WHO IS PSYCHOSEXUAL & RELATIONSHIP THERAPY FOR?
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I support a wide range of issues including :
People who would like to have a healthy relationship with themselves and with sex, but are struggling with this at the moment.
People experiencing incompatibilities with their partner(s)
People experiencing pain with sex
People struggling with arousal
People facing a transgression/issue of trust
People would would like to become more sensual, explorative, connected, and to have more pleasure in their life.
People struggling with orgasms
People with low or high sensitivity to touch
People who've experienced a big change in their life which has affected their experience of sex
People with low desire
People of any sexuality and gender
People of faith or non-faith
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I do not work with 'sex addiction', here is a place you can find help.
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WILL I KEEP MY CLOTHES ON?
Yes! This is talking therapy, it is not a sexual interaction with the therapist.
I do not perform medical examinations. I will ask you to go to your GP if I believe that medical investigation or treatment may be necessary.
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WHAT DO YOU OFFER?
Some of the things I bring to my clients in sessions are:
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A safe space to share what's present for you
Support to process difficult and overwhelming feelings
Relationship skills building
Confidence building and encouragement
Space to explore and clarify your sexuality
Reflections, ideas and insights (which I welcome challenge around)
Care and attention
Greater understanding of self/partners' patterns and where they come from
Learning about how to work with triggers
Increased compassion all round
Motivational interviewing
Support with grief/anger/sadness
Strategies to have more pleasure in your life/lives
‘Peak experience mapping’
Resource ideas
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IS IT THE SAME AS COUNSELLING?
In that you will have a safe space to explore and deepen understanding of yourself/selves yes. However it is more dynamic/active process of healing and change for most people. Psychosexual therapy also often involves physical exercises for you to do at home. See 'what will be expected of me' below.
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WHAT IS A SESSSION LIKE?
Psychosexual and relationship therapy begins with a process of assessment - finding out about you, your experiences in life, your family and your partner(s). Part of the reason for this is to gauge whether this will be the right kind of therapy or intervention for you/you both/all at this time. I may recommend that you seek alternative support before engaging with psychosexual therapy. Each partner will be seen individually after an initial joint session. After gathering information from each person I create a formulation which summarises back what I've heard and gives hypotheses of where the issues might lay. The whole process is consensual and collaborative. You hold the answers and I am here to support you in your individual or shared journey to find these answers, and to create change for yourself/selves.
WHAT WILL BE EXPECTED OF ME?
To create lasting change openness and honesty will be necessary in sessions. Also a commitment to, and the time to do 'work' between sessions. I will make a variety of suggestions for you to try. Again, this is entirely consensual and you won't be pressured to undertake anything you're uncomfortable with. Working with me is an opportunity to create profound change in yourself and your relationship(s). Most of the work and change will be outside sessions, I will help to direct this with you, and to maintain the momentum of change to a point where you don't need my help. This is my objective!
WILL I/WE FEEL A DIFFERENCE?
The majority of clients experience a significant positive shift in how they approach and experience themselves, their relationships and sex. Also people report feeling more confident communicating well in their relationship, and of feeling much closer emotionally to their partner(s).
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IS IT CONFIDENTIAL?
As a registered therapist I am bound by professional codes of ethics.
Here is the confidentiality document which I adhere to.
I will explain at the start of therapy that your information will be kept between us. I receive monthly professional supervision where I can raise my current clients using only first names. All notes are kept securely in a locked file. I make 'process notes' containing minimal client information.
The exceptions to confidentiality are:
​- If I think you are at risk of giving or receiving serious harm from self or others (I would discuss this with you unless I felt it was a danger to do so)
- If I am required to do so by a UK court of law.
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FAQ
What about information handling?
I use the information I collect in accordance with all UK laws concerning the protection of personal data, including the Data Protection Act 1998 and the GDPR 2016. CA Perry is the data controller. If another party has access to your data I will tell you if they are acting as a data controller or a data processor, who they are, what they are doing with your data and why I need to provide them with the information. If your questions are not fully answered please contact myself. If you are not satisfied you can contact the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) https://ico.org.uk.
​​For individual clients I will routinely ask for your, name and address (postal and email), date of birth, GP details and emergency contact details.
​Any personal information we hold about you is stored and processed in line with The Data Protection Act 1998 (in force on the date this statement became operational) and the General Data Protection Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2016/679) adopted on 27th April 2016 and enforceable from 25th May 2018.
You have the right to ask for your data to be deleted but I do not to have comply with this request if there is a legitimate reason for continuing to retain this data (for example possible future legal requests). I will keep electronic invoices for seven years as this is the required length to comply with the HMRC requirements. After seven years I delete the invoices.
What about data security?
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All client files and therapy notes are kept secure in a locked filing cabinet.
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Expired paper records, and IT assets, will be destroyed, when no longer needed, by a certified disposal service meeting British Standard EN 15713.
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Access to your personal information is restricted on a ‘need-to-know’ basis only i.e. for those concerned directly with your care and with your account.
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I use personal computers that computers are password protected and the hard drives are encrypted. Passwords are not shared. In the unlikely event of a data protection breach we will notify the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) so that their procedures can be followed. I will also notify all individuals whose data may have been accessed to alert them to the breach and any potential risks.
Data accuracy: Should, during the course of your contact with us, any personal data be subject to change e.g. if you move address, change GPs, change your name etc. I would be grateful if you could notify me at the earliest opportunity so I can ensure our records are up to date. Please contact myself, if you wish to update the accuracy of the personal data we hold about you. I may require additional verification that you are who you say you are to process this request. If you wish to have your information corrected, you must provide me with the correct data and after I have corrected the data in our systems I will send you a copy of the updated information.
All individuals who are the subject of personal data held by the data controller are entitled to:
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Ask what information I holds about them and why.
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Ask how to gain access to it.
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Be informed how to keep it up to date.
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Be informed how the company is meeting its data protection obligations.
If you would like to request a copy of the data I hold about you, this is called a subject access request. Subject access requests should be made in writing or email. I will aim to provide the relevant data within 30 days. I will always verify the identity of anyone making a subject access request before handing over any information. We may withhold such personal information to the extent permitted by Law. In practice, this means that we may not provide information if I consider that providing the information will violate your vital interests.
In certain circumstances the Data Protection Act allows myself to disclose data (including sensitive data) without the data subject’s consent. These are:
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Carrying out a legal duty
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Protecting vital interests of a Data Subject or other person.
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If the data subject has already made the information public.
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Conducting any legal proceedings, obtaining legal advice or defending any legal rights.
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Monitoring for equal opportunities purposes – i.e. race, disability or religion.
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Providing a confidential service where the data subject’s consent cannot be obtained or where it is reasonable to proceed without consent: e.g. where we would wish to avoid forcing stressed or ill data subjects to provide consent signatures.
Under these circumstances, I will disclose relevant data. However, I will take all reasonable steps to notify the individual whose data is being disclosed about the disclosure. I will also ensure that any such data request is legitimate, reasonable and necessary.