Psychotherapy Fees, Session Options and Beginning Therapy
For a broader introduction to my psychotherapy practice, you may wish to begin with the Psychotherapy Welcome Page. Here you can find practical information about fees, session options, and how therapy begins.
Session fees & payment
Initial consultation (75 minutes) — £65
Therapy session (1 hour) — £65
Monthly consultation (90 minutes) — £90
Once we have agreed a time, I will email you an invoice. Payment for the initial consultation is required to confirm the booking. Further sessions may be paid for before or on the day of the appointment.
All payments are currently via bank transfer.
Therapy appointment times
These are my current private practice hours. We can establish a consistent time for regular meetings if preferred, or I can offer some flexibility if you have a changing schedule due to work, study, or other commitments.
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday: 7:00 am to 8:30 pm
Saturday and Sunday: 7:00 am to 1:00 pm, available once or twice each month
Psychotherapy options
Weekly therapy — 3 to 5 sessions per month
We aim to meet each week. Weekly sessions provide the greatest sense of continuity and often allow the therapeutic relationship and reflective process to deepen over time.
A year of weekly psychotherapy usually works out at between 40 to 48 sessions, once our respective holidays, illness, or other circumstances have been taken into account.
Fortnightly therapy — 2 or 3 sessions per month
We can arrange a regular fortnightly pattern if preferred. This option suits many people well, while still allowing for ongoing therapeutic work.
Monthly meetings
Monthly meetings are distinct from ongoing psychotherapy and are best understood as a series of individual consultations.
They may suit people who would value reflective conversations around art, spirituality, nature, depth psychology, work, or vocation, without seeking the continuity of weekly or fortnightly therapy.
Professionals may also use these meetings to reflect on and enrich their own work in relation to these themes. These consultations are not clinical supervision, which I do not currently offer.
Duration of therapy
How long we work together for is always your decision, and I can help you to consider what will work best for you.
Open-ended: I usually work with people for longer than six months where the therapy continues to feel purposeful and beneficial. Having no fixed number of sessions or predetermined end date allows the work to develop in greater depth. We review the therapy at regular intervals to consider how it is meeting your needs.
Short-term: Between 4 and 12 sessions. You may feel you need just a few sessions to talk about a specific problem, think through a difficult situation, or focus on a chosen theme over a fixed period of time. The therapy is naturally more defined in its scope, and at the outset we will discuss what is reasonable to expect in a brief period of therapeutic work.
Beginning therapy
Our first meeting is an opportunity to begin getting to know one another, and to explore whether this way of working feels right for both of us. We can give our attention to...
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what brings you to therapy
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your hopes and expectations
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why now feels like the right time
The aim is to consider whether the kind of therapy I offer (an approach informed by depth psychology) is a good match for your needs, and whether we feel well suited to working together.
Towards the end of the meeting, I will ask about your experience of it and what you might want to happen next. There is no obligation to continue, and you are very welcome to take time to reflect before making any decisions.
If we both agree to begin therapy, I usually suggest an initial commitment to three sessions. This provides an opportunity to experience the process before deciding whether to continue.
The initial consultation is approached as a one-off meeting and does not imply an ongoing commitment from either side. Any decision about working together will take account of whether I have the appropriate skills and experience to support you, and whether this way of working feels right for you. It is important that you can make that decision after meeting with me, rather than only on the basis of what you have read here.
On a practical level, therapy also relies on a shared commitment to attending sessions, making timely payments, and communicating where needed between appointments.
👉 You can find out more about this on my therapeutic process and relationship page.
Cancellations & rescheduling
I ask for at least 48 hours’ notice if you need to cancel or reschedule a session.
If a session is cancelled or rescheduled within 48 hours, or is not attended, the full fee remains payable. This applies in most situations, including unforeseen ill health or transport difficulties.
Professional standards
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Registered with the Health and Care Professions Council, HCPC registration number AS14739
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Regular clinical supervision and continuing professional development
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Professional indemnity insurance
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Working in accordance with HCPC professional standards
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Therapy begins only where I believe my skills and experience are appropriate for your needs
How to contact me and make an enquiry
I currently have availability to work with new clients.
If you would like to arrange an initial consultation or have any questions, you are welcome to contact me using the form below, or email me directly at APhillipsPsychotherapy@gmail.com.
It is helpful to include some general background about what brings you to therapy, but there is no need to share sensitive or detailed personal information at this stage.
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I usually respond to enquiries within 48 hours (unless on leave).
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If you do not see a reply please check your 'spam' folder, and contact me again if necessary.