Choosing Your Therapist

This is a complete stranger, and you are preparing to tell them not just your story, but share intimate details about you and your life. Do not hesitate to ask any questions you have. Some of my answers are found here on my pages.

1. Are you registered with a governing body? This is an important question. The titles of counsellor, therapist, and psychotherapist are not protected in the UK; anyone can set up and call themselves, e.g., a counsellor.  I am a fully trained, BABCP fully accredited CBT psychotherapist. I am also a BACP Registered Counsellor, a member of the British Psychological Society, a drug and alcohol psychotherapist, and a psychologist with a small “p”. My governing bodies are: The BPS, BACP, BABCP,  Addiction Professionals (formally FDAP) and American Psychological Association – Divisions 17, 49, & 50 (affiliate). I abide by the stated ethics and codes of practice of all these organisations.

2. Do you have regular supervision? Yes. It is a requirement of all the governing bodies I am registered with that we have regular supervision.

3. How long will I be in therapy? It would be unethical to encourage someone to come to therapy after they have reached their therapeutic goals. The length of therapy is dependent on many things – e.g. the severity of the issues, what you want to accomplish  in therapy. Some people feel they are better able to seek their potential in life after 10 sessions, some after 20, others after five. It entirely depends on you and what you feel is helpful.

4. What are your strengths as a therapist? I don’t peddle “snake oil”, am plain-speaking, authentic, honest, and endeavour to provide a safe space for people to explore their issues. I believe my clients can make good choices for themselves.

5. Can you make me get better? No. If anyone promises you they can “make you” get better, they are not being truthful and peddling “snake oil”. No one can “make you” do anything, and the most a therapist can say is they will offer suggestions they think may be helpful to you but they cannot promise they will be helpful.

6. How do I know my personal information is going to stay confidential? Confidentiality is a cornerstone of all ethics and practice codes. It would be entirely unethical to be negligent about maintaining confidentiality for clients. There are exceptions – if someone tells me they are going to harm themselves or another person, particularly a child, I am obliged by law to report this and/or take action on the situation. However, I would make every effort to discuss the circumstances with the client and see how we could manage this collaboratively. I am registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), reference number ZA274676.

7. Why are your fees as they are? My fees reflect my training and experience levels.

Questions for yourself after you speak to or meet the therapist:

Did you feel relaxed and comfortable when talking with the therapist? 

Did it feel safe?

Did you feel rushed, or were you able to go at your own pace? 

Did the therapist seem to “get” your issues, or did they misinterpret them entirely? 

Did you feel the therapist was empathetic? Understanding? Supportive? Non-judgemental? Did you feel “heard”? 

Imagine your deepest fears and concerns – could you imagine telling this person about them? 

Did You Know? You Can Choose Your Own Therapist – Even with Insurance
 

If you’re accessing therapy through private health insurance (such as BUPA or AXA), you may be told your sessions need to go through a third-party company. However, what’s often not explained is that you have the right to choose your own therapist — and still have the sessions covered by your insurer.

At Nightingale Therapy, I believe in helping you make informed choices about your care. Working directly with an experienced therapist like me — rather than through a middle-man — means:

• You choose someone with the specialist skills that match your needs (e.g. CBT, DBT, CFT, ACT).
   
• You build a trusting, consistent relationship from the very first session.
   
• You avoid unnecessary delays or additional assessments.
   
• Your therapy is tailored specifically for you, not filtered through another organisation.
   

If you’d prefer to work with me, Linda K Berkeley, and you're insured with providers like AXA or BUPA, you can ask them to refer you directly to Nightingale Therapy. It’s your right — and your wellbeing deserves it.