How it works
Roughly speaking, there are two phases…
(1) Assessment phase
This is a brief phase that typically takes less than one session. This is about the psychologist understanding what you are seeking help for. This is a collaborative process.
The psychologist has expertise related to human psychological functioning but you are the expert in yourself and your own experiences. You and the psychologist work together for the purpose of understanding your challenges and why they are occurring.
Together it is decided if psychology is needed and if the fit feels right. A plan is developed that will see you achieve your goals.
(2) Therapy/treatment phase
This is the longer phase, but therapy should start toward the end of the first session.
Therapy involves the psychologist working with you on the the factors that have caused your difficulties. Therapy then makes use of psychological principles and techniques to help you break down the factors that maintain or perpetuate your difficulties.
During sessions, the psychologist will provide you with practical skills, strategies, or activities that you will be asked to do between therapy sessions. You then report back to the psychologist about what worked, what didn’t, and so on.
It is important to know that change mostly occurs as a consequence of the work you do outside of sessions. Work within the session facilitates the work outside of the session.
Insight and self-understanding is important, but only in as much as it drives behavioural change. Behavioural change is the most important thing and is the focus of the sessions.