FAQs.

Do you offer online therapy?

Yes! At the moment, we are an exclusively virtual service and do not offer face-to-face therapy sessions, especially due to COVID-19. This is to keep our clients and our psychologists safe while also being able to offer you continuity of care and a flexible, convenient service.

How do I know which psychologist is right for me?

It can be hard to know how you might feel when you start speaking with your chosen psychologist. We advise taking a look at the information provided about our psychologists before making a decision, and perhaps booking a free 15-minute consultation with your chosen psychologist. You can then review how you feel during and after the consultation. If you would like to change psychologist, you can self-select the individual in the booking system. Our psychologists understand that client–therapist fit is very important, and will not take offence at you choosing to see someone else.

If you do not know where to begin in deciding between our psychologists, contact us at welcome@abodetherapy.co.uk and we will be able to recommend someone who might best suit your needs and availability.

How long do I have to use up all the sessions in my therapy collection?

You have up to 12 months after purchase to use up all of your sessions. You can book your sessions as and when you’d like, depending on your psychologist’s availability, or you might like to agree a regular time with your psychologist.

Who is ABODE therapy suitable for?

Therapy at ABODE is suitable for people from all walks of life facing all kinds of problems. You do not need a mental health diagnosis to be seen by us, but if you have received a diagnosis previously, that’s also no problem.

We are unable to see anybody who is in need of immediate support or emergency crisis care. In these situations we recommend contacting The Samaritans (tel: 116 123), who offer a 24/7 helpful listening service, contacting your GP directly to explain your situation, calling 999 or going to the nearest A&E.

We are also unable to have sessions with anyone who is currently receiving psychological support from a primary mental health team, or who is simultaneously seeing another psychologist or therapist outside of our team.

Finally, we will not see people who show signs of intoxication or side effects of substance use during the session. We will also not see people who present with inappropriate or threatening behaviour towards our psychologists.

How do I book?

Press the ‘Book now’ button at the top right of the page or click here to be taken to our booking page. On this page, you can select your preferred slot with your chosen therapist and service and purchase the booking directly through there.

Does what I say in sessions remain confidential?

In line with professional ethics, codes of conduct and data protection law, information shared with ABODE psychologists remain confidential.

If a specific concern related to the risk of harm to yourself or to other people arises, we may be required to share this information (in line with best-practice in safeguarding) with relevant agencies who can provide further support. This will be further explained in your first session with us.

What happens if I need to cancel or reschedule my session?

We know that life happens, and plans change, so we are happy to cancel or reschedule any appointments up to 48 hours prior to the appointment time. If you choose to cancel, the credit equivalent to your session will be returned to your account for you to use towards your next appointment. We are unable to offer refunds to safeguard the service and our psychologists’ time - it can be very difficult to fill a slot that has already been booked. If you do not give 48 hours notice prior to cancellation, the full session fee will apply as usual.

What happens if I am running late?

We understand that things crop up now and then, so we offer a grace period of 15 minutes. In the event that you are running late, please contact us as soon as possible. If we have not heard from you within the 15 minutes after the scheduled session time, and you have not entered the virtual waiting room, we will assume that you are not coming to the session and it will be recorded as a no-show. You will still be charged in full for the session.

If you are running more than 15 minutes late and you have contacted us, whether the session continues or not is at the psychologist’s discretion.