whereby they are no longer dealing with, or containing the problem on their own. Someone else is now effectively holding the problem with them, which makes everything feel like less of a burden.

By the time a person has attended a couple of sessions, they usually report that they’re thinking more, more deeply, or from a different perspective. Although this can feel tiring (as you adjust), it can feel intriguing.

A good therapist will manage each session well, so even if you talk about difficult issues you will still feel contained, and okay again by the end of it.

Most clients report noticing changes after approximately six sessions.

For those who continue with the process, substantial change is usually experienced by twenty sessions, and profound change occurs within a year. Therapy has an accumulative beneficial effect, the more sessions you attend, the more things change, and the better you’ll feel.

For some clients, especially those dealing with complex mental health issues, trauma or lifelong issues, several years of therapy can make them feel like an entire new version of themselves.

Essentially the more sessions a person has, the more they’ll benefit from the process and the more permanent the changes become.

For context, the most intense form of therapy is known as psychoanalysis. This style of therapy requires a client to attend 3-5 times a week, for 3-5 years. This is not a form of therapy that White Barn Therapy offers, but for those who do choose to work in this way, they will experience a total psychological overhaul.

It’s worth noting that regression can periodically occur during the process of therapy – this is normal, and if it happens, we’ll work through it. The work you’ve put in won’t be lost. Life may also present new challenges, that hadn’t happened before the sessions began. All of the learning you experience in your sessions is transferrable, so you’ll become better equipped with every session, to cope with how life continues to unfold.

The the answer to this question depends on several things:

What is ‘it’?

What will you need to accept?

How much are you committed to eradicating unwanted thoughts, feelings, behaviours and influences?

How will you manage your process of change; from where to start, what needs to be done and how to maintain it?

I believe 100% in the power of therapy.

This is a really personal decision that only you can make.

I always advise that you strive to keep yourself safe so perhaps think about the following before making your decision:

Who can you trust?

What information is safe to share?

What would be beneficial for you, for people to know about you?

What are the risks involved in divulging certain information to certain people you know?

If you have a good, supportive, reliable and trustworthy person or network of people then what would stop you from sharing?

Could sharing information help people to give you more of what you need?

Is reducing the stigma around mental health important you?

This is often (but not always) frowned upon.

I would suggest that you should always be transparent with your therapist / counsellor about this, and chat to them openly about it.

The two main reasons for it being discouraged are:

1) Every therapist will have their own unique way of helping you through your challenges. If you work with two professionals simultaneously, and they both approach you from different perspectives, you could end up more confused than before you started.

2) You will cover a lot of ground in your sessions, and often the brain requires time to let the information sink in, and take effect. For this reason, it is often advised to have a week’s break between each session, and a break of several months, between different styles of therapy. The ideal time period is different for everyone.

If you feel that you aren’t getting enough from your therapy, you could consider increasing the duration of your sessions, or you could have more than one session per week. You may want to think about changing modalities (the style of therapy) if your counsellor offers different options.

You may want to consider changing your therapist.

In every eventuality I urge you to discuss your thoughts with your current therapist.