What to expect in your sessions
How do I prepare for my sessions?
Before commencing your sessions at SherryB Psychology, you will have the opportunity to complete some intake and consent forms. These will be sent to you prior to your appointment. If you can't complete these, or if you forget them, you can complete them with your psychologist.
Consent forms cover issues such as privacy, confidentiality, and access to information. If you have any questions about these or your rights in therapy, this is an excellent opportunity to start that discussion with your psychologist.
Before the initial session, it can be helpful for you to write down any other questions you might have, or main points you feel are the most important to communicate. If it is hard to clarify exactly what you would like to achieve from seeking psychological support, it can be handy to frame it in what is called the “Miracle Question”
If a miracle happens and whatever that brings you here gets solved, how would your life be different? How would you think, feel and behave differently?
Reflecting on this may help you clarify and communicate your goals, needs and purpose in attending sessions with your psychologist.
What happens in my first session?
In your first session with your psychologist, you can discuss the number and frequency of your sessions as part as your overall treatment plan.
You may consider factors such as:
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your current needs and the goals you are hoping to achieve;
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the treatment approach you will be working on together;
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any constraints regarding time or finance you may need to consider;
The Medicare Better Access Scheme would typically provide rebates for up to 10 sessions per calendar year with a psychologist when referred by your GP under a Mental Health Care Plan.
Having a collaborative and open discussion with your psychologist will help you both work out the session frequency and duration that best fits your needs, and this is something that can be reviewed as the treatment progresses
How effective is psychological therapy?
All psychologists are trained in evidence-based practice, which informs their treatment approach. Psychotherapy itself has been shown to be effective in reducing symptoms related to a wide number of common mental health disorders, including but not limited to Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, Depression, and Anxiety-related disorders.
Interestingly, there is also a strong research base indicating that a positive therapeutic relationship with your psychologist can play a very important role in how effective your sessions are. The quality of the relationship is not only connected with better treatment outcomes, but it may even have as much as, if not more, impact on the effectiveness of your sessions than the treatment itself.
A positive therapeutic relationship is one where:
You and your psychologist work together to establish your treatment goals
You are able to provide regular feedback on how you feel your sessions are going
You feel genuine warmth and empathy from your psychologist.
Finding the right ‘match’ can be an important step into experiencing a positive therapeutic relationship. Every psychologist has different therapeutic styles and personality factors, and you may find that trying a few different psychologists to start with may help you find the best match for you.