Fees & Starting Therapy
Starting therapy can feel like a significant decision, and it is useful to know what to expect before you begin.
I offer an initial brief consultation before arranging a full psychological assessment. This gives us an opportunity to talk about what has brought you to therapy, what you are looking for and whether I am likely to be the right psychologist for you.
You don't need to know which type of therapy you need before contacting me. Part of my role is to help us understand that together.
Free Introductory Consultation
Free introductory consultation
This is a brief initial conversation to hear a little about what has brought you to therapy and to establish whether my experience and approach are likely to be appropriate for what you are looking for.
It is also an opportunity for you to ask any initial questions about working with me.
This is different from a full psychological consultation or therapy session.
Book a Free Introductory Consultation →
Initial Psychological Consultation
£160 | 50 minutes
If we decide to proceed, we begin with an assessment period, usually over 2–4 sessions.
These sessions give us time to explore what has brought you to therapy, your current difficulties and the experiences and relationships that may be relevant to understanding them.
Together, we begin developing a psychological formulation — a shared understanding of what may be happening, why particular difficulties or patterns have developed and what might be most helpful therapeutically.
The assessment is also an opportunity for both of us to consider whether working together feels useful.
There is no obligation to continue into ongoing therapy after the assessment.
Individual Therapy
£160 | 50 minutes
Following the assessment, individual psychotherapy usually takes place weekly at the same time each week.
My work integrates relational and psychodynamic psychotherapy with attachment theory, trauma-informed psychological approaches and EMDR where appropriate.
Read about Individual Therapy →
Read about Trauma & EMDR Therapy →
Couples Therapy
£200 | 50 minutes
Couples therapy provides a place to understand recurring patterns of conflict, disconnection or hurt within a relationship and what may be happening underneath them.
I work from a relational, attachment and trauma-informed perspective, helping couples understand the cycle that has developed between them rather than simply deciding which partner is responsible for the problem.
Frequently Asked Questions About Starting Therapy
How often will we meet?
Once we have agreed to work together, therapy will usually take place weekly for 50 minutes, at the same day and time each week.
I reserve this time specifically for you.
Regularity is an important part of psychological therapy and gives us enough continuity to develop and maintain the work. If attending weekly is likely to be difficult, please let me know during the assessment so that we can discuss whether I am able to accommodate your circumstances.
How long does therapy last?
There isn't a standard length of therapy that is right for everybody.
Some people come with a relatively focused difficulty and may benefit from a shorter piece of work. Other difficulties — particularly complex or relational trauma, longstanding relationship patterns or experiences that have developed over many years — may require longer-term therapy.
During the initial assessment we will begin thinking about what is likely to be appropriate for you.
We can continue to review the focus and usefulness of therapy as the work progresses.
What happens in the first session?
The first session is primarily about understanding what has brought you to therapy.
I will want to hear about what is happening in your life now, what you are finding difficult and what you hope might change.
Over the assessment period, we may also talk about important relationships, earlier experiences, significant events in your life and any previous experiences of therapy.
You don't need to prepare a complete history or know where to begin.
We will work that out together.
What is a psychological formulation?
A psychological formulation is a way of making sense of your difficulties rather than simply giving them a label.
We think together about how your current experiences may connect with your history, relationships, emotions and ways of coping.
It can help us understand not only what is happening, but why it might be happening and what may help it change.
This shared understanding then helps guide the therapy.
What is your cancellation policy?
Once we have agreed to ongoing therapy, your weekly appointment is reserved specifically for you.
Because I am holding that time and cannot routinely offer it to another client, cancelled or missed sessions are charged at the full session fee, including cancellations due to holidays, work commitments or illness.
If I am able to offer you an alternative appointment within the same week, I will try to do so, although this cannot always be guaranteed.
I will give you advance notice of my own planned breaks and you will, of course, not be charged when I am unavailable.
If you decide to end therapy, I ask for at least one week's notice so that we have an opportunity to think about ending the work together.
How does payment work?
Payment is arranged through a secure pre-payment card system.
Following your initial payment, future session fees are processed automatically 48 hours before each appointment using the same payment card.
If you anticipate any difficulty with payment, please discuss this with me.
Do you offer face-to-face and online therapy?
Yes.
I offer psychological therapy face-to-face in Weybridge, Surrey and South East London, as well as online.
Online therapy can work very well for many people, including some forms of trauma therapy and EMDR. We can discuss whether face-to-face or online work is most appropriate for your circumstances during the initial consultation and assessment.
Clinical Psychologist in Weybridge & Surrey →
Do you accept health insurance?
I currently work on a self-funding basis and do not accept payment through private health insurance providers.
If you have private health insurance, you may wish to check whether your insurer allows you to reclaim any element of treatment independently.
What if EMDR isn't right for me?
You don't need to decide that you want EMDR before coming to see me.
EMDR is one of the psychological approaches I can offer, but it isn't automatically the right treatment for everybody who has experienced trauma.
The assessment allows us to understand your difficulties first and then consider whether EMDR, relational psychotherapy or an integration of approaches is likely to be most useful.
Read about Trauma & EMDR Therapy →
Is therapy confidential?
Yes. What we discuss in therapy is confidential, subject to certain professional and legal limits.
There are rare circumstances in which I may need to share information — for example, where there are serious concerns about your safety or somebody else's safety, or where disclosure is required by law.
I also participate in professional clinical supervision as part of good psychological practice. Confidentiality extends to supervision and identifying information is not routinely used.
You will receive my full Terms & Conditions when we begin working together, which explain confidentiality and its limits in more detail.
What if I decide therapy isn't right for me?
The assessment period is partly there to help you decide this.
You are not obliged to continue into ongoing therapy after the assessment.
If you do begin ongoing therapy and later feel that it is no longer useful, has lost focus or something isn't working between us, I would encourage you to talk to me about it.
These conversations can sometimes become an important part of therapy.
If you decide that you would like to finish, we can think together about how best to end the work.
Ready to Take the First Step?
You don't need to know exactly what kind of therapy you need or be able to explain everything that is happening before getting in touch.
A brief introductory consultation gives us an opportunity to talk about what you are looking for and whether I may be the right psychologist to help.
Book a Free Introductory Consultation →
Dr Monika Wieliczko
Chartered Clinical Psychologist
Individual Therapy · Couples Therapy · Trauma & EMDR
Weybridge, Surrey · South East London · Online
