Question 1

How much do sessions cost?

Accepted Answer

Self funded individual therapy sessions (50 minutes) = £120
Stand-alone consultation appointments (90 minutes) = £180

Question 2

Can I see you through my health insurance?

Accepted Answer

Yes. I provide psychological therapy services for several insurance companies, including BUPA, AXA, Aviva Cigna, Healix and Vitality. Please get in touch if you want to find out if  I am registered with your insurer.

Please contact your insurance company with any specific questions regarding your eligibility or benefits.

Question 3

Do you offer low cost options?

Accepted Answer

Not yet. This is something I aim to set up in time. I want to be able to improve accessibility to psychological therapy, both through lower cost individual therapy and online and community resources.

If finances are the reason you are not able to pursue therapy, please get in touch as I may be able to recommend more affordable or accessible options for support that fit your needs.

Question 4

How long are sessions and where do they take place?

Accepted Answer

Individual therapy sessions are approximately 50 minutes in duration.

In person sessions take place at Clockwise, Bromley Old Town Hall.
Online sessions take place via Zoom. There are other platforms I can use if required.

I will provide more information regarding the location and how to access sessions during our initial discussions.

Question 5

Do I have to commit to ongoing therapy to be able to come and see you?

Accepted Answer

I aim to work flexibly with you to provide the best support for your needs. This could look different depending on what would be best to address your current difficulty.

Ongoing therapy: 
We will start by meeting for an initial assessment appointment. This provides an opportunity for me to get to know you better and to start to form a plan for support. This can include how many sessions I may recommend as a starting point. This appointment also offers an opportunity for you to start to get to know me as a therapist and what coming to therapy with me may be like.

After this you can decide if you would like to continue meeting for appointments. I offer both short term and longer term therapy. We will come up with a plan together and we will regular review how this is going and if ongoing sessions will be helpful.

For ongoing therapy needs, it can be important to have a consistent regular time and space to meet to help support the process of therapy and movement towards your goals.  At no point across our time together are you obliged to continuing meeting. It is important that therapy is a space where you feel comfortable and that it is meeting your needs.

Stand-alone consultation: 
If you are wanting a space to explore and unpick a current difficulty, without wanting to commit to ongoing therapy, I can offer a one off consultation appointment. This appointment involves assessment and guidance relating the difficulty you are experiencing, including an action plan and signposting/referrals if appropriate.

This may feel enough for your needs at that time. There is also scope to book further appointments, either at that time or in the future, with a therapist you have now already met and who has started to gain an understanding of your difficulties.

If you are not sure if your current experience is a good fit for meeting with me, please get in touch and we can discuss further.

Question 6

What are the first steps? Getting in touch and the first appointment...

Accepted Answer

The first step is to send me a message letting me know what you would like help with and any questions you may have. You can get in contact through the contact page on this website. Or you can email me directly on drrebeccashirley@gmail.com. I can then send you more information via email or we can arrange a free 15 minute telephone consultation to briefly discuss what you are looking for. During this call I can answer any questions you have and can provide more information about meeting in person or online.

Following this, if you are happy to, we will set up our first appointment together. During this appointment we will talk in some more detail, at your pace, about what brings you to therapy and what you would like help with. If you are happy to continue we will set up some therapy sessions together. Sessions will generally occur at the same time every week or fortnight. We will regularly review how the therapy is going to consider progress towards your goals and how many more sessions may be helpful.

Question 7

What is your cancellation policy?

Accepted Answer

In order to ensure I am running a sustainable business, with fair access to those who may benefit from it, I operate a cancellation policy.  We can discuss more together as to how to manage this if helpful.

Cancellations with less than 48 hours’ notice, and non-attendance with no notice, will be charged. Repeated cancellations may be charged irrespective of the cancellation notice given. You will be given warning of this and we can discuss how to manage this if it comes up. Cancellation can be made in writing by text message or e-mail.

In the event that I need to cancel a session at short notice, you will not be charged.

Dr Rebecca Shirley Clinical Psychologist

Frequently Asked Questions