FAQ
It is difficult to estimate the exact duration of the therapy, however, the average duration is 10-15 sessions (2-3 months) to start noticing improvement. Each process is unique and the length of time depends on how long ago the problem was present and how willing the person is to change.
No, this is a common belief, but it is wrong. Psychopharmaceuticals are sometimes complementary to the techniques we use in therapy (for example, to be able to carry out an exposure on a person who tends to faint). They are not associated with greater severity, they are an additional help to be able to move forward with the process.
If your therapist has discharged you, it is because he/she considers that you no longer need the sessions and can “manage” on your own. However, there are 2 things to bear in mind:
- This process is gradual, which means that you will not go from seeing him/her every week to never seeing him/her, you will have follow-up sessions that will gradually become more spaced out over time (2 times a month -> 1 time a month -> every 2 months -> every 6 months…).
- Even if you are discharged, your therapist will still be available. If you experience any new and stressful life changes for which you do not have the appropriate strategies, you can write to them to make an appointment.
Keep in mind that once you have been to therapy and the therapeutic process has been effective, you never go back to the baseline of discomfort because you have many tools to cope with your previous stressors. Although you may feel overwhelmed from time to time and need a few refresher sessions 😉
Yes, you can. Although he/she is not obliged to answer you, it can be useful to share homework, reflections, significant triggers, etc.
No, never, except on 3 occasions. Before starting therapy, the professional must give you a document called “informed consent” in which the confidentiality of the data is stated and which you both sign.
Confidentiality in therapy can never be broken and is against the professional code of ethics, unless the person is in real danger of endangering his/her life, that of a third party, or if the patient is a minor.
No, under no circumstances. Your therapist cannot give an opinion according to his or her values about situations that you share, only his or her advice about what is therapeutic and what is not. One of their roles is to listen to you, validate you and empathise with your discomfort, so they cannot judge you in any way.
A good therapist cannot tell you what to do, ideally they can teach you appropriate coping strategies so that you know how to make decisions. They can guide you along the way and you can work on your decision making together.
You are not obliged to share with those around you that you have started therapy if you do not feel comfortable doing so. The decision whether or not to share this information is personal and depends on a number of factors, including your own preferences, your comfort level, the nature of your relationships, and how you think the information will be received.
Therapy is a private and confidential space where you can work on your own personal issues. There is no rule that dictates that you must make this experience public. Sharing it is a personal choice that may change over time and depending on the situation.
No, share only what you are comfortable with. In the end, it is an individual process and the therapist must adapt to you. If there is a particular topic that you have been wanting to bring up for some time but don’t feel up to it, you can discuss it in session and little by little you can work on it if it is relevant to your treatment.
Finding the right therapist is a crucial aspect of the therapeutic process and can make a big difference to your experience and outcomes. Not all therapists are right for everyone, and it is okay to recognise if you don’t feel there is a good connection or if you are not getting the benefits you were hoping for. Although this is a process that takes time, it is important that you feel comfortable and safe to open up and talk about difficult issues. If you feel that you can’t trust your therapist or are not comfortable, this could be an indicator that they are not right for you. Reflect on your sessions so far do you feel you are making progress towards your goals? While therapy can be a slow and not always linear process, you should feel that there is some progress over time. Each therapist has their own style and approach. Some may be more directive, others more passive. Think about which style might work best for you and whether the current approach is aligned with your needs. Also, before you decide to change, consider talking to your therapist about your concerns. Often, expressing what is not working can be an opportunity to adjust the therapy approach and improve the therapeutic relationship.
Sessions from the cognitive-behavioural therapeutic approach are generally once a week, although it is necessary to specify this after the first assessment sessions, depending on the characteristics of the problem and the person.
If you feel that your problem is affecting the main areas of your life (work, family, friendship, academic, etc.) or your own health in general (sleep problems, loss or increase of appetite, concentration difficulties, etc.), then it is time to find a solution.
To be more committed to your process, it is necessary to complete the homework after the session and send it to the therapist, or if the format is face-to-face, to have it ready before the next session.
It can also be very useful to keep a therapy diary, where you can record your mood during the day, your progress, reflections, etc.
In CSM we do not usually make a diagnosis. A label or diagnosis is specific to the biomedical model, which frames a way of working in which the patient is “sick” and has a disorder. This is only useful for exchanging reports between professionals or for the academic world, it is rarely useful for the patient. The person needs to understand why what is happening to them is happening and how the problem is being maintained, so at the end of your assessment sessions we will give you an “Explanatory Model”, or a diagram explaining how your problem was created and what factors are maintaining it.
Although it is unusual for us to give you back an official diagnosis, in some cases it is necessary. For example, it could be used to refer you to the psychiatric service, to prepare reports for academic applications for curricular adaptation, or in other specific cases where you may have been suffering for years without understanding what is wrong with you and feeling out of “normality”.