FAQs – Individual Therapy

It’s completely understandable to wonder why speaking with a therapist might be different from talking to a friend. While both can offer support, there are key distinctions that make therapy a unique and valuable resource for your well-being. Friends, while caring, may have their own perspectives, biases and experiences that can colour their advice.

Typically, therapists rarely offer advice. Instead, they have been trained to listen, with one ear decoding your unconscious communication, and they build a map of your psyche via the psychotherapeutic lens. Thereby, the questions they ask are likely to lead to a greater sense of self-exploration. Often, a therapist may ask you to identify your automatic thoughts, describe your feelings, and explain how you react to things. In this way, the therapist helps you understand your personal blind spots or triggers, and through exploration—often of childhood events—you can deepen your self-awareness.

Through the process of interpreting your in-the-room reactions, the therapist is also helping you metabolise some experiences that need processing. However, there are different types of therapists, for instance, cognitive-behavioural or psychodynamic, and each therapist is also a unique person who brings their own personality and style. It is essential to find a therapist with whom you feel a genuine connection.

During the initial assessment session, which is complimentary (free), you will have the opportunity to meet one of our therapists and ask any questions you may have. Currently, we offer DBT-informed therapy and Integrative Therapy, which combines elements of assimilative relational psychotherapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), and Humanism.

You don’t need to be in a mental health crisis or have a diagnosed mental illness to engage in or benefit from therapy. Therapy can help you gain a deeper understanding of yourself, become more attuned to various aspects of your personality, such as your emotions or the reasons behind your behaviour, and it can also aid in developing greater confidence and interpersonal effectiveness. Equally, therapy can help you become more self-reflective, build insight, and cultivate psychological mindedness. All of which can lead to improvements in mental and emotional well-being, ultimately resulting in a profound transformation that enables you to overcome barriers and lead a fulfilling life.

Therefore, therapy can help you go through difficult periods in your life, help you cope with emotional or mental health concerns, including anything from anxiety or money worries, addiction or self-esteem, loss or depression, even nightmares. Psychotherapy can help you overcome a specific challenge or achieve a goal. Therapy will help you understand yourself better and enable you to fulfil your potential. 

In session, you have the opportunity to discuss whatever is on your mind or in your heart, from your hopes and dreams to troubling memories or nightmares, as well as both immediate and lifelong issues.

Your therapist will really listen, not just to the words you are saying, but also to the feelings underneath. They might ask gentle but probing questions to help you explore things a little deeper, and as a consequence, gain clarity and see things from a slightly different perspective.

Therapists will not be telling you what to do. Instead, their continually supportive presence can help you figure out the path that is right for you. Therapists may share ideas or techniques that could be helpful, such as ways to manage stress or understand your reactions.

Sometimes it’s about looking back to understand how your life experiences have shaped you, and other times it’s about empowering you to believe in your innate strengths, giving you the confidence to make meaningful and lasting changes.

Therapy provides a safe space for you to focus on yourself and identify the actions you need to take to create lasting change. This can look very different from client to client and sometimes, from session to session.

You don’t have to pretend to be okay if you’re not. Sometimes, simply being seen and truly understood can be enough to inspire you to trust yourself. Over time, you’ll come closer to your authentic self, gain a deeper understanding of yourself, develop skills, cultivate self-compassion, and build more confidence, ultimately discovering healthier ways to navigate the complexities and trajectories of your life. It’s a journey of self-discovery and growth, and your therapist is there to walk alongside you.

You will meet with your therapist every week at the same time for a 50-minute session. This allows for meaningful change to occur. Yes, this requires dedication. Sustained exposure to the work is necessary for the changes to be long-lasting. You bring a lifetime of habits and beliefs, some of which may need to be revised to ensure the benefits are enduring.

We ask that all clients commit to a minimum of three months to give themselves a chance to settle in, after which, the sessions can continue on an open-ended basis. In this way, your therapeutic goals can be clearly articulated, and the therapist working with you can develop a thorough understanding of how best to assist you.

Yes, once you have decided to pursue therapy with Say More, we ask that you commit to a minimum of three months. Many people seek treatment, and for progress to occur, time and commitment are often necessary. After three months, the sessions can continue on an open-ended basis, should you wish to do so. For some people, this may have been enough, and for others, they may choose to stay in therapy for many years.

Before being offered a place, you would have registered your interest by completing our online assessment form, which would add you to the waiting list. You will then be invited to an assessment session, during which you can provide more details about what brought you to us, share some information about your history, and discuss your goals.

The assessment session is free. After this, if we believe you are both suitable and may benefit from our treatment, and you are ready to commit, when a space becomes available, you will be paired with a therapist and offered a therapeutic contract along with a start date.

Your first therapy session will primarily focus on getting to know each other and setting the stage for your journey. The therapist will introduce themselves, explain their approach, and clarify confidentiality and its limits. This is your opportunity to share your story: what brought you to therapy, your current concerns, past experiences, and what you hope to achieve.

Therapy sessions are 50 minutes in length.

Individual therapy is £50 per session. You will be required to pay for sessions at the start of each month. All clients will be required to sign a Therapeutic Contract before we can begin working together. A Therapeutic Contract covers aspects of confidentiality and payments. The Therapeutic Contract is an integral part of every therapist’s work and is essential for establishing clear boundaries and expectations that protect both the client and the therapist.

We offer sessions in person in Norwich (UK) and also online.

Yes, everything you say in session is held in the strictest confidence. Say More adheres to strict rules around GDPR. All therapists have supervisors who support the therapist to maintain ethical boundaries, and work at helping the therapist see their blind spots. However, supervisors are also working under the same rules around GDPR and the therapeutic contract. The only times your therapist may legally break confidentiality, is when (according to the law) they have been given reason to believe that a child, another or maybe you are at risk of harm.

Yes, some therapists will be available in the evenings.