What to expect

How do I start?

You can contact me using the form on the Contacts and fees page. I offer a cost and obligation free preliminary telephone call to talk about your needs and aims and to answer any questions you have. From there we can decide whether to book in a first session.

What can I expect at a first session?

It's a chance to talk about what brings you to therapy now, and to provide an opportunity to see what it's like for us to talk together and whether it feels like we will be a good fit for each other. There is no pressure for you to continue if it doesn’t feel right for you.

What will we do in sessions?

We’ll be led by what’s important for you. There are lots of ways to explore issues, ranging from talking to using more creative ways to deepen our understanding such as using the arts, breathing techniques, increasing body awareness and body based methods for processing emotions. We can work together to find what is most helpful for you.

How often should we meet?

I work with people on a weekly basis. Having a regular appointment on the same day and time each week provides a safe, reliable space that you know will be there for you, for as long as you need it.

How long will it take?

The type of therapy I offer is based on the intentional use of the therapeutic relationship to process difficult experiences and to promote the capacity for organic growthful change. That means we have to allow time to build the trust needed to talk about difficult things. So therapy is designed to fit into the flow of life. Within this, some people want to focus on a very specific issue for a limited number of weekly sessions (often 10 to 20), whilst with others, we work for longer to explore much more broad ranging and deeper issues that impact across multiple areas of life.

Do I need to prepare or bring anything?

You don’t need to bring anything with you. Sometimes people like to think about things they want to explore ahead of time, or to write down dreams they have had, whilst for others it can feel more helpful to explore what emerges on the day. There’s no right or wrong way to go about it, they're just different routes to allow the areas that need to be addressed to emerge.

How do I end therapy?

The aim of therapy is to get you to a place where you no longer need therapy. When you feel like you're getting ready to end, talk to me about it and we can build in time to reflect on our work together which helps to bed in the changes you have made.

Vikki Schwebel Therapy
Oxford Psychotherapy and Counselling
Online and In-person Psychotherapy and Counselling