"discover the hidden secrets of choosing the right therapist: an insider's guide"

"Discover The Hidden Secrets of Choosing The Right Therapist: An Insider's Guide"

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Copyright © 2006 Penny Samuels. All rights reserved. This report may not be reprinted or distributed

in any other format without express written permission. [email protected]

Discover

The Hidden Secrets

of Choosing

The Right Therapist:

An Insider's Guide By

Penny Samuels CMH, DC.Hyp, CPNLP, CPEFT, CPEMDR, GQHP, MNCH (Lic)

Clinical Hypnotherapist & Psychotherapist www.plymouth-hypnotherapy.co.uk

www.pennysamuels.com


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This Report has been created to help you choose just

the right therapist for you, confident in the knowledge that you are engaging the best person to

help you successfully:

• Heal your mind or body • Discover the Freedom of Well Being

• Solve a pressing problem • Change your life for the better

• Accomplish a cherished desire or dream • Enhance or improve your skills

• Let go of stress and relax • Overcome a difficult challenge

• Get rid of limiting beliefs which are blocking your • advancement

• Deal with issues , so you can move on • Quit damaging or unhelpful habits

• Conquer fears or phobias which severely limit your freedom

By the end of this report you will have discovered:

• Where to look for a therapist • How to discover whether a therapist is reputable

• What questions to ask them • How to check they are properly qualified,

and the resources to use • What will happen at your first session


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction ...............................................................................................4 1. How Do I Begin Looking For a Therapist? .....................................6

• List of Available Therapies .........................................................7

2. How do I Know Which Therapy is Right For Me?........................11 3. How Do I Start Looking For a Therapist?.....................................13

• Using Professional Associations & Organisations ..................14

• Where Else Could I Look? ......................................................14

4. How do I Find MY Therapist? ........................................................16

• The First Telephone Call..........................................................16

• What Happens During The First Contact? ...............................16

• Free Consultations ...................................................................18

• Home Office, Clinic, or Office Building? ...................................20

5. Making the Appointment for Your First Session .........................23

• What Happens in the First Session?........................................23

6. Privacy and Confidentiality ...........................................................25

• Case Notes ..............................................................................25

• Legal Requirements .................................................................26

7. How Will I know When Therapy is Finished?...............................27

8. Professional Organisations...........................................................28


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Introduction These days, many of us are in need of a therapist at some point in our lives. Some-times we realise it immediately, at other times the realisation takes a little longer. It may even be that we need to hit rock-bottom before we ask for help. We might be lucky and have a good support network of friends and family to rely on as we deal with a messy divorce, the death of a loved one, losing our job, recover-ing from surgery or an injury, or dealing with the aftermath of a house fire. But how-ever much it helps, sometimes that loving support simply isn’t the solution: ♦ “I know they love and support me, but it just isn’t enough.” ♦ “I don’t want to burden those closest to me with my problems; they have

enough to deal with already.” ♦ “I feel so guilty that I still feel like this, after all they’ve done for me.” ♦ “They don’t just understand …..” ♦ “I couldn’t possibly discuss something so deeply personal and private with

somebody I know!” ♦ “They’ll think I’m a terrible person.” ♦ “I can’t bear them telling me to “Snap out of it” or “Pull yourself together” once

more! Don’t they think I would if I could?” ♦ “I know he does his best with my shoulder, but it’s more pummelling than

massage. He’d be so hurt if he knew it doesn’t help at all.” There’s no doubt about it, there really are times when only a properly qualified therapist will do. As we go through life we are, at some time, very likely to meet challenges we can-not conquer on our own. Whether those challenges are mental, physical, spiritual, nutritional, medical, or emotional, there will always be just the right person available to help us.


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Nobody has the slightest qualm about going to see their doctor when they have a physical ailment, or rushing of to A & E in case of an emergency. From our earliest years we’ve been used to doing just that. It is what is expected. Why, therefore, should it be such a problem for us to obtain the services of another sort of specialist, one who practises in a different field altogether? And yet, for most of us, the first approach to a professional therapist is often a very big step. And then the very fact that we have solved one problem, by realising we need the help of a properly qualified therapist, then raises another question—”How do I know exactly what therapy would help me most?” And that question is just the start of it! In turn it raises several more questions: ♦ How do I decide what I need? ♦ How do I find a therapist? ♦ Where do I look for help? ♦ How do I know I’ve found the right therapist for me? ♦ How do I know they are properly qualified? ♦ What questions should I ask? ♦ What do I need to know? ♦ Money is short—will they offer a discount? ♦ How and when will I be expected to I pay? ♦ Will the therapist tell anybody about me? ♦ What can I do if I suffer an accidental injury whilst in therapy? ♦ What can I do if I have a complaint? Therapists are not just for the rich and famous; they are for ordinary people like us, who do not have the time, money or resources to make costly mistakes. By following the advice in this Report, you can avoid those very pitfalls.


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1. How do I Begin Looking For a Therapist? The most obvious starting point is to know what sort of therapy you need—and that is not as fatuous a statement as it sounds. Sometimes it is blindingly obvious what form of therapy would most benefit you; at other times there are several which could benefit you, in different and subtle ways. For example, if you have a frozen shoulder, would you choose Shiatsu, magnother-apy, Reiki, physiotherapy, Alexander Technique, osteopathy, sports massage, Ayurveda, or acupuncture? Maybe you’d visit your GP, or go to the pharmacy to buy some painkillers? All approaches could benefit you in some way, but which would benefit you most? Which would you feel most comfortable with? If you were suffering an emotional trauma, would you select the services of a coun-sellor, a hypnotherapist, a psychotherapist, an NLP practitioner, a Flower Essence therapist, or an Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) practitioner, for example? You really are worth it! Assuming that a tight budget is one of the factors which governs the therapy you can afford, you may need to select the one which is likely to be the most effective and beneficial in the shortest period of time. Investing in your well-being is always a very good use of your time and money. After all, you are a unique and irreplaceable person. Most of us think little of lavish-ing our hard-earned money on our cars, but a car is hardly unique and irreplaceable (however useful)! Spend your money where it is most needed—on you.

Experience how you could be instead of how you are.


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Acupressure Acupuncture Alexander Technique Allergy Testing Angel Healing/Therapy Anger Management Anthroposophical Extended Medicine Anxiety Management Aromatherapy Art Therapy Astrology Aura Soma Auricular Acupuncture Autogenics Australian Flower Essences Therapy Autonomic Response Testing Ayurvedic Medicine Baby Massage

Baby Yoga Bach Flower Remedies Back Pain Management Bates Method Bee Venom Therapy Bereavement Counselling Bi-Aura Therapy Biochemic Tissue Salts Bio Energy Biodanza Biofeedback Biological Terrain Management (BTM) Biorhythms Bio-sync Detox Body Talk System Bowen Technique Brain Gym Buteyko

The Therapist as a Commodity? Do bear in mind that, as with every commodity you can purchase as a consumer, with therapy you also get what you pay for. Here you are purchasing a service, rather than goods; you need to ensure it’s the right one for you and your needs. There are now numerous Complementary and Alternative therapists available, in addition to the more main-stream therapists such as bereavement counsellors, osteopaths, chiropodists, physiotherapists, counsellors, psychologists, and dieti-cians. Simply logging onto the internet and looking at a Complementary & Alternative therapies resource such as www.therapynet.co.uk will throw up a vast—and possi-bly bewildering - list of therapies to choose from:


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Celloids Chakra Therapy Chavutti Thirumal Massage Chelation Therapy Chinese Astrology Chinese Herbal Medicine (Traditional Chinese Medicine) Chiropody Chiropractic Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Colonic Hydrotherapy Colour Therapy Core Process Psychotherapy Counselling Cranio-Sacral Biodynamics Cranio-sacral Therapy Cymatics Crystal Healing Crystal Light Therapy Do In Doulas Dowsing Dream Therapy Dr Hauschka Rhythmic Treatments Electromagnetic Field Balancing Tech-nique (EMF) Electronic Gem Therapy Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) Emo Trance Energy Healing Ergonomic Training Eye Movement Desensitization and Re-processing (EMDR)

Facial Rejuvenation & Rejuvanessence Family Therapy Feldenkrais Method Feng Shui Floatation Therapy Flower Essence Therapy Gemstone Therapy Geomancy Group Therapy Guided Imagery Hakomi Healing Health Kinesiology Health Screening Helionics Hellerwork Herbal Medicine (Medical Herbalism) Holographic Repatterning Holotropic Breathwork Homoeopathy Hopi Ear Candling Hot Stone Massage Hydrotherapy Hydrotherm Hypnotherapy I Ching Indian Head Massage Inversion Therapy Iridology Jaffe-Mellor technique (JMT) Jin Shin Jyutsu Johrei Journey Therapy/The Journey


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Juice Therapy Kahuna Bodywork Kanpo Kinesiology Life Coaching Light Therapy Light Touch Therapy Louise Hay Philosophy/Teachings 'M' Technique Massage Magnotherapy Manual Lymph Drainage Marma Therapy Massage Therapy McTimoney Chiropractic Medau Movement Meditation Melchizedek Method Mercy Oil Meta-aromatherapy Metabolic Typing Metamorphic Technique Method Putkisto Microwave Resonance Therapy Music Therapy Myotherapy Naturopathy Neural Organisation Technique Neuro Linguistic Programming Norris Technique Nutrigenetics Nutritional Therapy Online Counselling

Oriental Body Balance Ortho-bionomy Osteomyology Oxygen Therapy Panchakarma Therapy Past Life Regression Physiotherapy Therapy Phytobiophysics Pilates Pip Scans Polarity Therapy Pranic Healing Psychotherapy Qigong Quantum-Touch Radionics Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy Rebirthing Reflexology Reiki Reverse Therapy Rolfing Seichem/Seichim/Sekhem Seiki Shamanic Healing Shaw Method Shen Therapy Shiatsu Siddha Sound Therapy Space clearing Speech Training/Therapy


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Spinal Touch Therapy Spiritual Counselling Sports Massage Stress Management Systematic Kinesiology Swimming Therapy Swiss Reflex Therapy Tachyon Tai Chi Taoism TENS Therapy Therapeutic Humour Thought Field Therapy Time Line Therapy Touch For Health Toyohari

Traditional Thai Yoga Massage Tragerwork Transactional Analysis Transcendental Meditation Tuina Uropathy/Urine Therapy Vertical Reflex Therapy Voice Massage Voicework Vortex Therapy Watsu Weight Management Yoga Birth Yoga Zero Balancing


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2. How do I Know Which Therapy is Right For Me? Having now read this extensive list, you may be bewildered as to the choice of therapies on offer. Some, by their very name, will be self-explanatory; others will certainly require a little research! Finding just the right therapy for you will, in any case, probably involve a some re-search. I assure you, it will be time very well spent, and could save you time—and a money—later. There are many resources you could choose from: ♦ Magazine and Newspaper articles ♦ Ask your GP or other health care professional ♦ Self-help books (many are available Libraries) ♦ Television programmes ♦ Ask others what worked for them ♦ Attending a therapist’s ‘Taster Session’ (if available: not all therapists are able

to offer them) ♦ Ask the staff at a gym, leisure centre or health club ♦ Attend Open Days at Complementary Health Centres ♦ Ask at your local independent health food shop ♦ Contact the relevant professional organisations listed in the ‘Professional Or-

ganisations’ chapter, beginning on page 28. ♦ Ask questions of therapists you feel might be practising what you need ♦ Search the internet The internet is an amazing tool for research, although a note of caution is required. Many of the websites you will find are those of practitioners advertising their wares. They cannot be regarded as impartial, of course, but the information they provide about their therapies will give you an idea of what is offered by that particular ther-apy. If they list a professional association on their website, check with them to


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ensure the information is accurate and true. As an example, a Google search for ‘Biodanza’, a therapy I’d was not familiar with, produced 56,900 results in the UK alone! (In case you were wondering, Biodanza is “a system of affective integration, organic renovation and a re-education in original life functions, based on vivencias (intense experiences in the here and now) created through movement, dance, and encounter situations within a group. Biodanza has therapeutic elements but is not a therapy. The Biodanza System was created in the 1960's by Rolando Toro Araneda”.)


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3. How do I Start Looking For a Therapist? Now you have decided what therapy would best suit your needs, where do you go from here? The research you have already done will have provided you with an idea of which resources to use, and where to begin your search. Some people are content to select a therapist on the basis that they are conven-iently located nearby. This is obviously an important factor in choosing, especially if transport or mobility issues are a concern to you. However, it should be further down your list of priorities, as there are more important considerations. A very good way to find a reputable therapist is by a referral from your GP, dentist, midwife, consultant, or other health care professional. There are a few therapists who are now working within the NHS, but they are few and far between. There may not be a therapist of the type you require within your area. Another reliable way is to obtain a personal recommendation from a friend, relative, or colleague who has already used the particular therapist you were considering. However, one word of caution here. If you are considering any form of psychother-apy, for example, your therapist should not have had a close connection with any relative or friend of yours. No competent and professional therapist should accept you as a client if you are a close friend or relative of a current or former client. This also throws up another problem regarding personal recommendations. If a person is seeing a psychotherapist about a highly personal problem, they are unlikely to broadcast the fact that they are doing so—however good their psycho-therapist is! On the other hand, somebody who finds a superb osteopath, chiropo-dist, chiropractor, or homœopath will usually gladly broadcast the news.


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Assuming you now know which therapist would most suit your requirements, where do you go from here? Using Professional Associations & Organisations If you have not received a personal recommendation, the most sensible and reliable places to enquire of are Professional Associations & Organisations (listed from pages 28 to 35). A therapists’ membership of a professional organisation confers several benefits, which should act as safeguards for you: 1. It ensures a good degree of competence, as the therapist will have to demon-

strate a high standard of knowledge, competence and professionalism to gain admittance to the organisation.

Of course, members pay subscriptions to join the organisations. You could therefore say that the organisations are not impartial either. However, the organisation has its reputation to consider, and it is in their best interests to weed out the incompetent, poorly trained and, frankly, the ‘shady’. 2. It ensures members adhere to a strict set of standards, rules and guidelines. 3. You will have access to the complaints and discipline procedures of the professional organisation, in the unlikely event a problem should arise. As psychologist Dr John Grohol, Psy.D, succinctly puts it, “Nobody wants to put their intensely personal emotional problems into the hands of an inexperienced, ineffective, or useless practitioner.” Each professional organisation has lists of accredited and qualified members within your area. All are contactable by telephone; most have websites. Where Else Could I Look? After the professional organisations you have a number of options:


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♦ Health Food Shop Notice Boards ♦ Health Club, Leisure Centre and Gym Notice Boards ♦ Directories Yellow Pages Thompson Local BT Phone Book The NHS Directory of Complementary & Alternative Practitioners ♦ Libraries ♦ Newspapers, Magazines and Periodicals (Local and National). A small

selection is printed below: Connect Allergy Natural Health & Beauty Men’s Health Positive Health You Are What You Eat Kindred Spirit ♦ Internet Resources Search Engines (Google, Yahoo, Lycos, Ask Jeeves etc.) www.Yell.com www.kellysearch.co.uk www.healthypages.co.uk www.worldwidehealth.com www.alternativehealth.co.uk www.therapistsuk.com Whichever resource you choose, ensure the therapist you select is a member of a professional organisation.


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4. How do I Find MY Therapist? Hmmmm, this is a different question altogether. You've selected the therapist who appears to offer what you are seeking. Let’s assume your first contact will be made by telephone. For most people, that first phone call is the hardest part. Letting you know what ought to happen when you call gives you additional means to evaluate the therapist's professional competence. The First Telephone Call In your first phone call, you will probably encounter either an answering machine (if the therapist is with a client) or perhaps a receptionist/secretary or answering ser-vice. Whatever the case, you need give only the following information: 1. that you would like to speak to the therapist 2. your name (a first name is sufficient) and telephone number(s) 3. when you can be contacted At this time, it is not necessary to explain the reason for your call. You should never discuss the reason you want to speak to the therapist with anyone except the therapist. A receptionist/secretary or answering service is not entitled to know your private business, and should never ask. What Happens During The First Contact? When the therapist returns your call, he or she will probably ask how you heard about them, or who referred you to them (therapists need to know what advertising


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is working for them). When you have answered that question, say that you would like to make an appoint-ment, and between you and the therapist, a time and date will be fixed for your first consultation. You may have to be flexible: a good therapists' diary is usually quite full, especially in the evening. However, if you consider your need to be an emer-gency, don’t be afraid to say so. Most therapists will make every effort to see you as soon as possible. Some therapists may ask you for a very brief outline of your particular concern or problem. If you feel uncomfortable discussing this over the phone, don’t! Do you know exactly where the therapist is located? If not, make sure to ask for directions to his/her office. If you need to use public transport, ask where the near-est train/tube station or bus stop is located, and how long it will take you to reach his/her office on foot from that point. Some therapists may send you a location map; others may have a map on their website. You could also look on the internet: www.multimap.com. The therapist's telephone manner should always be professional. Unacceptable and unprofessional practices to watch out for include: ♦ The therapist answers the phone during a session with another client, and

worse, proceeds to discuss an appointment with you. ♦ The appointment is made for you by a friend or relative or other person. The

other person then insists on going to the first session with you. Unless there is an extremely good reason for this, or the person for whom the appointment has been made is under the age of consent, the therapist will usually not allow it.

♦ The therapist asks you to make the appointment with their receptionist or

secretary. ♦ The therapist offers to send you something in the mail, without you having

requested it.


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Free Consultations Most reputable therapists offer an initial free consultation. If they do, take it! This has many positive advantages for you: 1. It enables you to meet the therapist face-to-face.

♦ He/she might have sounded great on the phone, but how do you get on when you meet?

♦ Do you feel at ease with him/her? ♦ Do you think he/she understands your problem or difficulty? ♦ Do you have confidence in them? ♦ Do they appear honest and trustworthy? ♦ How committed do they seem to helping or treating you? ♦ Do you feel safe with him/her?

2. Are you comfortable being in the therapist’s clinic or office? ♦ Is it a pleasant environment where you will be able to relax? (Remember,

you may need to spend several hours there.) ♦ Is it quiet, or are there many distractions? (How do you feel about that?) ♦ Are there people coming and going all the time? (If you require total

anonymity, might somebody else who is there recognise you?) ♦ Does the therapist share their clinic or office with other therapists? (Does

this matter to you?)

3. If you have a disability, are your needs catered for? ♦ Is the access to the premises suitable? ♦ Will the seating, bench or couch accommodate you comfortably? ♦ Can you park your vehicle nearby?

4. You can outline your particular problem, which enables the

therapist to assess whether he/she can help you. • If they cannot, for whatever reason, you will not have wasted a session

fee. • If they can help you, they will then outline a treatment plan.


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5. You can ask any pertinent questions. ♦ How much clinical experience does the therapist have? (Experienced therapists will be more likely to help you. Seek out a therapist with specific experience with your issue; you don't want to be a therapist's first-time client for the problem you're dealing with.) ♦ What success does the therapist have treating your particular problem? ♦ Is the therapy they offer likely to benefit you and your condition? ♦ Is the therapy safe for you? ♦ You should always ask what training and qualifications the therapist has.

(Never be afraid to ask to see their Diplomas and Accreditation Certificates—that’s why they have them.) *

♦ You should always ask if the therapist belongs to any professional organi-sations.

(Again, ask to see proof—and carefully check the date. Generally they are renewable annually. If it is has expired, ask why!) ♦ What is the duration of each session? ♦ How should you contact the therapist between sessions, if necessary? ♦ Finally, ask about the fees. How much are they? When are they paid? Does the therapist have debit and/or credit card facilities? Can you pay by cheque? (If the therapist requests payment in cash only, ask why.) Some therapists offer discounts, some do not. Never be afraid to ask.

Credentials * Some therapists have a string of letters after their names, but to be honest, these cannot reliably be used as a rating system to distinguish between good therapists and incompetent ones. They are not infallible guarantees that a particular therapist will be successful in helping you. Since therapy is as much an art as a science, there is a degree of old-fashioned common sense and talent required, which is impossible to determine with creden-


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tials alone. And let’s not forget to mention the very human qualities of compassion, empathy and character. Some very talented therapists have no official credentials at all. However, I’ll say it again, for your peace of mind it is important that your therapist have some kind of professional credentials. Home Office, Clinic, or Office Building? Therapist’s clinics or offices are, like the therapists themselves, very individual. They will usually fall into one of three categories, each with it’s own advantages and disadvantages. You need to consider these: 1. Working from Home Because many therapists work alone, it is often simpler and more convenient to work from home, if they have the space to do so. Therefore you have to decide if you prefer to be in somebody’s home environment, or would you prefer the anonymity of a rented room in an office building, or a room in a clinic? Are there likely to be any other members of the therapists family at home when you are there? Would you mind the fact that there may be other people in the house? Would having others nearby make you feel safer, or more secure? In this situation, you know the therapist has control over his/her environment. They can decorate and equip their therapy rooms as appropriate to the therapy they are practising, and to best take into account the specific needs of their clients. Many therapists who work from home are able to separate their work space from the rest of the home, maybe even having a separate entrance door. But how would you feel if the therapy room was within the main body of the house?


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2. Working from a Rented Room in an Office Building

This is obviously a completely impersonal environment, where you will be extremely unlikely to encounter somebody else you know. That’s a benefit in certain circumstances. But rented rooms can be impersonal, and far from ideal. The therapist has no control over the environment, the common parts of the building—or, indeed, what else is happening in the building, or the noise levels from the other tenants. How would you feel if you had booked a 3:00pm appointment, only to find the lads in the office upstairs had just arrived back from a boozy lunch and were in no mood to keep their noise down? Also, would you feel comfortable if you were a lone female with a male thera-pist in an anonymous office building in the centre of town?

3. Working From a Complementary Health Centre or Clinic

Many of the constraints which apply to working in an office building also apply to working in a Complementary Health Centre or Clinic. Although it is a sympathetic environment in that everybody has the same aims, there will often be numerous separate therapy rooms. Therapists who require comparative calm and silence to work well will not be at their best when in a room next door to a therapist who insists on playing loud “new Age” music! As this space might be rented by the hour, day or week, the room will probably be multi-function. This is definitely a case where “one size fits all” is not appropriate. The needs of a hypnotherapist, for example, will be very different from that of a practitioner of shiatsu in terms of space, seating and equipment. However, you can be secure in the knowledge that there are always other people around you—unless this is a distinct disadvantage for you.


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You have the right to expect absolute privacy and confidentiality whilst in therapy. You need to know that no outsider is listening in, and that anything you say is safely contained in the therapeutic space, with no leaks. This assures you that it is safe to speak, because nothing you say can ever get outside the room. Is this possible in each of the locations mentioned here? Bear this in mind when you go for your initial consultation. So as you see, each location has its advantages and disadvantages. You need to decide in what environment you will feel most comfortable and at ease, and which will be most conducive to your recovery.


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5. Making the Appointment for Your First Session Assuming that the initial interview goes well, you feel confident in your chosen thera-pist and their ability to help you, you like their environment and its location, it is now time to make your first appointment. And having made the appointment, please keep it. Nothing short of a major and unexpected emergency should make you cancel, or, worse still, simply fail to turn up. The therapist’s time is precious and limited; they cannot afford to waste it on clients who do not bother to turn up. Your time and effort is equally precious, and you are worth the therapy you are about to undergo. Perhaps it is worth pointing out that when you book your appointment, you are literally making a contract with the therapist. He/she then expects the income from the fee you will pay for that session. If you do not turn up, you are depriving the therapist of his/her income, as well as preventing another client from getting the help they need. Please note that (in most cases), you will be responsible for paying for any booked sessions you miss or cancel, equal to the fee of the planned session. You may also be asked to pay an administration fee for missing a free initial consultation. However, the good news is that you are not responsible for paying for any sessions cancelled by the therapist! What Happens in the First Session? You can expect to fill out a form, usually to satisfy the requirements of the profes-sional body or insurers. The first session is usually different to your following sessions, as during it you will be asked to explain what brings you into therapy, what


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kind of symptoms you are experiencing, what you hope to achieve with the help of this therapy. The depth of this history-taking will vary from therapist to therapist. When this history is completed, and the therapist has an understanding of you and your current difficulties, he or she should ask you if you have any questions for them. If you do, please feel free to ask them - and ask them anyway, even if the therapist forgets to offer! Depending on the length of the session the therapist holds, or how long the history-taking has been, there may be time to begin some therapy. If not, that will begin in your second session.


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6. Privacy and Confidentiality It should go without saying that you can—and should - expect absolute privacy and confidentiality. Under no circumstances may your therapist ever reveal, without your permission, even the fact that you are a client, let alone any information at all about you or your case, to anyone, even to a family member of yours—or theirs! For example, the wife of a client of mine phoned to ask how her husband was getting on and whether he was making good progress. I knew my client had told his wife he was coming to see me, but nevertheless, I politely—but firmly—declined to discuss his progress. However, had I known that my client had not told his wife he was coming to see me, I would have denied even knowing him. This brings up an interesting point: Ask your therapist what would he/she do if you happened to meet him/her in the street. Would he/she acknowledge you if you were alone? And what would they do if you were with somebody else? Personally, whether the client is alone or with somebody, I will neither acknowledge or greet them, unless they approach me first. This avoids awkwardness—especially if the client is with somebody else (“Who was that man/woman? How do you know him/her?) Case Notes Confidentiality also extends to the case notes the therapist will probably take at every session. If the therapist doesn’t inform you what he/she does with the case notes, you should ask these questions: • Do you hand-write all your case notes? • Where are they stored? • Is the storage secure? • Could others gain access to my notes?


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• Are the case notes transcribed onto a computer? * • Where is that computer located? • Do others have access to it? • If so, are the files password-protected? • What backup is there in case the computer crashes? Could others gain

access to the backup media (CDs, DVDs or USB memory stick)? • Are case notes ever shared? * Whether or not your case notes are stored on a computer, they are regulated by the Data Protection Act 1988. Ensure the therapist understands how to comply with the provisions of the act. Legal Requirements As has already been established, confidentiality is paramount and will be maintained in all but the most exceptional circumstances. These can include: legal action (criminal or civil court cases where a court order is made demanding disclosure, including coroners’ courts), and where there is good cause to believe that not to disclose would cause danger of serious harm to others. Most standards of confidentiality applied in professional contexts are based on the Common Law concept of confidentiality, where the duty to keep confidence is measured against the concept of "greater good”. The sharing of anonymous case histories with supervisors and peer-support groups is not a breach of professional confidentiality. This is because every therapist should regularly undergo supervision to ensure their standards are being maintained, and the case notes are used as evidence of this. The use of peer-support groups is usually enlisted when a therapist is seeking fresh input with regard to a particular case. The sharing of open case histories with supervisors and any referring NHS/AMA medical practitioner is also not a breach.


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7. How Will I know When Therapy is Finished? In most cases, you will be the one to decide when it is time to stop therapy. After all, you are the one living in your body; you are the one thinking your thoughts, you are the one having your feelings; you are the one in pain or discomfort. Therefore you are (usually!) best placed to know whether you have arrived at the point of recovery, repair, or wellness you wished to achieve when you began therapy. However, the decision to stop should be discussed with your therapist, to make sure you are not stopping prematurely. If you both agree that the problem or issue has been resolved, or you are now fully recovered, and stopping is appropriate, set a specific date for stopping and stick to it. After stopping therapy, you need have no further contact with your therapist, unless you experience some new problem, or you have agreed to update your therapist with your future progress.


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8. Professional Organisations This is by no means a comprehensive list, but I have listed the names, addresses, contact numbers, and website addresses for as many of the professional organisa-tions (covering the therapies mentioned in the list on pages 7—10) as possible. Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists www.aacp.uk.com The British Medical Acupuncture Society BMAS House, 3 Winnington Court , Northwich, Cheshire CW8 1AQ, UK Tel: 01606 786782 Fax: 01606 786783 www.medical-acupuncture.org.uk British Acupuncture Council 63 Jeddo Road, London W12 9HQ, UK Tel: 020 8735 0400 Fax: 020 8735 0404 www.acupuncture.org.uk Aromatherapy & Allied Practitioners' Association 8 George Street, Croydon, Surrey CRO 1PA, UK Tel: 020 8680 7761 www.aromatherapyuk.net The Society of Auricular Acupuncturists Woodpeckers, 19 Wildcroft Drive, Wokingham, Berkshire RG40 3HY, UK Tel: 01189 773 433 Fax: 01189 775 957 www.auricularacupuncture.org.uk The Society of Teachers of Alexander Technique 1st Floor, Linton House, 39-51 Highgate Road, London NW5 1RS, UK Tel: 0845 230 7828 Fax: 020 7482 5435 www.stat.org.uk Aromatherapy Consortium PO Box 6522, Desborough, Kettering, Northants, NN14 2YX, UK Tel/Fax: 0870 7743477 www.aromatherapy-regulation.org.uk


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Cruse Bereavement Care Cruse House, 126 Sheen Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1UR, UK Tel: 020 8939 9530 Fax 020 8940 7638 www.crusebereavementcare.org.uk Bowen Therapists' European Register PO Box 2920, Stratford Upon Avon, Warwickshire CV37 1ZL Tel: 07986 008384 www.bowentherapists.com The Buteyko Breathing Association 15 Stanley Place, Chipping Ongar, Essex CM5 9SU, UK Tel: 01277 366906 www.buteykobreathing.org The Society of Chiropodists & Podiatrists 1 Fellmonger's Path, Tower Bridge Road, London SE1 3LY, UK Tel: 020 7234 8620 Fax: 0845 450 3721 www.feetforlife.org The Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine Office 5, 1 Exeter Street, Norwich, Norfolk NR2 4QB, UK Tel: 01603 623994 Fax: 01603 667557 www.rchm.co.uk Foundation for Traditional Chinese Medicine 296 Tadcaster Road, York YO24 1ET, UK Tel: 01904-709688 Fax: 01904-630154 www.ftcm.org.uk General Chiropractic Council 44 Wicklow Street, London WC1X 9HL, UK Tel: 020 7713 5155 Fax: 020 7713 5844 www.gcc-uk.org British Chiropractic Association 59 Castle Street, Reading, Berkshire RG1 7SN, UK Tel: 0118 950 5950 Fax: 0118 958 8946 www.chiropractic-uk.co.uk


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United Chiropractic Association 14 Drovers Way, Woodlands, Ivybridge, Devon PL21 9XA, UK TEL: 01364 654994 www.united-chiropractic.org British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies The Globe Centre, PO Box 9, Accrington, Lancashire BB5 0XB, UK Tel: 01254 875277 Fax: 01254 239114 www.babcp.org.uk The Association & Register of Colon Hydrotherapists www.colonic-association.org British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy BACP House, 35–37 Albert Street, Rugby, Warwickshire CV21 2SG, UK Tel: 0870 443 5252 www.bacp.co.uk The Craniosacral Therapy Association of the UK Monomark House , 27 Old Gloucester Street , LONDON WC1N 3XX, UK Tel: 07000 784 735 www.craniosacral.co.uk The International Association of Crystal Healing Therapists PO Box 344, Manchester M60 2EZ, UK Tel: 01200 426061 Fax: 01200 444776 www.iacht.co.uk Doula UK PO Box 26678, London N14 4WB, UK Tel: 08714 333103 www.doula.org.uk Association for Family Therapy and Systemic Practice in the UK AFT 7 Executive Suite, St James Court, Wilderspool Causeway, Warrington, Cheshire WA4, UK 6PS Tel: 01925 444414 www.aft.org.uk The FELDENKRAIS Guild UK Tel: 07000 785 506 www.feldenkrais.co.uk The Feng Shui Society 377 Edgware Road, London W2 1BT, UK Tel: 07050 289 200 www.fengshuisociety.org.uk


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Hakomi UK Tel: 0114 2353636. www.hakomi.co.uk The Health Professional Council Park House, 184 Kennington Park Road, London SE11 4BU, UK Tel: 020 7582 0866 Fax: 020 7820 9684 www.cpsm.org.uk

Federation of Holistic Therapists 18 Shakespeare Business Centre, Hathaway Close, Eastleigh, Hampshire SO50 4SR, UK Tel: 0870 420 20 22 Fax: 023 8062 4399 www.fht.org.uk Alliance of Registered Homeopaths Millbrook, Millbrook Hill, Nutley, East Sussex TN22 3PJ, UK Tel/Fax: 08700 736339 www.a-r-h.org The Society of Homeopaths 11 Brookfield, Duncan Close, Moulton Park, Northampton NN3 6WL, UK Tel: 0845 450 6611 Fax: 0845 450 6622 www.homeopathy-sch.org British Society of Clinical Hypnotherapists Tel: 01262 403103 www.bsch.org.uk The Hypnotherapy Association 14 Crown Street, Chorley, Lancashire PR7 1DX, UK Tel: 01257 262124 www.thehypnotherapyassociation.co.uk National Council For Hypnotherapy PO Box 421, Charwelton, Daventry, Northants NN11 1AS, UK Tel: 0800 952 0545 www.hypnotherapists.org.uk General Hypnotherapy Standards Council (inc. General Hypnotherapy Register) PO Box 205, Lymington, Hampshire SO41 6WP, UK www.general-hypnotherapy-register.com


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The National Register of Hypnotherapists and Psychotherapists Suite B, 12 Cross Street, Nelson BB9 7EN, UK Tel: 01282 716839 FAX: 01282 698633 www.nrhp.co.uk National Hypnopsychotherapy Council 15 Lighthurst Avenue, Chorley, Lancashire PR7 3HY, UK Tel: 0845 230 1440 www.hypn-psychotherapy.org.uk UK Register of IBS Therapists P.O. Box 57, Warrington, Cheshire WA5 1FG, UK Tel: 0800-085-39-70 www.ibs-register.co.uk Kinesiology Federation PO Box 28908, Dalkeith EH22 2YQ, UK Tel: 0845 260 1094 www.kinesiologyfederation.org McTimoney Chiropractic Association Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8DJ, UK Phone: 01491 829211 Fax: 01491 829492 www.mctimoney-chiropractic.org The Medau Society Medau Movement, 8b Robson House, East Street, Epsom, Surrey KT17 1HH, UK Tel: 01372 729056 www.medau.org.uk National Institute of Medical Herbalists Elm House, 54 Mary Arches Street, Exeter, Devon EX4 3BA, UK Tel: 01392 426022 Fax: 01392 498963 www.nimh.org.uk The Metamorphic Association PO Box 32368, London SW17 8YB, UK Tel: 0870 770 7984 (recorded information only) www.metamorphicassociation.org.uk British Society for Music Therapy 61 Church Hill Road, East Barnet, Hertfordshire EN4 8SY, UK Tel: 020 8441 6226 Fax: 020 8441 4118 www.bsmt.org


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The General Council and Register of Naturopaths Goswell House, 2 Goswell Road, STREET, Somerset BA16 0JG, UK United Kingdom Tel: 08707 456984 Fax: 08707 456985 www.naturopathy.org.uk British Association for Nutritional Therapy 27 Old Gloucester Street, London WC1N 3XX, UK Tel/Fax: 08706 061284 www.bant.org.uk General Osteopathic Council 176 Tower Bridge Road, London SE1 3LU, UK Tel: 0207 357 6655 Fax: 0207 357 0011 www.osteopathy.org.uk Organisation of Chartered Physiotherapists Cedar House, The Bell Plantation, Watling Street. Towcester, Northants NN12 6GX, UK Tel: 01327 354441 Fax: 01327 354476 www.physiofirst.org.uk The PILATESfoundation® UK Limited PO Box 57060, London EC4P 4XB, UK Telephone: 07071 781 859 Fax: 020 7489 0403 www.pilatesfoundation.com UK Polarity Therapy Association Monomark House, 27 Old Gloucester Street, London WC1N 3XX, UK Tel: 0700 7052748 www.ukpta.org.uk UK Council for Psychotherapy 2nd Floor, Edward House, 2 Wakley Street, London EC1V 7LT, UK www.psychotherapy.org.uk Association of Reflexologists 27 Old Gloucester Street, London WC1N 3XX 0870 567 3320 www.aor.org.uk International Institute of Reflexology (UK) 146 Upperthorpe, Walkley, Sheffield S6 3NF, UK Tel/Fax: 0114 281 2100 www.reflexology-uk.net


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The Reiki Association 2 Spa Terrace, Fenay Bridge, Huddersfield, HD8 0BD Tel/Fax : 0901 8800 009 www.reikiassociation.org.uk Reverse Therapy UK The Old Bakery, 4 Church Street, Kintbury RG17 9TR, UK Tel: 01488 608505 (Answerphone service only) www.reverse-therapy.com The Shiatsu Society of the UK Eastlands Court, St Peters Road, Rugby, Warwickshire CV21 3QP, UK Tel: 0845 130 4560 Fax: 01788 555052 www.shiatsu.org Siddha Yoga Meditation in the UK Kingston House, Pierrepont Street, Bath BA1 1LA, UK National Enquiry Line: 01225 315863 www.syduk.org Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists Tel: 020 7378 1200 www.rcslt.org The Sports Massage Association 1 Woodville Terrace, Lytham, Lancashire FY8 5QB, UK .Tel: 0870 005 2678. Fax: 0870 005 2679 www.sportsmassageassociation.org International Stress Management Association (UK) PO Box 26, South Petherton, Somerset, TA13 5WY Tel: 07000 780430 www.isma.org.uk The Tai Chi Union for Great Britain 1 Littlemill Drive, Balmoral Gardens, Crookston, Glasgow G53 7GF, UK Tel: 0141 810 3482 www.taichiunion.com Thought Field Therapy in the UK www.thoughtfieldtherapy.co.uk


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Institute of Transactional Analysis PO Box 1101, Wigton, Cumbria CA7 9YH, UK Tel: 0845 0099 101 (UK local rate) +44 (0) 1697 344091 (international) www.ita.org.uk Transcendental Meditation National Enquiry Office: 08705 143733 www.t-m.org.uk The British Wheel of Yoga Central Office, 25 Jermyn Street, Sleaford, Lincolnshire NG34 7RU, UK Tel: 01529 306851 Fax: 01529 303233 www.bwy.org.uk

This Report is by

Penny Samuels

CMH, Dc.Hyp, CPNLP, GQHP, CPEFT, CPEMDR, CPEFT, MNCH (Lic) Clinical Hypnotherapist & Psychotherapist

56 Ivydene Road, Ivybridge, Devon PL21 9BJ

Tel: 01752 894004

[email protected]

www.plymouth-hypnotherapy.co.uk

For a FREE initial consultation, just call or email to book, or visit www.plymouth-hypnotherapy.co.uk

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