STARTING OUR WORK TOGETHER: CLIENT INFORMATION BROCHURE

Welcome to our practice. We appreciate you allowing us to support you. This brochure answers questions that clients often ask about therapy. Our work will be most helpful when you understand what we are trying to do.

Please read it carefully. Write down any questions, and you may discuss them at your first session.

OUR THEORETICAL APPROACH

We practice an integrative approach combining several evidence-based perspectives:

    • Humanistic: We believe that all individuals have the potential to know and trust themselves, build secure relationships, and develop competence in managing life’s challenges.

    • Existential: We focus on deepening self-awareness, making authentic choices, and finding creative ways to live meaningful, engaged lives.

    • Attachment: We emphasize the importance of developing secure emotional bonds characterized by accessibility, responsiveness, and engagement.

    • Integrative: We draw on a range of psychotherapy systems, using techniques that align with our humanistic, existential, and attachment foundations and are helpful to our clients’ needs.

GOALS AND APPROACH

Working collaboratively, we help clients to:

    • solve or better manage their problems

    • heal from emotional wounds

    • strengthen relationships and personal resilience

    • develop a stronger sense of self and purpose

    • achieve greater emotional well-being

    • lead more meaningful and engaged lives

Our therapy typically follows a three-stage model:

    1. Exploration: Discuss your thoughts, feelings, and concerns.

    1. Insight: Develop deeper understanding of yourself and your patterns.

    1. Action: Consider applying new insights, practicing skills, and making changes.

Session Structure:

    • We greet each other and may summarise the last session.

    • Together, we set a focus for the session.

    • We work on that focus through exploration, insight, and action.

    • We summarise the work and, when appropriate, develop an “action step” for the week.

We use an integrative, evidence-based approach drawing on several established therapies:

    • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): Helps clients identify and change unhelpful patterns of thinking and behaviour to manage mood, anxiety, and other concerns.

    • Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT): Focuses on emotion regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and mindfulness, especially for clients experiencing intense emotions or relational difficulties.

    • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): Encourages acceptance of difficult thoughts and feelings while committing to actions aligned with your values.

    • Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT): Supports developing self-compassion, reducing shame and self-criticism, and increasing emotional resilience.

These approaches are integrated with our humanistic, existential, and attachment-informed framework, allowing therapy to be tailored to your individual needs and goals.

In the first sessions, we focus on understanding your concerns, relevant life conditions, key relationships, past therapy experiences, and therapy goals. Together, we then plan the work, setting goals, methods, and commitments. Plans are reviewed regularly and updated as needed.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM YOU

Therapy is not like visiting a doctor. It requires your active involvement. You will be asked to share experiences, explore strong feelings, and practise new skills outside of sessions, such as exercises, behavioural experiments, or keeping records.

Change may be slow and challenging. Progress often comes in small, consistent steps rather than quick solutions.

SESSION FREQUENCY AND DURATION

Most clients see their therapist weekly for approximately 50 minutes. As therapy progresses, sessions may become less frequent. The typical course of therapy depends on the severity of the presenting concerns:

    • Mild: minimum of 4 sessions

    • Moderate: approximately 6–10 sessions

    • Severe/complex: approximately 12–14 sessions

These are guidelines; the exact number will be determined collaboratively after assessment and may be adjusted based on progress and clinical needs.

Early Termination and Refunds: Therapy may end earlier than planned if goals are achieved or if another service is more appropriate. Any unused prepaid sessions will be refunded, while sessions already delivered are non-refundable. In cases of repeated missed appointments, termination and refund decisions will be reviewed at the therapist’s discretion.

ATTENDANCE AND CANCELLATIONS

    • Cancellations with notice (CNA): Not charged.

    • Missed appointments without notice (DNA): May be charged at the full session rate.

To support continuity:

    • After 2 DNAs, therapy will be reviewed with the therapist.

    • After 3 DNAs, therapy may be discontinued and the case closed.

CONFIDENTIALITY

All information shared is confidential, with the following exceptions:

    • Court orders requiring disclosure

    • Risk of serious harm to yourself or others

    • Plans to commit a serious crime

    • Suspected abuse or neglect of a child or vulnerable person

Where possible, we will discuss the need to share information with you before action is taken. Psychotherapy notes kept by the therapist for professional use are separate from progress notes and are not routinely shared.

We may also consult supervisors or colleagues while keeping your identity confidential to ensure the quality of care.

RISKS AND BENEFITS

Therapy can lead to lasting improvements in thoughts, feelings, behaviours, and relationships. Most clients benefit significantly.

However, therapy can also bring uncomfortable feelings, such as sadness, fear, anger, guilt, or frustration, and may temporarily disrupt relationships. There are no guarantees of outcomes.

Research shows that the quality of the therapeutic relationship—feeling understood, accepted, and respected—is the best predictor of positive outcomes.

ETHICS AND PROFESSIONAL LIMITS

We follow the ethical codes of the Nigerian Psychological Association. Psychologists cannot provide legal, medical, or financial advice. The therapeutic relationship is strictly professional:

    • No friendship, socialising, or romantic/sexual relationships with clients

    • No business relationships beyond therapy

    • No evaluation or testimony in legal or custody disputes

Therapy should be conducted sober. If intoxication is suspected, the session may be paused or rescheduled.

FOLLOW-UP

Six months after therapy concludes, we may send a brief follow-up questionnaire to reflect on progress. Returning it honestly helps us improve our work and support clients effectively.