People often feel a myriad of emotions leading up to their first session. You don’t need to have your thoughts in order or a coherent story to present at your session. Show up as you are.

In your first appointment you and your Psychologist will dive into your world and explore what has brought you into therapy. This may involve focusing on circumstances that are happening to you now or delving into past experiences. Your Psychologist will gently guide you through and carefully listen to your story.

In this session your Psychologist may also discuss their recommendations for therapy and, if time allows, provide initial strategies to get you started.

It’s also your opportunity to ask questions of your Psychologist, speak about your goals for therapy and double check you’ve found the right therapist for you. There is no ill-will if you don’t think you’ve found your place - we’ll help you figure out what you’re looking for and, where possible, help you find that.

There is no minimum or fixed number of sessions that you need to attend. Your Psychologist will make a treatment plan with you and let you know their recommendations for ongoing appointments.

That said, some people benefit from short-term therapy (6 to 12 sessions), while others will find forming a lasting connection with a Psychologist more helpful.

Fortnightly sessions are typically recommended initially, with the goal of transitioning you to less regular appointments. This could be monthly, bi-monthly or ‘as needed’ to check-in and review skills.

As a Counselling Psychologist, Emily works with a range of psychological conditions and presentations.

There are a number of presentations Emily doesn’t work with, including psychosis, personality disorders, severe OCD or trauma, and eating disorders that have become a medical concern. Emily currently works with adults only and does not currently offer family or couples therapy.

Online therapy has become increasingly popular, and many clients now prefer to attend sessions from the comfort of their own home or fitted around busy schedules. Online therapy has been demonstrated to be as effective as in-person therapy, and many treatment modalities can be completed virtually.

In saying that, online therapy is not for everyone and it is a personal preference. We recommend clients consider the safety and comfort of their home environment when deciding whether online therapy is right for them.

Common Ground Therapy is not able to offer in-person services at this time. We hope face-to-face options will become available in the future.

Initial consultations and subsequent appointments are all 50 minutes in length. This is considered a “therapy hour” and provides therapists time to breath and take care of administrative tasks relevant to your care.

Your Psychologist will gently remind you of the time close to the end of your session to ensure the appointment can be concluded in a thoughtful and considered way.

Common Ground Therapy is not a crisis service and is unable to provide crisis support.

If you are in a crisis, please contact 999 or present to your closest emergency department.

Here are some additional resources:

National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK 0800 689 5652 (6pm to Midnight)

Samaritans 116 123 (24 hours)

NHS Crisis Support If you live in England, you can call a local NHS urgent mental health helpline for support during a mental health crisis. Anyone can call these helplines, at any time.

The NHS website has more information on urgent mental health helplines, including how to find your local helpline. Please click the following link: NHS Website Link