FAQ

What happens in a session?

Sessions last 50 minutes and we talk about anything you would like to talk about to help you resolve the problem you came to see me with or any other problems that you might want to work on. During the first one to three sessions you can decide if you want to work with me and we will find out if I am the right therapist for you, and if so, set our therapeutic goal(s). You can change your mind any time about that; in fact, a major part of therapy is reflecting continuously on how you feel about what we do during the sessions. We also use various techniques in our sessions that I think will benefit you. I often suggest tasks for you to do or things for you to think about between our sessions.
How often do we have to meet?

I see most of my clients once per week, but this might vary according to your needs, the nature of your problem, or your schedule. Towards the end of the therapy, it is sometimes useful to gradually reduce the frequency of the sessions before we end the process.
How long does therapy last?

Therapies usually last for a number of sessions discussed at the beginning of the therapy when the therapeutic contract is made, after which we will discuss how much progress we have made and where there are things you still want to work on or the therapy can end. We will also periodically discuss what you think and how you feel about the therapeutic process. It is possible that you might only need counselling in a very specific area and need no more than three or four sessions. Short-term therapies usually last around 10-15 sessions, whilst longer-term therapies last several months or even more than a year. Open-ended, exploratory therapies (where your question is less specific) have no predetermined length. The type and length of the therapy are always tailored to your needs.
Are you going to share with others what I tell you?

All matters discussed are treated confidentially. Please refer to my Confidentiality Policy here.
How do I choose a therapist? How will I know that the therapy is working for me?

Choosing the right therapist for you is the first and one of the most important steps of your therapy. Make sure you feel comfortable with the therapist before you make a commitment to work with them. Generally speaking, you should feel that you are able to trust your therapist, they pay attention to you, understand you, keep a professional boundary (i.e. they don’t try to be friends with you or talk too much about themselves), and you feel safe with them. You should be able to ask them questions about the therapy process or discuss with them how you’re feeling about them without them becoming defensive or aggressive in response. You should also feel that you are progressing towards your goal.
What happens if I have to cancel a session?

You can cancel a session with at least 48 hours of notice. Please refer to my Cancellation Policy here.
How can I pay?

You can pay by bank transfer on a weekly or monthly basis. Payment details will be sent to you via email.
Why is hypnotherapy useful?

Hypnotherapy is an effective evidence-based psychotherapeutic method that helps you redirect your focus to your own thoughts, emotions, and unconscious. Hypnosis is an altered state of consciousness that is accompanied by natural physiological responses and a change in subjective experience. It promotes emotional availability and processing, results in enhanced imagery and imagination, induces positive emotions, enables an easier access to unconscious material and makes you more suggestible to beneficial interventions than talk therapies. It also has other positive physiological effects, such as pain reduction and enhancing your immune system, as evidence suggests.
Is hypnosis for me?

Everyone can benefit from some form of hypnosis, even though some people reach the state of hypnosis easier than others. With a professional hypnotherapist you can find out what kind of hypnotic interventions work best for you. You can also try out first what it feels like to experience hypnosis and decide whether you want to work in that modality or not. Hypnosis does not work if you do not want to be hypnotised; no one can be hypnotised against their will.
Will I lose control?

You will be fully in control of what is happening to you during hypnosis and you will only do things that you would be willing to do in a wakeful state, although most people generally have less desire to control what is happening to them and will be more comfortable with ‘letting it go’ and ‘being more open to new experiences’, hence they find it easier to relax.
Is hypnosis dangerous?

When carried out by a trained professional, hypnosis is a very safe practice and you can rest assured that it is done for your own benefit. There are, however, stage hypnotists, who misuse hypnosis, promoting misconceptions about the phenomenon, and generally have little formal education or scientific understanding of what hypnosis is. A trained professional will always use hypnosis for therapeutic reasons for your own benefit, and never for entertainment purposes.
Will I remember what happens during hypnosis?

Yes, generally you will remember just as many details of your hypnotic experience as what happens to you when you are in a wakeful state. Although there are hypnotic techniques that aim to make you forget some parts of your hypnotic experience, they are almost exclusively used in case of dealing with past trauma to help you process the traumatic event gradually, at your own pace.
Are we going to analyse my past and uncover old memories?

Most of the time hypnotherapeutic interventions are goal-oriented with a present and future focus, but they can be used effectively to work on understanding or processing past experiences and helping you integrate them into your own narrative in a healthy way. You will always access an amount of past experiences and memories that you are able to handle and only if it is in your best interest.
Are you insured?

Yes, I have full professional liability insurance.
What ethical code do you follow?

I follow theCode and Ethics of Conductby the British Psychological Society and the Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct by the American Psychological Association.
Do you attend supervision?

Yes, I attend regular supervision provided by trained clinical professionals to ensure good practice.
Who are you regulated by?

I am registered as Counselling Psychologist with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC). I am also a member of the British Psychological Society and the Hungarian Association of Hypnosis, which is a European Accredited Psychotherapy Training Institute (EAPTI) accredited by the European Association for Psychotherapy (EAP) and is a constituent institution of the European Society of Hypnosis (ESH).