Frequently asked questions

These are the questions I'm most often asked by parents thinking about therapy for a young person in their life. If yours isn't here, please email me at hello@lotushousetherapy.com and I'll be glad to answer it.

Practical

What ages do you work with?

I work with children, young people, and young adults aged 4 to 24. The way I work shifts with the age of the young person: with younger children I often use play, creativity, and symbolic communication; with adolescents and young adults I offer a more traditional talking therapy approach.

How long are sessions, and how often will we meet?

Each session is 50 minutes, normally once a week. Weekly meetings give the work the consistency it needs to develop. Some young people benefit from short-term work focused on a particular difficulty; others come for longer, open-ended therapy. We talk about which fits best in our first conversation.

Do you work in person or online?

Most sessions are in person at my practice room. Online sessions (by Zoom) are available in specific situations, such as illness, school holidays, or when in-person work isn't practical. For younger children, in-person sessions are usually the better fit; for adolescents and young adults, online can work well as a regular alternative.

How long does therapy usually last?

It depends on the young person and what brings them in touch. Some difficulties settle in a few months of focused work; others benefit from longer, open-ended therapy. After four sessions, we pause together to consider whether to continue. There is no obligation either way; the right fit matters more than the booking.

How therapy works

What is "psychodynamic" therapy, in plain English?

Psychodynamic therapy pays attention to the inner world a young person brings: the patterns, feelings, and experiences that may be shaping how they feel in the present. Often the things we struggle with in the present are connected to earlier experiences or relationships in ways that aren't immediately obvious. Therapy gives space for those connections to be noticed and made sense of, gently and at the young person's own pace.

What happens in a first session?

A first session is an assessment. The young person and I meet, often with a parent at the start, and I get a sense of what's been bringing them in touch. There is no expectation that a child performs or explains everything straight away. Building trust takes time, and the early sessions are about creating the conditions where it can grow. Younger children may use play and drawing; older young people often prefer to talk.

How involved will I be as a parent?

The therapeutic relationship between me and the young person is what makes the work effective, so the sessions themselves are private. Parents are welcome to be in touch with me about practical matters, and I will be in touch with you if there is something I think you should know (for example, a safeguarding concern). Roughly every ten sessions, I offer a short review meeting with you as a parent: we look together at how the therapy is going, without my sharing what your child has told me in sessions. That distinction matters, both for trust with the young person and for the work to keep going. For younger children, parental involvement is usually closer; for adolescents and young adults, it tends to be lighter. We talk through what fits your family in our first conversation.

Specific situations

What if my child is reluctant to come?

That is genuinely common, and not a reason not to start. Some young people arrive curious, others apprehensive, others initially resistant. Part of my work is to meet them where they are, without pressure. We do not need a young person to be fully on board at the first session; sometimes the willingness builds through a few sessions of someone simply showing up alongside them. If, after several sessions, the young person genuinely does not want to be there, we talk together about whether the timing is right or whether a different kind of support would suit them better.

Do you work with neurodivergent young people?

Yes. I have particular experience supporting neurodivergent and SEN young people, including those with autism, ADHD, and other learning differences. The way I work flexes to suit the young person: pacing, the use of play and creativity, and the structure of sessions can all be adjusted. Many neurodivergent young people benefit from the consistency and predictability of weekly therapy with the same therapist over time.

Will what my child says stay confidential?

What your child shares in our sessions stays between us, with one important set of exceptions: I have a duty to act if I believe there is a real and credible risk of serious harm to your child or to anyone else. I talk these limits through with the young person, and with you, at the start of therapy, so everyone knows what to expect. The Privacy & policies page sets this out in full.

If you have a question that isn't answered here, the easiest way to ask is by email at hello@lotushousetherapy.com. I aim to reply within two working days.