Central London single session therapy

What is single session therapy?

Single session therapy is simply a single session with psychotherapist or counsellor. It is a valuable option if you:

• have one reasonably simple issue you would like support with

• don’t have the time or money to commit to ongoing therapy

• want to try therapy without committing to multiple sessions.

Some people use an SST as a one-off, with no intention to continue. Others use them as ad hoc sessions, accessing support as and when they need it.

Is single session therapy effective?

Yes. Research shows that a single session of therapy can be surprisingly effective (Rosenbaum et al, 1990). Knowing that you are coming for just one session can really focus your mind and encourage you to cut to the chase.

Studies by Hoyt et al (1992) and Weir et al (2008) both found that around one in two people reported that they felt a significant improvement after a single session of therapy.

Single session therapy may be more effective for those people who prefer a solution-focused approach and who are ready to open up. I wouldn’t recommend it for addressing traumatic experiences, such as childhood abuse, which demand a more gradual approach.

What are the benefits of single session therapy?

There are obvious practical benefits of single session therapy:

• it is time-efficient

• it is cheaper than long-term therapy

• it can be easily fitted around other commitments

• it means help can be accessed when it is needed rather than when the person has the time or money to invest in ongoing therapy.

There is also the advantage that it makes therapy accessible to more people. There are many people who feel anxious or overwhelmed at the thought of ongoing therapy; these people can contemplate single session therapy, whereas they might never access ongoing therapy.

Sometimes a single session talk (SST) performs the wonderful job of demonstrating that therapy needn’t provoke anxiety or overwhelm, and someone who had never before contemplated ongoing therapy signs up for it.

What issues can a single session talk help with?

It isn’t so much the issue that determines whether a single session talk (SST) will be effective. It’s more how you feel about the issue and whether you are ready and able to tackle it. An SST is most effective when it focuses on a problem that:

• is within your control to change

• you are ready to address

• you are at least reasonably comfortable talking about.

What happens in an SST session?

Ahead of the session, I will send you a brief questionnaire. This helps you to think through the nature of the problem and what you want to get from the session. I will ask you to return it to me in time for me to read it before I meet you.

In the session itself, I will check that I’ve understood what you want to get from the session and then we will talk. If you’ve had therapy before, you may find that I interrupt more than you’re used to!

How much does a single session talk cost?

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