For many people, insecurities can arise before speaking with a psychologist for the first time. Most people have a lot of ideas about what it will be like to see a psychologist. It can be difficult, however, to imagine exactly how it will unfold for oneself. Due to this, I have written down what I find the most relevant to know about seeing a psychologist, including some of the questions I most frequently get from clients.
If you have questions you do not feel have been answered on this site, please feel free to write me a mail or text asking me to call you. I will call you as soon as I am available. See this page for contact information.
A lot of people choose to see a psychologist because difficult emotions and thoughts are taking up too much focus in their lives. One can experience that one does not feel well, and that one is not able to do the things one would like to do. This can be in cases of trauma, persistent psychological or physical symptoms, or challenges in one’s relationships or in one’s education or job. For others, it is not possible to tell which situations the difficult thoughts and feelings are about, but they just experience being caught in a negative spiral.
Some people choose to see a psychologist because they experience being stuck in their life. One can experience being stuck in the same negative patterns. Even though one is able to see those patterns, it can seem impossible to change them on your own.
The experience of being stuck can also show itself through an experience of meaninglessness. This can be particularly difficult to understand if one’s life apparently seems to be as one would like it to be. It can be relevant to speak to a psychologist if this experience is so prevalent that it starts expressing itself in for instance a lasting experience of depression, a lack of connection in your close relationships, or a lacking ability to do the things one used to do. The experience of a lack of connection can also be in terms of oneself. It can feel like you are a stranger to yourself. One can also have a prolonged experience of not knowing what to do with one’s life.
In the conversations, a space will be created in which what is important and meaningful to you can arise. People have specific themes that the consultations will primarily revolve around. Sometimes, however, something in life can arise suddenly that will become necessary to focus on for a while. This does not mean that the other themes are no longer relevant, just that they will not take up as much of the focus in the consultations for a while as something else will require our attention.
This approach also means that we will not follow a manual or a predetermined structure. What arises as being important to you will become the content and topic of the consultations.
My advice is to have one weekly consultation in the beginning, if this is possible. Between the consultations you will be working with what has been spoken of. This can be in terms of doing something differently in a practical sense. It can also just be allowing what has been talked about to integrate and settle in your emotional and mental life. Later there can be a longer span between the consultations. The number of consultations, and the duration of the therapy as a whole, varies from person to person.
My approach is that people should have as few consultations as possible. How many are needed depends for instance on how long one’s challenges have been present. If the challenges in adulthood were also present during childhood and has been prevalent since then, usually more consultations will be needed than if one’s challenges have arisen a few months or years ago.
As a licensed psychologist under the Danish Supervisory Board of Psychological Practice I practice under the Psychologist Law as well as The Ethical Principles for Nordic Psychologists. This means that what you tell me is confidential.
As a psychologist, the ethical aspects of the conversations is an important part of creating a safe space for you. Confidentiality is essential in this regard. Knowing nothing you say will leave the room can give the sense of safety and trust necessary for being able to speak openly and freely. Confidentiality entails everything about you down to me not saying your name to others or informing anyone else whether or not we are speaking together.
There are exceptions in which I have to break confidentiality by law. If I believe that you are at serious risk of harming yourself or others, I am legally bound to break confidentiality to protect you and/or others.
In regards to therapy with youths who are 15, 16 or 17 years of age, your parents – or the custody parent – must be involved in the therapy. We will find out how the best approach is for you. Often it makes sense to have one or both parents present in the first consultation, and afterwards inviting them to join a consultation when we find it relevant. I will not contact your parents during the period we speak together unless I have told you about it first and we have talked about what I am to talk to them about. It is important that you experience it as your space. This entails you and me finding out together when and how to involve your parents in the best way.
By law I must break confidentiality if I believe you are at risk of harming yourself or others. I must also inform the local authorities in your municipality if I believe you are in an exposed situation.
No. Your employer will not receive information about this, nor does he or she have access to any information regarding your consultations. If you use the company’s health insurance, your employer will not know about the content of our conversations.
I am by law obliged to note down and safely store information about you and what we are talking about. View this page for further description of this.
Payment happens during the consultations itself; either in the beginning or before we end. Payment can be in cash or via MobilePay. View this page for session rates.
Cancellation must be done at least 24 hours before the scheduled consultation. This allows time for rescheduling with another client. By cancelling late or not showing up for the session, the full fee for the missed session will be charged as I will not have the time to offer the time slot to someone else.
Member of the Danish Psychologist Association.
Authorized by the National Board of Psychologists.
Skolebakken 7, st th, 8000 Århus
Dronningensgade 23, 5000 Odense
Phone: +45 42 65 50 57
Mail:
Write a text or a mail to schedule a session. If you’d like a brief talk before deciding on whether to schedule a session with me, please write it in your message and I’ll call you as soon as possible.