Frequently Asked Questions About EMDR, CBT and Therapy in Basingstoke
What is EMDR?
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based psychological therapy best known for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and trauma-related difficulties. It can also be used for various difficulities.
Difficult or overwhelming experiences can sometimes continue to affect how we think, feel and respond, even when they happened many years ago. Memories may remain emotionally intense or become connected to present-day fears, beliefs, physical sensations or patterns of coping.
EMDR uses a structured therapeutic process that includes bilateral stimulation, such as guided eye movements, alternating sounds or tapping. This is intended to support the processing of distressing memories so that they become less emotionally overwhelming and can be understood in a more adaptive way
EMDR does not erase memories or make you forget what happened. The aim is for memories to feel less disturbing and less influential in your present life.
You can learn more through the or on YouTube.
What is CBT?
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a collaborative talking therapy that explores the relationships between thoughts, emotions, physical sensations and behaviour.
CBT can help you recognise patterns that may be maintaining your difficulties and develop practical ways of responding differently. This might involve examining unhelpful assumptions, gradually approaching situations you have been avoiding, experimenting with new behaviours or developing skills for managing difficult emotions.
Although CBT is often described as a relatively structured therapy, it should still be adapted to the individual. The length and focus of treatment will depend on your difficulties, circumstances and goals.
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How do I know whether CBT or EMDR is right for me?
You do not need to decide which therapy you require before contacting us.
During the initial conversation and assessment, we will explore what is happening, how your difficulties developed, what you have already tried and what you would like to change.
Some people may benefit primarily from CBT or EMDR. For others, an integrative approach drawing on both therapies and additional psychological ideas may be more appropriate.
We will discuss our recommendations with you rather than make decisions about your therapy without your involvement.
What difficulties do you work with?
We work with adults, teenagers and generally children aged seven and over. People come to Mindspace for help with difficulties including:
- anxiety, worry, panic and phobias
- OCD and intrusive thoughts
- depression and low mood
- trauma and PTSD
- difficult childhood or relational experiences
- shame, self-criticism and low self-worth
- emotional overwhelm, anger or stress
- relationship and family difficulties
- avoidance or feeling stuck
- grief, bereavement and significant life changes
- sleep difficulties
- the psychological impact of serious medical diagnose
This list is not exhaustive. Difficulties often overlap and do not always fit neatly into one diagnosis.
If you are unsure whether we can help, please contact us. We can discuss your needs and, where appropriate, suggest another professional or service that may be better placed to support you.
How do I arrange an appointment?
You can contact us through the website or by telephone on 07523 014800.
If we are in a clinical session and cannot answer, please leave a private message containing your name, contact details and a suitable time for us to return your call. Please avoid including detailed or highly sensitive clinical information in your initial message.
We offer a free, brief initial telephone conversation to understand what you are looking for, answer any immediate questions and consider whether one of our therapists may be a suitable fit.
If we agree to arrange an assessment, the first appointment will allow us to explore your current difficulties, relevant background, hopes for therapy and any previous support or treatment.
You will also have the opportunity to ask questions and decide whether you feel comfortable continuing. There is no obligation to proceed if you decide that Mindspace is not right for you.
Do I need a referral?
No. You can contact Mindspace directly without being referred by your GP or another professional.
If your therapy will be funded through private health insurance, your insurer may require authorisation before sessions begin. Please let us know which insurer you are using when you first contact us.
Which therapist will I work with?
When you contact Mindspace, we will consider your needs, preferences, age, the type of difficulty you are experiencing and each therapist’s expertise and availability.
We will discuss who may be best placed to help rather than simply allocating you to whoever is available.
You can read more about Martha and Tony on their individual therapist profile pages.
What can I expect during my first EMDR session?
EMDR is a phased therapy, and processing the most distressing memory does not usually begin immediately.
Your therapist will first spend time understanding your history, current circumstances, difficulties and goals. They will explain how EMDR works, discuss whether it may be appropriate for you and answer your questions.
The early stages may also include identifying existing strengths and resources, developing strategies for managing distress and preparing carefully for later memory-processing work.
The pace of therapy will be adapted to your individual needs and readiness.
How can EMDR help with childhood trauma?
Experiences from childhood can continue to influence present-day emotions, beliefs, relationships and ways of coping.
EMDR can help some adults, teenagers and children process distressing experiences that remain emotionally active. The aim is not to remove the memory but to reduce its intensity and help it feel more clearly located in the past.
With childhood and complex trauma, therapy may require careful preparation and pacing. The work may also include developing emotional regulation, strengthening internal and external resources, understanding relational patterns and building a more compassionate view of the ways you learned to cope or survive.
EMDR is not automatically suitable for everyone. Its appropriateness will be considered through an individual assessment.
What if therapy feels difficult or overwhelming?
Therapy can sometimes bring up difficult thoughts, memories or emotions. You will not be expected to disclose or process anything before you are ready.
We encourage you to tell your therapist if the work feels too fast, overwhelming or unhelpful. We can review the pace, focus and approach together.
Therapy should involve enough challenge to support meaningful change while remaining responsive to your needs and capacity.
How are parents and families involved when a child or teenager has therapy?
The involvement of parents or carers will depend on the young person’s age, developmental needs, circumstances and the nature of their difficulties.
Parents may be involved through initial assessments, review meetings, parent consultations or family sessions. Where helpful and agreed, we may also communicate with schools or other professionals involved in the young person’s care.
It is important for children and teenagers to have an appropriate degree of privacy within therapy. We will explain how confidentiality works, what information may be shared with parents and the circumstances in which information would need to be shared because of a safeguarding or serious safety concern.
We aim to balance the young person’s privacy with the need for parents and carers to support their progress.
Do you offer online therapy?
Yes. We offer online therapy for adults and, where clinically appropriate, for teenagers and children.
Online therapy can provide greater flexibility and make it possible to attend from a familiar environment. We use secure platforms suitable for clinical work.
Online therapy will not be appropriate for every person or situation. We will consider privacy, safety, age, individual needs and the type of therapeutic work before agreeing that online sessions are suitable.
How long does therapy take?
There is no single answer because the length of therapy depends on your difficulties, goals, circumstances and response to treatment.
Some people benefit from a relatively focused course of therapy. Others, particularly those experiencing complex or longstanding difficulties, may need longer-term work.
We will discuss this with you at the beginning and review it together as therapy progresses. Continuing therapy will not be assumed without considering whether it is still helpful.
How much does therapy cost and how long are sessions?
Information about session lengths, current fees and our cancellation policy is available on our Fees and Availability page.
We will confirm the session length and fee with you before your first appointment so that everything is clear from the outset.
How do you review progress?
At the beginning of therapy, we will discuss what you would like to understand or change.
Progress may be reviewed through ongoing conversations, agreed goals and, where helpful, questionnaires or other clinical measures. We will invite your honest feedback about what is and is not helping.
If therapy does not appear to be moving in a helpful direction, we will consider this openly with you and discuss whether the approach should be adapted.
How does confidentiality work?
We take your privacy and confidentiality seriously. Clinical information is stored securely and handled in accordance with data-protection law and our professional responsibilities.
Confidentiality has important limits. Information may need to be shared if there is a serious concern about your safety or someone else’s safety, a safeguarding matter or a legal requirement to disclose information.
Therapists may also discuss clinical work within professional supervision. This is conducted confidentially and identifying information is limited wherever possible.
Your therapist will explain confidentiality and its limits at the beginning of therapy and answer any questions you may have.
Can I contact my therapist between sessions?
Contact between sessions is generally limited to practical matters, such as arranging or changing appointments.
Any additional therapeutic contact or agreed work between sessions will be discussed with your therapist in advance.
Mindspace is not an emergency or crisis-response service. Messages are not monitored continuously and we cannot guarantee an immediate response.
Do you provide resources, recommended reading or handouts?
Where helpful, your therapist may recommend books, articles, websites, handouts or exercises relevant to your individual therapy.
For people interested in learning more about EMDR, one possible resource is Getting Past Your Past by Francine Shapiro. However, resources will be recommended according to your needs and are not a replacement for individual assessment or therapy.
Current clients can download agreed handouts and therapy resources from our Client Handouts section below. Please speak with your therapist if you are unsure which resources are relevant to your work.
What should I do if I need urgent help?
Mindspace Therapy Studio is not a crisis service and cannot provide immediate or emergency support.
If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E department.
If you need urgent mental health support in England but there is no immediate danger, call NHS 111 and select the mental health option. You can also contact your GP or an existing mental health team.
You can contact Samaritans free on 116 123 at any time.
Children and young people can contact Childline free on 0800 1111.
Do you offer supervision, consultation or training for therapists?
Professional supervision, clinical consultation and training for therapists, teams and organisations are provided separately through Ferrito Training & Consultancy, for further information please see the following website: .
This includes EMDR consultation, CBT and EMDR supervision, reflective practice and training related to trauma, complex clinical work and therapist development.
Mindspace Therapy Studio remains focused on providing psychological therapy to individuals and families.
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Mindspace Therapy-Studio Ltd.
Company Registration Number: 11263839
