Therapy Truro is a dedicated psychotherapy and counselling service, offering long and short term therapy, counselling and psychoanalysis for individuals and couples. The practice is run by experienced psychotherapists who have been working in their specialist fields for more than 20 years. Each practitioner is fully qualified and adheres to their respective code of ethics. Therapy Truro is committed to provide psychotherapy and counselling in a safe, secure and confidential environment. It provides a non-judgmental service, which does not discriminate on any grounds of gender, sexual orientation, race, age or disability. The practitioners have a particular interest and expertise in working with people experiencing: anxiety, addictions, adoption, depression, domestic violence, eating disorders, relationship and family issues, sexual abuse and trauma.
Psychotherapy and Counselling Services
Psychotherapy and Counselling Services
Individual Counselling /Psychotherapy
The British Psychological Society defines counselling as a process 'designed to help people improve their sense of well-being, alleviate their distress, resolve their crises and increase their ability to solve problems and make decisions for themselves’. Common issues for which counselling can help include anxiety, depression, stress/anger management, bereavement, life changes and self development. Counselling tends to focus on more specific issues than psychotherapy and if often of shorter duration. Counselling is not advice, but can provide a supportive relationship within which a person can utilize their own resources to deal with difficulties and confront distressing situations. Psychotherapy is a more in-depth process which takes into account the unconscious process. It provides an opportunity for the individual to explore their emotional/psychological difficulties which may be of a more complex and entrenched nature.
The Coronavirus pandemic impacts on people’s mental health. Whilst anxiety is a normal response to difficulties out of our control, this unprecedented and unpredictable situation can stretch people in ways they could not have anticipated. The drastic changes we have had to make to our lifestyles and the serious implications of our health, employment, finances, education and relationships are understandable causes of anxiety. Counselling can help you explore the feelings, help you understand them, suggest ways of dealing with and managing better your challenging situations.
Psychodynamic Relationship Therapy for Couples and Individuals
Relationship therapy is an in-depth treatment for both individuals and couples who are experiencing difficulties in their relationships and who have a wish to explore these problems and see how they have arisen. Problems in current relationships reflect difficulties from experiences in early life. Therapy will allow an exploration of both conscious and unconscious factors and attachment patterns that contribute to the present issues and difficulties. Couple therapy can help with sexual problems, lack of commitment, affairs, addictions, family issues, separation and divorce. This model of therapy is also suited to individuals who have difficulties in relationships and are aware of repeating and destructive patterns of behaviour, either in themselves or in their choice of partner and want help in understanding this.
Psychosexual Therapy
Psychosexual therapy is a chance to explore sexual difficulties that are occurring within a relationship and can provide a treatment programme to improve sexual intimacy for the couple.
Individual and Small group supervision
A case supervision service for counsellors, psychotherapists and other people in the helping professions, including social workers. Although the supervision will look at unconscious and parallel process it is not confined to psychodynamic or psychoanalytic modalities.
Therapists
Elspeth Ballard MBACP
Principal Therapist Dip. Psychodynamic Couple and Marital Counselling Dip. Supervision Psychosexual Therapist Elspeth Ballard trained at London Marriage Guidance (now Tavistock Relationships) where she completed a three year BACP Accredited Diploma in Couple and Marital Counselling and went on to complete a Psychosexual training. She also gained a diploma in Psychodynamic/Psychoanalytic Supervision at WPF in London. She has had more than 20 years experience, intially at Tavistock Relationships and private practice in both London and Cornwall. Elspeth specializes in all areas of family, couple and relationship issues for both individuals, couples and young people.
Trish McGee MBBS MSc BPC
Psychodynamic Psychotherapist Trish completed an MSc and clinical training in individual adult Psychodynamic Psychotherapy at the University of Exeter and membership of the British Psychotheraphy Foundation. She has been working as a therapist for six years, both in the public and private sector. Trish originally qualified as a doctor at St Mary's Hospital Medical School and worked as a hospital doctor and GP for 18 years in London and the South West before moving to Cornwall and embarking on a career as a therapist. She holds her registration with the British Psychoanalytic Council. Trish has experience of seeing adults with a broad range of emotional and mental health problems.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does therapy or counselling take?
It is difficult to be specific as each case and client is different; however, counselling is usually between 6 and 20 sessions and therapy can last from 6 months to 2+ years.
What will happen in the sessions?
There is no set pattern or routine to sessions; it is led by the client and geared to the needs of the client. It is an opportunity to talk and to be listened to in a confidential and non-judgemental way.
What is an Assessment Session?
Everyone is offered an initial hour-long consultation. This provides an opportunity to explore the nature of the problem and to determine if counselling/therapy is the most appropriate form of treatment. Also it gives an experience of the way of working and to consider the suitability of client and therapist.
How often do sessions take place?
Sessions are usually weekly, taking place on the same day and time each week. Sessions are either 50 or 60 minutes.
What happens if I have to change or cancel an appointment?
It may be possible to re-arrange a session, depending on the circumstances. Missed sessions will be charged at the full rate.
How much do sessions cost?
Each session costs £60 - £75, depending on the type of intervention and whether attending as an individual or a couple. It is possible to offer slightly reduced fees in extenuating circumstances and this arrangement is at the discretion of the therapist.
What about Confidentiality and Privacy?
As a practice we take client confidentiality very seriously. We comply with the statutory General Data Protection Regulations. All sessions are confidential unless there is a legitimate legal or safeguarding issue.
What about the Coronavirus (Covid-19)?
In order to accommodate those wishing to have face to face appointments, we have made adjustments in the practice to mitigate as best we can our risk against the transmission of Covid. This includes closing the waiting room and the toilet, adequately ventilating the consulting room, reducing the number of face to face appointments and increasing time periods between consultations. We kindly ask that you please do not turn up to the practice if you are in anyway unwell. We also ask that you turn up only at the time of your appointment to avoid unnecessary waiting, and please use the hand sanitizer when you come into and leave the practice. We will listen out for you and call you into the consulting room. There will always be an element of risk in any face to face consultations going forwards, but we will endeavour to ensure social distancing is practised at all times. We will not be wearing a face covering, but please feel free to if you would like.
If you require specific information you are advised to discuss this with your therapist.
Emails may be your preferred method of communication in which case you should be aware that all emails are retained in the logs of the Service Provider. We suggest you keep email and text messages simple; as a way of requesting or changing appointments, for unexpected events or in the event of an emergency.
Therapeutic Contract
1. All sessions are confidential unless there is a safe guarding issue, in which case your therapist will discuss this with you. Contact details are stored in accordance with the current Data Regulations in a safe and secure place. Notes of sessions are not kept.
2. Sessions start at agreed times and last either 50 or 60 minutes.
3. Payment terms are agreed at the assessment and can be paid weekly or monthly invoice.
4. Any cancelled or missed sessions must be paid for in full. In some circumstances, with sufficient notice the charge may be waivered. Therapist absences are not chargeable.
5. Clients may contact therapists with email, text, letter or voice calls but should be limited to session times, confirmation, cancellation, absences, illness and emergencies. (It is not possible to store emails completely confidentially, this is dependent on the logs of service providers). Therapists will only contact clients to confirm changes to sessions, to check arrangements or to notify of absence or illness.
Our Links
Contact Us
Therapy Truro
8 Walsingham Place Truro TR1 2RP 01872 240800 enquiries@therapytruro.co.uk
Elspeth Ballard MBACP
07855 755885 elspethmballard@aol.com
Trish McGee MBBS MSc BPC
07876 501168 pjmcgee71@gmail.com