What happens in a psychotherapy session?

A choppy and sunny day at Paignton Pier.

Each session more often than not opens with a check-in, and learning if there are any recurring themes over the last 24 hours, which we could start with. If none arise, then I’ll start us off with themes taken from your therapeutic goals or the professional interest in your psychopathology.

This is how I know you as my client, having gathered information around the biological, genetic, self-care and brain-based explanations which make up the way you see the world. As an example, working with neurodivergent people, I observe differences in the representations of life, which are often vastly different to neurotypical people.

The use of verbal and non-verbal communication is key to the work and healthy outcomes. Each session builds on a confidential and safe space to look at regulation, patterns and how activation affects the relationship with yourself. When using integrative psychotherapy, we explore symptoms in an ethically driven conversation.

For most, this looks and feels like solution-focused talk therapy. There is also a core component of the work which uses humanistic, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and psychodynamic techniques. I feel it is vital to use compassion in this work to balance out what can sometimes feel like vulnerable work on yourself.

The difference between counselling and psychotherapy with Matt Sweet Counselling and Psychotherapy is the length of contract and the depth of our work. When you enquire, I’ll ask you which one is preferred and make suggestions if you’re unsure. I also take into account the budgetary and scheduling needs.

I enjoy helping people with the professional service for mental and emotional health disharmony such as anger management. Overall, the clients who experience the greatest impact are those who learn to self-manage their behaviour, emotions, sensations and cognitive abilities into a healthier place. Some feel that accountability is vital to achieving the best outcome.

Ready to see what therapy could look like for you? Let’s make the first step a gentle one.