FAQ

What happens during the sessions?

The session are different depending on which goal we decide to work on, there’s usually a big difference between the assessment sessions and the therapeutic ones. The assessment sessions are an interview in which we talk deeply about the main reason to start a therapy, we try to collect all the important information to plan how will be the treatment. During the therapy sessions we teach the patient how to be aware of the thoughts and believes that caused the disease, then we argue about them and try to find different points of view, we also explain other strategies that might be useful. Sessions are didactic the psychologist shows how to put in practice those skills using examples taken from the patient’s live.

The psychologist will tell me what to do?

We believe the patient should be active during the therapy, but he/she is always going to choose freely, the psychologist just teaches and explains all he knows, what causes the problem and how it can be changed. But the patient it’s always free and independent, in fact what we want it’s to teach the patient how to live without the need of consulting about every decision of his life.

How long are the sessions?

Usually a session lasts one hour, sometimes we decide with the patients to have longer sessions.

How long will be the therapy?

The terms depend on the case and how long have been the symptoms going on, the earlier we start the treatment, the shorter it will be. Generally cognitive-behavioural therapy it’s a short time therapy, usually it’s around 3 to 6 months, although in some disorders we can go far than that. The cooperation of the patient it’s crucial to gain fast results.

What does it mean “working with the thoughts”?

During the assessment and between the sessions we ask the patient to pay attention at the thought he has during the negative moods, during the sessions we discuss these thoughts; the discussion it’s a dialogue in which we considered the truth or logic of these believes, in order to see if they are realistic and effective. If we conclude they are not rational we find out alternative thoughts, and we give homework to do for practicing and learning this new way of thinking.

What are the other skills that I can learn during the therapy?

It depends of the goals stablished for each person, but we always try to teach how to work and debate the thoughts that are causing more pain, and also how to overcome fears. So the main skills are debating the thoughts and exposition to the fear situations. Others can be training in social skills, assertive comunication and mindfulness meditation.

Will I need medication? Can you give me recipes for medication?

All the therapist of our office are psychologist, we are not allowed to make any recipe or to give advice about how and when get the medicine. Generally our treatments don’t need to be complemented with pharmacology, but in the cases we think the patient needs it, we will tell him or her to consult about it with a doctor or psychiatrits.

I’m already taking medication, can I start a therapy?

There’s nothing that obstacles the use both approaches, pharmacology and cognitive-behavioural therapy, even if you are taking medication you can start a therapy with us.