This is a Neurodiversity-affirming practice
Creating a practice that I would be happy for my loved ones to come to.
Availability: I am currently full
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Online OCD therapy for Bristol
I thought I would write a little about why I offer online therapy. I know that many people feel a bit fed-up or burned out with online stuff in general and want that that face to face contact. I totally get that. Living in Bristol, or just on the outskirts, I also know what the traffic and parking can be like.
Whilst the cows look like they are having a great time, I know I certainly don't enjoy the stress of being late, not knowing how long to allow to get somewhere, if I can park and other motorists who are less than patient!
Do you get that terrible sinking feeling when you come round a bend and then see stationery traffic?
None of this is conducive to collecting your thoughts, maybe doing some breathing to get you into the headspace to get the most of our therapy session.
Instead you arrive flustered, apologetic, feeling bad for being late and honestly? Annoyed you have lost half the money for your session as I am unable to run over.
When I speak to prospective clients on the phone to see if we are a good fit, they often express concern about whether online therapy will work as well as face to face therapy. This is a totally valid question. I have been doing online therapy for OCD and low self-esteem way before COVID. As a specialist for OCD lots of people would like to see me who do not live within driving or public transport distance. I feel ahead of the crowd as I offered online therapy a long time ago for this reason. I have seen people from all parts of the UK and a few from other countries in the world.
Apart from taking all the stress of navigating our busy roads, most people feel so much more comfie and relaxed in their own environment. You can take the time to prepare, think about the session and what you hope to gain from it. You can review the week and think about what is helpful to tell me about. You can sit for 10 minutes beforehand and take some gentle breaths to calm your nervous system. Start the session on time and relaxed. Why wouldn't you?
What does the research say? The research suggests that the efficacy (how well it works) is just as strong for online and face to face therapy. There is no difference in the outcomes. For OCD in particular, we can still do ERP out and about together. And actually I have found that in practice, it works better than having me walking beside you.
On the flip side it can, for some, be hard to find that quiet space. I see people from a meeting room at work, walking round the park, in their office or in their car (the latter more common than you may think). We do usually find a way to make it work! It will not suit everyone, of course, but just some thoughts from me about the advantages of not sitting in Bristol traffic!