FAQ | Tutum Psychology

What is the difference between a Clinical Psychologist and other talking therapists such as a psychotherapist, a counsellor or a CBT a CBT therapist?

A Clinical Psychologist undergoes a rigorous and extensive three-year doctorate level training on human behaviour, thoughts and emotions. Securing a a place in the clinical course is very competitive. In 2020, only 18% of the applicants succeeded in gaining a place (770 out of 4,225 applicants; Clearing House, 2020).

The Clinical Psychologist title is regulated and protected by law. It is important to note, however, that the title Psychologist is not regulated or protected by law which means that practically anyone can use this title.

Unlike the Clinical Psychology training, the academic training for Psychotherapists along with other talking therapists (e.g. counsellors, CBT therapists, DBT therapists, etc.) is not at a doctorate level. These therapists typically train using one particular approach to therapy only (e.g. psychoanalytic, systemic, CBT -- to name a few). Clinical Psychologists, on the other hand, employ an integrative approach, which means that the approach to therapy is flexible and is based on the person's needs and scientific evidence on efficacy of treatment.

Why choose a Clinical Psychologist?

A Clinical Psychologist (CP) is trained to utilise a range of therapeutic approaches and adopt those that are better suited to your personal preferences, needs, and the nature of your difficulties.

A CP utilises a comprehensive 'psychological formulation' to make sense of your difficulties. This psychological formulation explains:

what your diffculties are,
how your difficulties started,
what made you vulnerable to having these difficulties in the first place,
what triggered these difficulties recently,
what is keeping your difficulties going,
what coping resources have you got at present, and
your CP's recommended treatment plan.

As the CP is not tied to a particular framework or approach, your psychological formulation is more thorough and your treatment plan is more individualised. Simply put, your treatment is tailored according to your context, needs and difficulties as opposed to your needs and difficulties tailored according to the form of treatment that your therapist was trained to deliver.

What needs to happen prior to starting therapy?

An initial psychological assessment appointment is carried out prior to commencing therapy. The assessment takes a maximum of 90 minutes to complete. On assessment, I will be asking questions about your difficulties and their impact on your day to day life. I will also be asking questions around relevant early life experiences which could help make sense of your current difficulties. I will then use these information to inform my initial psychological formulation (see paragraphs preceeding this section for a description of a psychological formulation), which I typically share and discuss on day 1 of therapy.

How do I know if you are able to help me?

As a responsible clinician, it is my duty of care to practise within my limits of competence as well as recognise and prevent harm from happening to my clients. If I think that you would benefit from another service (within or outside the NHS), then I would not hesitate to talk to you about this and discuss possible options.

From experience (as a clinician & receiver of therapy) and based on evidence from the scientific literature, clients who benefit most from psychological therapy are the ones who share a strong partnership with their clinicians, and those who are at a stage where they are able to recognise their difficulties and commit themselves to doing whatever it takes to overcome these difficulties. Clinicians often employ the 'Stages of Change' model to assess a client's readiness to change. Although one's motivation to change is something that I typically work on during the initial stage of therapy, I believe it is important to be open and honest with my clients should I think that engaging in therapy is not appropriate for them at this time.

Do I need to inform my GP if I decide to access psychological therapy privately?

This is completely up to you. If you are, however, suffering from a chronic medical condition (e.g. fibromyalgia, diabetes, etc.) which may contribute to your psychological difficulties, it may be helpful for me to liaise with your GP. This allows for a better understanding of your difficulties and a more appropriate treatment plan.

Are my sessions confidential? How do you protect my personal information?

Everything that you share in a session is confidential. Without your consent, it is illegal for me to discuss anything about you with anyone. There is, however, an exception to this confidentiality agreeement and that is if your disclosure suggests any immediate risk of harm either to yourself or others. Please be assured that these instances are very rare and that I will always endeavour to discuss/clarify my concerns with you prior to making my decision to break confidentiality. Unless it is unsafe for me to do so, I always try to discuss my reasons for my decision to break confidentiality with my clients before our session ends. However, if the situation requires urgent action, I will have to assume my right to break confidentiality immediately and contact relevant agencies such as your GP, the Police or Social Worker.

Tutum Psychology's record keeping practices adhere to the British Psychological Society (BPS) Generic Professional Practice Guidelines and BPS Code of Ethics and Conduct. Your identifiable information (e.g. name, telephone number, GP, etc.) and session notes (written summary) are saved as an encrypted file in a password protected computer.

What if I need your help urgently?

I am neither able to provide urgent help nor deal with concerns that require immediate action. Please seek advice from your GP or NHS Direct if calling outside your standard GP hours.

New clients will be seen between one to three weeks.

How do I cancel my appointment?

It is free to cancel your appointment if more than 48 hours of notice is given.

The following charges apply:

100% of the session fee if less than 48 hours is given or in the event of non-attendance

Please click here to download a copy of the Terms and Conditions.

**These terms and conditions govern your use of our services; by engaging our services you accept these terms and conditions in full.**

Can I use my private health insurance?

Please state before booking if you wish to pay using private health insurance.

Accepted Insurance Plans: AXA PPP, Aetna, Allianz, Aviva, Cigna, Cigna International, Vitality, and WPA.