Frequently Asked Questions

A Clinical Psychologist is a regulated healthcare professional trained to assess, diagnose, and treat a wide range of psychological and emotional difficulties using evidence-based approaches. Clinical Psychologists complete a minimum of six years of training, including a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, and are regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

They work with people across the lifespan helping individuals navigate emotional challenges, build on their strengths, and achieve their goals through both short-term support and longer-term therapy.

In-person sessions take place at:

Plato Close, Tachbrook Park, Leamington Spa, CV34 6WE

Online sessions are available via video call and are open to clients across the UK. Autism assessments are conducted online or in-person.

Full details of session fees are listed on the Therapy page. As a brief overview:

• Individual therapy: £115 per session
• Couples and family therapy: £175 per session
• Autism assessment (Stages 1–4): £1,350 in total

A free 15-minute consultation is available before you commit to anything. We are registered with BUPA, AVIVA, WPA, Healix, and Vitality for those with private health insurance.

Unfortunately, reduced-fee sessions are not currently available. All fees are listed on the website. If you have private health insurance, it's worth checking with your provider, as assessments and therapy sessions may be covered under your policy.

You can get in touch via the contact form or by calling directly. We're happy to answer any questions beforehand, whether you're enquiring about therapy or an autism assessment. A free 15-minute consultation can be useful to talk things through before. You'll then be sent a registration form to complete, and we'll be in touch to schedule your first appointment.

The first session is an initial assessment lasting up to 50 minutes. We'll discuss what's been bringing you difficulty, what you're hoping to get from therapy, and what approach might suit you best.

It's also an opportunity for you to get a feel for how we work and to ask any questions you have. If we both feel that therapy would be a good fit, we'll make a plan for how to proceed. It's entirely your choice whether to continue, and there's no pressure or obligation to do so.

This varies depending on the approach and on what you're bringing to therapy. As a rough guide:

• CBT: typically 6–20 sessions
• EMDR: often 6–12 sessions, longer for complex trauma
• Psychodynamic therapy: can range from shorter-term to longer-term work
• CFT and ACT: typically short- to medium-term

These are approximate guides. Some people find they need fewer sessions, others more. We'll review progress together as we go and adjust accordingly.

The choice of approach is based on your individual needs, goals, and preferences. We'll explore this together during our initial discussions. We draw on a range of evidence-based approaches and often integrate more than one, depending on what works best for you.

For example, CFT is often combined with CBT or EMDR, and neurodiversity-affirming work may be integrated with ACT depending on what's most helpful.

Yes. Sessions may involve just the children, parents, or the whole family depending on what feels most helpful. We work with emotional and behavioural difficulties in children and young people, family stress, communication breakdowns, and challenges linked to school, friendships, or life transitions.

It's understandable to have concerns about your child missing school. In most cases, schools are supportive of healthcare appointments — particularly those that contribute to a child's emotional wellbeing, which can itself improve attendance and engagement over time.

We're happy to liaise with your child's school where appropriate to plan appointments thoughtfully and minimise disruption.

Yes. We offer both neurodiversity-affirming therapy and formal autism assessments. In therapy, we provide a safe, non-judgemental space to explore how neurodivergence may influence emotions, relationships, identity, work, and daily life — focusing on strengths as well as challenges.

If you're interested in a formal autism diagnosis, please see the Autism Assessments page for full details of the assessment process.

Yes. We offer comprehensive, NICE-aligned autism assessments for individuals aged 16 and over, conducted online or in-person. Assessments are led by Dr Greg Smith and supported by a multidisciplinary consensus team, in line with NICE guidelines.

Full details of the process, stages, and fees are available on the Autism Assessments page.

Yes, we are registered with BUPA, AVIVA, WPA, Healix, and Vitality. If you have coverage with any of these providers, we recommend contacting your insurer before booking to confirm your policy covers the type of sessions you're seeking and to clarify their authorisation process.

Yes. Everything discussed in sessions is kept in strict confidence. There are two situations where confidentiality may need to be carefully considered:

• If we have significant concern about risk of harm to you or to someone else, we may need to involve other services. Where possible, we would discuss this with you first.

• We receive regular clinical supervision as part of our professional practice. We may discuss aspects of our work with our supervisor, but we ensure that any identifying details are kept confidential.

Brief clinical notes are kept securely and in line with HCPC standards and UK data protection law.

Yes. We provide private autism assessments for clients across Warwickshire, including Leamington Spa, Warwick, Rugby, Kenilworth, Stratford-upon-Avon and surrounding areas. Assessments can also be completed online for anyone across the UK.

Sessions cancelled with more than 48 hours' notice will not be charged. Cancellations between 24 and 48 hours' notice are charged at 50% of the session rate. Cancellations with less than 24 hours' notice are charged at the full session rate.

If you need to reschedule, please get in touch as early as possible.