Questions about Clinical Psychology

We’ve put together some questions that we frequently get asked – but if you have a question that isn’t covered by the questions below, please do get in touch with us!


What is clinical psychology?

Clinical Psychologists are trained in the NHS, undertaking a doctorate while becoming experienced in working with a wide range of people, age groups and clients with varying needs. Clinical Psychologists are trained to understand the difficulties people are experiencing and to develop a ‘formulation’ which can help explain what is going on, and why. From this formulation we are able to plan interventions which can help moving people forward. Clinical Psychologists are trained in a range of therapeutic approaches. This allows for choice between psychologist and client in considering the most effective and appropriate type of therapy.


Why choose clinical psychology over counselling?

There are many types of counsellors and psychotherapists, and choosing a therapist can be a daunting task. Clinical Psychologists benefit from a robust scientific training in assessments and in a range of therapeutic approaches, which enables us to consider the evidence base and choose the most helpful way to work with individuals. We are also very experienced in a wide range of difficulties having trained in a range of mental health services. Many clients like the reassurance that this robust training and experience gives.


What happens once I get in touch with Oxford Clinical Psychology?

Once you get in touch with us, our practice administrator will discuss (via email or phone) what might be a most helpful first step. 

Our usual next step would be to set up an initial appointment with you to get things started. In this appointment we would look to develop and understanding of what is going on for you and discuss a possible plan for moving forwards. Many clients come for between 6 and 12 sessions – although some opt for some longer term therapeutic work.

We will discuss with you what we feel the likely timescales might be, although this is not an exact science! We would always seek to review with you how things are going and whether you are happy with how things are progressing.


How do I pay?

We are registered with the major health insurers, so you just need to provide us with your authorisation code and membership details.

Clients who are self-funding can pay on the day or can pay by bank transfer on receipt of an invoice (which is sent out at the end of each month).


What if I need to cancel or rearrange an appointment?

We realise that sometimes it isn’t possible to keep an appointment and will always try to rearrange if we can. However, we do need to charge full session cost for those appointments cancelled within 24 hours.


Will you contact my GP?

We always ask for GP details as part of our initial paperwork. However, we don’t routinely contact GPs but will talk with you about doing so if it would be helpful to join up on our care. The same is true of any mental health team or other services you may be involved with. We are obliged to contact your GP without consent if we are concerned about your safety.