General FAQs

Cognitive behavioural therapy is a structured and goal focused approach that helps you identify and change unhelpful thought patterns or behaviours that may be contributing to your difficulties.

CBT is a highly researched evidence based therapy and is proven effective at treating a range of mental health difficulties. Its a recommended treatment by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for various emotional difficulties.

Sessions are generally held weekly as this is in-line with the evidence base.

However, due to demands and other limits, some clients do request fortnightly or monthly sessions. This can be arranged.

Our therapy is adapted to fit you, so there is flexibility when it comes to arranging session frequency.

There is some flexibility around holidays, sickness and cancellations. These are set out in my terms and conditions before agreeing to work together.

We start by getting a clear understanding of the problem and your goals, including particular challenges and unhelpful patterns that may be getting in the way.

Together, we then explore how these difficulties came about and what is keeping them going, so that we can begin to break the cycle

From there, we develop a bespoke approach to introduce strategies and techniques to help elicit change and work towards your personal goals.

Sessions may look like giving you the tools to improve motivation, identify and regulate emotions, stop procrastinating, build self-confidence, create and stick to routines, re-frame unhelpful thoughts, challenge unrealistic expectations, set boundaries, manage overwhelm, break perfectionism or strengthen relationships.

My focus is on giving you real-world , practical techniques that actually work for the ADHD brain which you can implement right away to see changes. No cookie cutter or one size fits all approach.

Throughout the process, you can expect a non-judgemental, and supportive space with someone who truly gets it.

My approach is both trauma-informed and neuroaffirmative, so I wont judge you for fidgeting, losing concentration or avoiding eye contact.

CBT sessions typically last 50 minutes. This is the standard duration for most CBT appointments. This will provide enough time to review progress, discuss current challenges, learn and practice new techniques, and set homework assignments.

Most people attend weekly sessions, though this can vary based on individual needs and phase in treatment. As therapy progresses and symptoms improve, sessions might become less frequent (biweekly or monthly).

The total number of sessions typically ranges from 6-20 for a full course of CBT treatment, though this depends on your individual needs, progress and goals

This will completely vary person to person. Many clients report feeling shifts within just 3-6 CBT sessions, though the number needed varies person to person depending on your difficulties, history and complexity. Some notice shifts quickly, while more complex patterns may take longer to shift fully.

The aim is to start equipping you with practical tools, strategies, and new perspectives from the very beginning — so you can begin making meaningful changes as soon as possible.

It’s completely understandable to feel hesitant about trying CBT again if you’ve tried it before without success. You’re not alone in this and the experience can be common. 

Sometimes previous experiences with standard therapy may have left them feeling frustrated or misunderstood. 

CBT isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach, and there are valid reasons it may not have felt helpful in the past. 

For people with ADHD, standard CBT can sometimes fall short if it isn’t adapted to your unique ways of thinking, processing, and functioning. Therapy that doesn’t acknowledge or accommodate the challenges of ADHD, including executive functioning challenges, emotional regulation difficulties, or the lived experience of neuro-divergence which may mean that needs are unmet.

It’s also important to consider the relationship with the therapist. One of the most meaningful predictors of successful therapy is finding a therapist who understands your difficulties, feels confident working with them, and creates a space where you feel safe, respected, and seen. Feeling a sense of safety and trust that the therapist “gets it” — can make all the difference.

The good news is that CBT can be adapted and research shows good outcomes for this with ADHD in comparison to standard CBT .When done in a neurodiverse-affirming way, it can be a powerful tool for navigating challenges, improving emotional difficulties and building strategies that actually work for you — not by trying to change who you are, but by supporting you as you are.

So while CBT doesn’t work for everyone, it might not be that CBT can’t work for you — it may just need to be the right kind of CBT, with the someone who gets it, at the right time.

If you're open to revisiting it, we can explore what didn’t work before, what you'd want to be different now, and how therapy can be tailored to fit you — not the other way around.

• ADHD

• Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)

• Depression

• Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)

• Social anxiety disorder (SAD)

• Panic attacks and panic disorder

• Low self-esteem

• Confidence issues.

• Sleep issues and disorders.

• Perfectionism

• Assertiveness

• Work-related stress

• Academic-related stress