Psychologists have studied human behavior and the brain (including how people think, feel, learn and behave) and have been trained to assist people who are having challenges coping with emotions, thoughts and actions.

This can include those experiencing mental health problems such as anxiety and depression, addictive behaviours and childhood behaviour disorders. Psychologists use evidence-based approaches that are tailored to suit each client and circumstance and they assess, diagnose and treat a wide range of clients and areas of concern.

It’s very normal to feel anxious, nervous, or unsure about your first therapy session. Our psychologists and/or social workers will provide a private, comfortable, safe, respectful and non-judgmental place for you to discuss anything you need to.

In the first few sessions, the practitioner will typically ask you questions about yourself, your life, and any presenting problems you would like to work on. Together, you will create a plan of how therapy can assist you with these problems, how many sessions it may take, and how frequently you should meet. Prior to your first session it can be helpful for you to ask yourself what changes you would like to make in your life. The aim of therapy is for us to then work together to help you achieve those changes.

In the first session with your child, your therapist will often invite you both into the session at the beginning, then ask to see the child by themselves. After this, the therapist will discuss with you the most appropriate structure of future counselling sessions with your child.

In the case of adolescents, depending on the age of your teenager they may wish to see their therapist without their parent present. However, it is recommended that a parent is always available to attend the sessions if needed, and parental consent is needed for under 16s to attend therapy.

Each individual therapy session is 50 minutes in length. How many sessions you need depends on your situation and can be discussed with your psychologist. After the first 1-2 sessions, your therapist will discuss what they think is an appropriate amount of sessions to help you address the presenting problem. This way you can set goals and work together on achieving them.

Many factors can influence the length of therapy including the issues you are seeking help with, the coping strategies you already use, your support network and previous counselling you may have had.

EDS Psychology has developed several online courses to offer general psychological strategies for common concerns such as stress management and emotional resilience.

They are designed to help teach evidence-based strategies that our psychologists use with clients every day, at an affordable price. These courses are general in nature – should you need an individualised approach, Individual Therapy may be more appropriate.