Psychotherapy

What is Psychotherapy?

Psychotherapy provides a safe and supportive environment for patients to talk openly about their difficulties. Psychologists help patients understand the thoughts, emotions, and behaviours that keep them from feeling their best. Patients will learn new skills to better cope with challenges that they currently face and that may arise in the future. Please refer to "Our Treatments" for some of the types of therapy we provide.

What can I expect at my appointment?

At your first appointment, your psychologist will ask you questions about yourself. These may include questions about your background and current difficulties, as well as your thoughts, feelings and behaviour. You may be given questionnaires that measure your mood and/or other difficulties.

Your psychologist will work with you to understand how your difficulties came about and/or are maintained. Your psychologist will also discuss with you the goals you would like to work on during your subsequent psychotherapy sessions.

How long and frequent are psychotherapy sessions?

Typical psychotherapy sessions last between 45 minutes to 1 hour. They may occur on a weekly, fortnightly, or monthly basis. The total number of sessions required depends on your needs such as the types of difficulties you face, your goals, the things going on in your life, and how fast you make progress. Typically, patients attend between 8 to 12 sessions of psychotherapy before discharge.

How do I prepare for my appointment?

To make the most of your session, prepare a list of the things you would like to discuss and work on in psychotherapy. You may bring a notebook to write down any useful information during sessions. More importantly, keep an open mind so that you can use this opportunity to learn more about yourself.

Is what I share confidential?

Yes. Information shared in our sessions are confidential. You do not have to talk about anything that you are not comfortable with sharing. While your psychologist will record information relevant to your care in your hospital notes, the only people who can rightfully access these notes are your doctors and the treating team.

Please not that there are some special circumstances where your psychologist may need to break confidentiality. These circumstances will be explained to you by your psychologist at your first session.

No one's life is perfect; everyone has struggles. Sometimes, we need extra help to make sense of and cope with these struggles. Seeing a psychologist could be the first step in paving the road to a richer, fuller and more meaningful life.