HIGH PEAK THERAPY
Frequently Asked Questions
How does confidentiality work? High Peak Therapy takes confidentiality very seriously and confidentiality is largely governed by law and the therapist's Code of Ethics. High Peak Therapy is obligated, by law, to protect human life.
How many sessions will I need to see you? It depends. While some clients enter therapy knowing exactly what they want to accomplish, others present with needs that can be complex and require more time. For EMDR and EFT for single incident traumas it may take ebtween 3-6 treatments, for more complex trauma further sessions would be required. With reflexology you may want a one off treatment every now and then to maintain phsycial and mental wellbeing or to treat ill health or stress you may wish to have treatments more regularly.
What will happen at the first session? EMDR and EFT - the first session is an intake and assessment session. Prior to the session you will have been provided (and filled out) with various screening tools. We will review this information together and talk about the issues or problems you face that bring us together. The main goal of this session is for me to be able to understand how to best assist you so that you can, in turn, better function and resolve your presenting reasons for seeking out therapy. This session is a chance for me to get to know you, and for you to understand how we will work together moving forward. Any questions you have will be addressed, as well. Reflexology - prior to the first appointment you will have been provided with an intake form which you will complete and send me prior to the session if via . We will go through this at the beginning to check you goals and aims for treatment and you will then have the reflexology session which begins with what is known as 'relaxers', relaxing movements on the foot and then the reflexology which is the light pressure appliied to the base and tops of your feet or hands.
I cannot afford to meet you weekly, can I see you less frequently? Though I usually recommend starting with weekly therapy for EMDR, I also understand it is expensive to engage in therapy and the cost of living is burdening all of us. If you are stressed financially, I find that treatment goals are harder to reach. I work with my clients, meeting them where they are on their journey and where they are financially. That said, if I believe weekly appointments are necessary to reach your goals, I will make this recommendation and then you and I will decide what is right for your situation. EFT & Reflexology - have the treatments whenever you wish. If you have a specific goal for a health condition whether physical or mental you may need more regular appointments which we can disucss so you can make a decision as to what is best for your circumstances.
What is your approach to treatment? I provide individual therapies, EMDR, EFT and Reflexology but I also integrate elements of ACT (Acceptance behavioural therapy) and mix mmodalities as needed to best help you.
How are cancellations handled? Cancellations with less than 24 hours are charged at the full price.
Can I have an EMDR session longer than 60-Minutes? I do offer extended EMDR sessions. Some clients prefer to spend longer than the allotted 60 minutes so that there is no gap in processing. This can be offered on a case-by-case basis.
How effective is EMDR? When compared to other methods of therapy (psychoanalysis, cognitive, behavioral, etc), EMDR has been rated as far more effective by mental health professionals. Clients experience emotional healing at an accelerated rate. If we use the metaphor of a driving a car through a tunnel to get to the other side, (where the tunnel represents the journey of healing and the other side of the tunnel represents the healed state), EMDR is like driving your car through the tunnel at very high speeds. Because of this accelerated processing, you should notice improvement within each session.
What does the overall treatment with EMDR look like? EMDR focuses first on the past, second on the present and third on the future. The past is focused on first because it is the past unresolved pain (whether it is childhood or the more recent past) which is causing pain in the present. Dealing with the past is therefore going to the root of the problem. For example, if a client comes in with depression and she has a history of being depressed since a death in her family, we would focus on the time around the death first because it is the root of the depression. To only focus on the symptoms of the depression in the present would be like taking an aspirin for a headache caused by a brain tumor rather than working with the brain tumor. Once the past pain has been cleared, most of the present symptom picture will also be cleared. If anything is left unresolved in the present, it is attended to next. Then comes preparation for the future. Many people have fears about healing … how their life will change, how they will function with their new perspective on the world, etc. “Future” work is about being prepared.
What will I experience during an EMDR treatment? Before any EMDR treatment, there is a preparation & assessment phase. The purpose of the preparation phase is to help you feel safe within yourself and to explain and demonstrate EMDR techniques so you know what to expect. The purpose of the assessment phase is to isolate memories to work with in EMDR that are the root of your emotional/physical pain today. The length of time for each of these phases varies per person dependent upon their individual needs. Once the preparation and assessment phases are complete, the treatment phase begins. You will be asked to focus on a “target” image (one selected together during the assessment phase) while following the practitioners fingers with your eyes or tapping. Once you start the eye movement, you will find it very difficult to focus on the memory. This is normal. The initial focusing on the memory opens the door to the memory, the EMDR completes the processing on a deeper subconscious level. The eye movements are done in short sets (15-30 seconds) with breaks in between of varying length dependent upon your needs. The sets continue until processing is complete for a given memory. You can stop the process at any time by raising your hand. It is important to remember that your brain is doing the processing and that you are the one in control. EMDR is a passive process. Just will be asked to just let whatever happens, happen. You may experience feelings, thoughts, body sensations. You may experience nothing. Whatever you experience, you will be asked to notice it as if you were passing by it on a train rather than being within the experience. If at any time you feel overwhelmed, you only need to raise your hand to stop the process. You will be asked to share what comes up in the break between sets. There are no right or wrong answers. This information will only guide future sets. Your feelings surrounding a given event will be rated by you (from 1-10) both prior to and after EMDR treatment. The aim of every EMDR session is noticeable improvement by the time you leave the session.
Can a reflexologist diagnose my ailments? No. Reflexologists are not doctors. If you are feeling unwell you should seek advice from a medical expert first. Reflexology treatments can help with certain ailments and conditions once they are diagnosed. Please note that reflexology is a complementary health therapy. It works alongside conventional medicine and shouldn’t be used on its own as an alternative.
Do reflexologists use special foot massage technique? A unique thumb or finger walking micromovement technique is used all over the foot. It is a precise and firm movement that does not hurt or tickle. Pressure can be increased or decreased according to your needs.
What should I do before a treatment? For reflexology it is a good idea not to eat a heavy meal less than an hour before your treatment. Do not drink alcohol or take opiates (codiene, tramadol, codis, cocodmol, morphine etc) before attending your EMDR/EFT/Reflexology appointment.
Is reflexology safe during pregnancy? Yes, reflexology is totally safe and beneficial during pregnancy. Here at High Peak Therapy I specialise in pre-conception, antenatal and priming for labour. I am trained in maternity reflexology. I would be happy to help if you are considering reflexology as part of your fertility and pregnancy journey.
How should I pay? You can pay by bank transfer or in cash. If by bank transfer I can send you the details of how to pay.
How will I feel after my treatment? EMDR - you can feel sleepy following a session, I will go through what's called resourcing to help you deal with any stress you encounter in between appointments. You may start to feel better after one full processing session or it may take more treatments. Sometimes you feel worse before you begin to feel better. Reflexology balances the body and promotes self-healing. For both Reflexology and EFT Most people feel the benefit both during and after their first treatment. Following on from Reflexology follow the aftercard advice contained in the reflexology folder within the resources section on this website.
What can you expect to feel during an EFT session? During an EFT session the following may be experienced – all of which are normal and not harmful: - Tightness in body - Tingling - Shakiness - Feeling hot/cold - Desire to yawn, cough, sneeze or cry - Dizziness - Emotion no longer attached to memory - Inner calm - Tiredness - Logical awareness (fear suddenly seems silly for example) - Increased motivation to take helpful actions