Can I afford private therapy?

If you are considering seeking private therapy of any kind an immediate consideration is likely to be cost - can I afford it?  Unlike some forms of therapy cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy (CBH) is typically a short-term programme of treatment, because it is focused on specific issues and on helping you help yourself through developing skills and using techniques for greater self-efficacy. A short-term programme is likely to be around 4 - 6 sessions; that is typical for some types of anxiety, for example.  It could be fewer (e.g. for habit reversal) or more (for more complex issues). 

But it is not forever - the aim of CBH is to enable you to become your own therapist!  You will be given techniques to practice, things to do yourself outside the therapy sessions, and the more you practice the skills the fewer the sessions you are likely to need.

The benefit of private therapy is getting quick access to specialist help when you need it - I can usually see you within a week or 10 days.  In universities, if you're a student you can be waiting 10-12 weeks at peak times to access student counselling services (because of huge demand) - that's a third of an academic year.  And NHS cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) typically has an 18 week waiting list via your GP.  Because I specialise in anxiety and stress in higher education I keep my fee structure as simple and as affordable as possible:

• £65 per session for non-students/staff or
• £45 for students, 

with further discounts for Imperial College staff/students.  See my Fees page for further information.

Bill Sheate, 11 July 2018