Frequently asked questions
What is a clinical psychologist and what training do they have?
Please see our section on clinical psychology here
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What is a counsellor and what training do they have?
Please see our section on counselling here
What are the fees for self funding clients?
Clinical psychology and Animal Assisted Therapy with Dr Catherine Binney
The initial assessment appointment is usually longer and costs £165 for up to one and a half hours (NB for insurance funded sessions initial sessions are one hour and may take 1-2 appointments to complete). Catherine's self funding fee is £120 per subsequent session, which lasts up to an hour.
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Clinical psychology with Dr Victoria Smalley or Dr. Natalie Knight
The initial assessment appointment is usually longer and costs £165 for up to one and a half hours (NB for insurance funded sessions initial sessions are one hour and may take 1-2 appointments to complete). Toya and Natalie's self funding fee is £110 per subsequent session, which lasts up to an hour.
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Counselling
Counselling appointments cost:
£55 for a 50 minutes session for adults, children and young people.
Additional fee information
Home or school visits are charged at the same rate. Travel and report costs are additional. We require payment in full at least 24 hours prior to the appointment to secure the booking. Payment can be made via BACS and details will be provided at the time of booking. We are registered with several insurance companies including BUPA and Aviva - please contact us for more details.
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How many sessions will we need?
It can be very difficult to predict exactly how many sessions will be needed to see an improvement in the issues. Interventions may be short (1-3 appointments) or longer, possibly over several months. This will be fully discussed with you and your child at all stages. Interventions are collaborative and regular reviews are built into the work. You and your family of course have the right to withdraw from therapy at any time.
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Is it confidential?
​Sessions are completely confidential with the only exception being if we are concerned about keeping someone safe from harm, in which case we are obligated to share information with the appropriate agencies. We often find it is helpful to inform your child's or a young person's GP that we are working together, but this will be discussed at the first appointment. Sessions with young people seen individually without parents are also confidential, although the clinical psychologist will highlight with the young person if they feel the issues might be improved by finding a way to comfortably share some feedback with their parents/carers. For more details see our privacy notice.
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How long do sessions last?
Sessions typically last 50mins-1hr although the initial assessment appointment may last up to one and a half hours.
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What can I expect from the psychologist?
After submitting an enquiry form (please see the 'contact' page), one of our team will make contact with you. We may provide answers to your queries, or enquire a little more about the issues and your hopes/expectations. You may then choose to arrange an initial assessment appointment. You will be sent a brief questionnaire prior to the initial appointment to help the clinician prepare for the session and gather essential contact information.
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What happens at the first appointment?
We typically do not involve an animal at the first appointment although you may be able to see some of the animals on site. Assessment includes interviews with the child/young person and/or parents/carers although these may be done in a more creative way with younger children e.g. using drawings etc. We have a refreshment area in the large waiting room so if we need to speak to a young person alone, you are free to make yourself a drink whilst you wait. If you need to bring siblings to the first session, then we do have toys or activities they can use in the same room.
At the end of the initial assessment, the counsellor or psychologist will discuss their thoughts with you about what they have heard and what they recommend as the best way forward. This may include the suggestion of a therapeutic intervention or a further period of assessment (for example, school observations, cognitive assessment or standardised questionnaires). You are free to choose at any stage, not to take up the offer or recommendation of further appointments.
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What if I need to cancel a session?
We ask that you please provide at least 24 hours notice to cancel a session to avoid losing the full sessional fee, which will be due except in exceptional circumstances.
Are you registered with my insurance company?
Yes, we are registered with BUPA. We are no longer able to accept Aviva or Axa funding unfortunately. Please contact us to see if we are registered with your insurance company. We will ask you to provide an authorisation code from your insurer and your policy number prior to the first appointment. Any excess will be due directly prior to the session.
