Have you ever thought about going to a psychologist but haven’t taken the step? Have you thought that they are expensive, or that time heals everything?
Deciding to ask for psychological help is not easy, in fact, asking for the first appointment is one of the most difficult steps to take, as it implies an acknowledgement of one’s own problem.
People don’t like change. As a species, we have survived by having control over what happens around us, so when something is going to change, it is normal to experience rejection.
When we ask for psychological help, we are heading towards a process of change, so it is common to convince ourselves that we don’t need it: “I’m not that bad, I’m sure I can hold on longer like this”, “I’d go but it’s too expensive”, “time heals everything”. “talking to a friend is enough”, and so on. All these thoughts stop us from asking for help, and are an unconscious strategy not to change and continue as we are now.
Some of the most usual reasons for asking for an appointment are: feeling unwell, not being able to sleep, being under a lot of stress, having some difficulties with a relationship (partner, family, work colleagues…), concentration problems, body discomfort without an apparent cause, and so on.
If you have ever thought about going to the psychologist, we invite you to request a cost-free first appointment without any commitment. In this first appointment we will see if we can help you in anything, whether you need another service, as well as if you simply do not need psychotherapy. Click here.
Predicting how many sessions a person needs is very complicated, probably most psychologists will tell you that it is not possible to answer that question.
The duration of a therapeutic process depends on different factors such as the severity of the situation, whether or not previous work has been done, the person’s age, if psychological treatment is being combined with other interventions, the frequency of encounters, the willingness to change, the connection between the person coming to the clinic and the psychologist, and so on.
If I go to several psychologists at the same time, will I be cured faster?
This is a wrong assumption, because without good coordination the treatment of different professionals can generate interferences that hinder the process of change.
How often do I have to go?
Currently, the most common thing is to have a weekly session of about 1 hour. In public health care, professionals have a lot of work to do, so it is common for them to see patients for less time and with more distant sessions (every 3 weeks or more).
Is it possible to go more frequently? Sometimes the number of sessions with the same professional can be increased to obtain faster results. However, this rule cannot be applied to everyone in the same way, and requires prior assessment of the person.
If you have any other questions, you can request a free first session here to clarify your doubts.
What will the first session be like? Will I have to pay? What do I tell him? These are some of the questions that come to our minds the first time we make an appointment with a psychologist.
Every psychologist works in a different way. In our case, the first session is free and it is a good way to get to know each other. In this first session, we will ask you what is happening to you and in what way you think we can help you.
This first contact is very important for two things: on the one hand, it helps us to evaluate if we can help you or not (sometimes the person does not need a psychologist, but another service). On the other hand, it allows us to establish a first contact. It is very important that you feel comfortable with the psychologist who is treating you. Therapy is a two-way process, if you want it to work, you will also have to do your part, and that is much easier if you connect with the person who is treating you.
This first session will also help you clear up any doubts you may have about the therapy. Maybe you’ve never been to a psychologist before and don’t know how it works. Don’t worry, it’s normal not to know, that’s why in this first contact you will be able to ask all the questions you have about the therapeutic process.
If you want to try, contact us without any compromise.
Everyone in my family is a mess… should we all attend therapy?
It is not a coincidence that a person is struggling in some way (anxiety, depression, eating disorders, ect). When a person suffers, it is often a reflection that something is happening in the family.
In some situations, it is clear that something is not right in the family: there is tension, lack of communication, blame, a sense of not fitting in, fights over money, not feeling loved, etc.
Sometimes, although it may seem that the problem lies in one person, the problem is in the whole family. When working with a family, it is usual to start seeing all the members, and then, it is more likely that different people in the family will be called (for example, to see the parents on their own, or just the children).
But… what if my family is not willing to go to the psychologist?
Most people in the family do not see that they may need a psychologist. In these cases, individual therapy can be done with the person. If you are thinking about starting a process, the changes you make in your life will most likely produce changes in your family as well.
If you want to know more about how family therapy works, you can request a free first appointment to resolve your doubts.