Cathryn Allwood
January 25th, 2010
Welcome to my website. If you are looking for a clinical psychologist in Pietermartizburg, it may be helpful for you to have some information about my training and the way I work, in order to decide whether the therapy I offer will suit your needs.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs):
Why would I consult a clinical psychologist?
There are as many reasons for consulting a clinical psychologist (therapist) or starting therapy as there are individuals. Some of these include a need for personal growth and change, a wish to improve mental well-being, adjustment to mild or to major life stressors, relationship difficulties, individual challenges, loss, bereavement, worries, fears, anxieties, feeling overwhelmed, stuck or unable to move forward, feeling “low”, hopeless, empty, depressed, traumatized, as well as more severe forms of mental illness or psychological distress .
People often have the misconception that therapy is only for individuals with severe mental illness or extreme psychological distress. However, in therapy you are free to explore any area of your life in which you might like to seek understanding or change.
What is a Clinical Psychologist?
In South Africa, a Clinical Psychologist trains for a minimum of 6 years (including a year’s internship) and must hold a masters degree in Clinical Psychology. In addition to the above, those qualifying from 2004 onwards have to pass the Board of Psychology’s National Board Exam, as well as complete a year of community service in a government health institution, in order to register as an Independent Practitioner with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA)
Clinical psychologists have many different ways of working with individuals, couples and groups, but broadly speaking they can assess, diagnose and provide psychotherapy for a wide range of presenting problems, including relatively severe forms of mental illness or psychological distress.
What is the difference between a Clinical Psychologist and a Psychiatrist?
A Clinical Psychologist is trained in multiple forms of psychotherapy and does not prescribe medication. A Psychiatrist is a medical doctor who has specialized in psychiatry and treatment of mental illness through the use of medication and therapy. Psychiatrists and psychologists often work together in treating individuals experiencing more severe forms of mental illness or psychological distress, and their roles are complementary in creating a holistic approach to treatment.
What do I talk about in therapy?
What you wish to discuss, explore or work on in therapy is entirely up to you. A therapist will work by providing you with a safe, confidential space to talk about your issues where your privacy is valued and respected. The therapist will listen to you and your experiences as you are ready to relate them, so as to try to understand and work with you on your particular set of circumstances or difficulties. A therapist will not force you to talk about something you are not ready or willing to talk about and is not there to judge you, but to try to assist you to move forward. Although you will discuss personal issues in therapy, the relationship between you and your therapist is a professional, working relationship.
What is the duration of therapy?
There is no set answer to how long you may want to attend therapy for. I tend to work in a short-to-medium time-frame, and this means that therapy is planned for a time-limited period, for example between 5-10 sessions, and reviewed at the end of this time. If your problems are ongoing or you need to continue therapy, you can choose a longer-term therapy framework. You may end therapy at any time you choose, a positive ending to therapy is important to your experience and it is usually best if endings are discussed openly.
“5 things not to worry about in therapy”
If you are attending therapy for the first time, or even if you have had previous experiences of therapy, you may find you feel quite nervous about starting therapy with a new therapist. If so, you might find the article “5 things not to worry about in therapy”, by John M Grohol PsyD, helpful…
http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2010/01/06/5-things-not-to-worry-about-in-therapy/
Useful links
If you wish for more information about specific mental health issues, the following sites may prove to be useful for you. Please bear in mind that these sites offer services which are not based in South Africa, however, they provide helpful summaries of the signs and symptoms of various mental health difficulties…
