FAQs

Frequently asked questions

We have tried to anticipate all the questions you might have, but if there’s something you want to know that isn’t covered here, please just get in touch.

Can I claim for therapy sessions with you on my medical insurance?
You may be able to claim if you have medical insurance cover with following providers:
If your policy covers therapy treatments. Links to the claim procedures on their websites are:
Aviva - www.aviva.co.uk
Allianz - www.allianz.co.uk
Pruhealth - www.vitality.co.uk
WPA - www.wpa.org.uk
Simply Health (HSA) - www.simplyhealth.co.uk
Cigna - www.cigna.co.uk
Where can I see a therapist?
We see clients face to face in London and the Isle of Man. If you are based outside of these areas we are happy to hold therapy sessions via telephone, Skype or Zoom.
How do I pay for therapy sessions?
You can pay by card online or by bank transfer — contact us for banking information. Transfers are normally done over the internet.
What happens if I can’t make my therapy session?
We know that plans can change but we ask all clients to give at least one working day’s notice of cancelling their session; we appreciate being given more notice if possible. If you can’t give at least two full working days’ notice, you will be charged for the session. We do not charge if you go on holiday and you have not booked any sessions.
How long is each therapy session?
Each session lasts for what is known as a therapy hour which, traditionally, lasts for 50 minutes. This misnomer might seem misleading but it allows the therapist time between sessions to write up your notes. If you arrive late, that time is lost; the session will end when it would have done, at the end of the 50-minute slot booked by you.We see clients between 9am and 9pm from Monday to Friday. Most clients have appointments at the same time every week so some slots may be full but we will try to find a time that works for you.
How many therapy sessions will I need?
Some therapies, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), last for a limited and fixed number of sessions (often 6 or 12); others may go on indefinitely until the therapy reaches a natural conclusion. When your treatment ends, you can rely on your therapist to suggest a way of winding down to your final session so you can adjust to life without therapy.
What available times are there for therapy sessions?
We see clients between 9am and 9pm from Monday to Friday. Most clients have appointments at the same time every week so some slots may be full but we will try to find a time that works for you.
Which therapy should I choose?
Some people have an idea of the therapy they want; others don’t know. We ask all clients to be open-minded as we prefer to discuss your situation and consider what would be best for you before recommending options. Equally, we are flexible in our approach and if an issue turns out to be more or less deep-rooted than either of us expected, other therapies or treatments might be more appropriate.
Will I see a man or woman therapist?
It is fairly rare for clients to ask to see a particular gender of therapist; we are all trained to work with all clients, whether male, female, heterosexual, homosexual and any age or race. Occasionally, if a client wants to discuss a sexually related issue, or issues relating to a parent, they might want to specify whether they see a man or a woman.
Do you offer telephone, Skype, Zoom or on-line therapy sessions?
Yes, we do.
Do I have to lie down on a couch during therapy sessions?
No. However, some people like to sit on a reclining chair or lie on a bed when they are having hypnotherapy as they find it helps with the relaxation process that is part of hypnotherapy.
I’m worried that I will leave my therapy session looking upset in public
We always try to ensure that you leave the therapy room in a calm and collected state. We do this by guiding the therapy session to a conclusion by winding down from emotionally heightened moments.
What happens when my therapy sessions end?
We know that long-term therapy, in particular, has a huge impact on clients. When your treatment is coming to an end, you can rely on your therapist to suggest a way of winding down to your final session so you can adjust to life without therapy. We always contact our clients after their course of sessions is over, to see how they are.
What safeguards are there in therapy?
We are professionally trained and belong to relevant professional associations, as listed on the home page of this website. As with all therapists, we are also supervised according to the rules specified by the professional bodies we belong to. We sometimes discuss clients with our clinical supervisors, to be sure we are taking the right approach, but we are all bound by professional rules on confidentiality to maintain your privacy.
Do you provide therapy sessions in other languages?
We sometimes receive requests for therapy in other languages including French, German, Greek, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish. If you need therapy in a language which is not listed here, we will try to find someone for you.
What about confidentiality and privacy in and out of therapy sessions?
Whatever you discuss with your therapist is absolutely confidential. We will sometimes discuss clients with our clinical supervisors, to be sure we are taking the right approach, however, we are all bound by professional rules on confidentiality to maintain your privacy.We are registered under the Data Protection Act 1998 (registration number Z1280450) because we hold information on our clients in a database, and we may need to contact you between sessions.We also hold limited information on clients so we can refer to it between therapy sessions (which is common practice for therapists). We also hold brief details on people who have signed up to receive our newsletters. We will never share information on our database with third parties If you wish to see information we hold on you, please email info@pinnacletherapy.co.uk
What happens if I have a complaint about a therapy or a therapist?
If you think you’ve been treated inappropriately, please raise it first with your therapist. If you do not feel able to raise it with your therapist, or if you are not able to resolve it having spoken to them, please email us on info@pinnacletherapy.co.uk and we will do all we can to address your concerns. If you’re not happy with the outcome, you will be able to follow it up with the professional body that your therapist is accredited to, and they will have their own complaint procedures.