Counselling and Therapy in London
We’re often contacted by people searching for an appropriate therapist, counsellor, or psychotherapist. Our trained customer assistants will help to match you with the most appropriate specialist, and help you decipher the difference between the above three titles for mental health specialists.
Getting access to the best counsellor for you
We often find that people searching for a private counsellor are interested in ongoing or long-term therapy. Counselling can in fact take many forms and in most cases the term is interchangeable with therapy. Your counselling sessions could involve a process of diagnosis of mental health symptoms followed by either face-to-face or online consultations.
Although some professionals disagree, all three terms are broadly the same for practical reasons and in-spite of all attempts to differentiate between them, they are the same from a legal and even semantic point of view. Like many other similar authorities, we use these terms alternatively and intermittently as well.
The question remains whether there are any differences between individual specialists. In London, you can enjoy the choice of many therapists, each working in a slightly (or significantly) different area not only geographically, but by training, types of problem treated, age of clients, gender and more. Of course, they may also take very different therapeutic approaches and there is a factor of experience, range of fees and the choice of online or face-to-face sessions.
Therefore, you can expect to be matched to an expert which falls under one of many possible titles of mental-health professionals, but which ultimately falls under the main title of a therapist. For example, a counsellor can be described as a separate mental health professional with different specialisms to a psychotherapist, but the differences can be unpractical to distinguish and in fact most people do not notice any difference.
Would you like to speak to a member of our team who can help describe the different choices? Give us a call on 020 8158 6650 and we’ll be happy to help.
How do I find the best therapist for me?
The media, internet, TV and newspapers all like to spread their opinion about “which therapy type is the best”. In fact it’s not a question of what is “better”, but what suits your particular requirements at this particular place and period of your life. Instead of useless arguments about which kind of therapy is “the best”, we always try to find which one is the most appropriate for you.
How can I be matched with a therapist in London?
A therapist can be matched to your specific issue (those who work with and specialise in treating your issue) and by therapy approach. Most people prefer to see a therapist who uses an integrative approach, which means they specialise in multiple approaches and therefore can tailor sessions to suit you. Only in some specific cases your therapist may suggest using just a single specific approach. The common groups of therapy approaches make a long list of frequently used approaches, and include such popular types as:
- Psychodynamic
- Humanistic
- Behavioural (Cognitive Behavioural – CBT – is one of several common types of behavioural therapy approach)
- Integrative (combining several elements of different approaches, customized towards a combination which is most suitable for you)
Our therapists cover a wide variety of approaches, although in many cases an integrative approach is preferred which can combine several different therapies.
Is the type of counselling the main factor in deciding who is the best to provide psychotherapy for you?
Definitely not. It’s important to find a therapist who, on top of being professional and ethical, is also attentive to your feelings and understands your concerns as well as making you comfortable. If you begin sessions with a new therapist and find that you don’t click or don’t make a positive connection, we encourage you to contact our customer service team to have a chat about your concerns. Click the live-chat button or give us a call on 020 8158 6650
What is the range of problems covered?
A significant number of mental health problems can be related to anxiety. Apart from general anxiety, there are more specific forms such as panic attacks. Chronic anxiety issues with periodic worsening, is also very frequent.
Many of our clients have acute repeated episodes of intense fear accompanied by physical symptoms that may include chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, or abdominal distress. This is usually symptomatic of a Panic Disorder.
A significant number of people suffer from various fears and phobias. These are numerous and can be quite unpleasant to live with.
Social anxiety has always been a frequent form of anxiety and it appears to be on a rise. Here, anxiety and excessive self-consciousness attacks the sufferers in specific social situations. This ranges from being generally “shy” in all social encounters, or in some very specific ones such as public speaking.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) together with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) constitute other frequent types of anxiety.
However, there are also many issues apart from Anxiety. Depression is just one of them and often is combined with anxiety.
Sexual and marital problems, personality disorders, relationship issues, and many other issues are known to be well suited for counselling.
A lot of people look for talk therapy as a means to understand themselves better, to help with furthering their career, or to help with the consequences of a divorce.
It’s not possible to provide a complete and exhaustive list of all issues covered by therapy. Suffice to say, if you’re in any doubt – get advice from our friendly staff now on 020 8158 6650 or via online chat.
Should I go for face-to-face sessions or online counselling?
Your Content Goes HereThere are arguments for and against each of the above. Certainly, some people find it easier to attend online sessions either because of distance, career schedules, lack of top-class local specialists, high local fees, being home-bound due to disability or simply for better convenience. Others claim that video-chat isn’t an alternative to the personal touch which could be developed only via face-to-face meetings. Before considering any research data, it’s important to note that both sides of the argument are right and that either method can be suitable, provided the individual preferences are taken into account.
Indeed, repeated research carried out worldwide found no difference for both methods, in relation to positive outcome.
Some experts working with us use only one of the above methods, others use both. At the time of the writing, statistically most sessions are face-to-face. There is a clear tendency towards more clients turning to online video chat therapy. This is not a temporary fad and is likely to become more widespread in the near future.
Regarding the quality of treatment, provided you are comfortable with the specific form of therapy (online or face-to-face) there will not be any difference. Feel free for you to choose what you like, and we will help to connect you with the best therapist for your mental health needs.
Let’s get you connected with the best matching counsellor. Give our team a call on 020 8158 6650 and we’ll be happy to help.
Fees for private therapy
There is no such thing as a single one-size-fits-all fee. The fees you pay for therapy in London will depend on your specific needs and choice of therapist. As a rule of thumb, “Skype therapy” is relatively more economical as there are lower expenses and less administration for the therapist. Otherwise, location can influence the fees as well. As in every other branch of human activity, fees differ for many various reasons.
If the fee level is a problem, just let us know. When you contact our team we will provide solutions taking into account all of your needs. You will get concise explanations of the differences and options.
We are here to help you and our team is always eager to connect you with the most suitable therapist that meets all your needs.
How our clients react to therapy
This is a quote we received from one of our long-term clients: “Getting rid of the anxiety attacks was the second most important achievement in my entire life, the first being my timely decision to start therapy.”
Therapy can be life-changing for some people, helping to remove obstacles from your career, social life and family life. Therapy can also help in the field of relationship issues – instead of suffering alone, you can start counselling in London and learn how to manage the problem in the best way possible. And yes, we’d love to receive your confidential feedback letting us know how well (or not) you are doing.
In the unlikely event you are not entirely satisfied, give us a call on 020 8158 6650 and we will see what can be done. Our team is here to find a solution.
