Frequently Asked Questions

If you’re interested in starting therapy, please begin by reviewing these FAQs. If you have further questions about working together, please contact me.(https://www.drhelendamon.com/contact) The next step is to complete the Initial Enquiry Form (https://form.jotform.com/drhelendamon/dr-helen-damon-initial-enquiry-form). I’ll review your responses to get an initial sense of whether I might be a suitable therapeutic fit for you. If so, I’ll email you to arrange a free Zoom call. This will give us an opportunity to talk through your therapeutic needs, preferences, and goals, and to decide whether to book a tester therapy session. Before your first session, I’ll send you my Terms and Conditions Contract and a Client Information Form to complete and return, and I’ll ask for payment in advance. I’ll then reserve the same weekly session time exclusively for you.

I offer weekly sessions at the same day and time each week. I don’t offer more or less frequent sessions.

Each session lasts 50 minutes from the agreed start time.

I offer sessions on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays at: • 8:30–9:20am • 9:40–10:30am • 11:10am–12pm • 1:00–1:50pm • 2:10–3:00pm I don’t offer earlier or later sessions, or sessions on Thursdays, Fridays, or weekends. Session slots for new clients are offered on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to availability.

Each session costs £130. I don’t offer reduced-fee sessions.

Payment is due weekly in advance, by 4pm the day before your session, via bank transfer. I don’t accept payment from third parties (e.g., insurance companies or employers).

I offer in-person sessions at Token House, London, EC2R 7AS.(https://maps.app.goo.gl/mtr4zNoQHFZzGvVa7)

Unfortunately, Token House is not accessible for people who are unable to climb stairs.

No; I work exclusively in person and do not offer online sessions.

Please prioritise weekly attendance, as consistency is essential for therapeutic progress. Cancellations If you cancel a session with at least 48 hours’ notice from the session start time, there’s no fee to pay. If you cancel with less than 48 hours’ notice, the full session fee (£130) is payable. Rescheduling If you need to reschedule a session, please give at least one week’s notice (e.g., by letting me know in the previous session). Later requests to reschedule can’t be accommodated and are therefore treated as cancellations, as above. Frequent or extended absences As a general guideline, I anticipate no more than 12 cancellations or reschedules in a calendar year, and no more than three in a row or within any calendar quarter. Beyond this, I may initiate a discussion about moving to a different session time (subject to availability), paying to hold your session time, or ending our work together.

I offer open-ended therapy, meaning there is no fixed or maximum number of sessions. We’ll review our work at regular intervals, and you’re free to end therapy at any time. Because people respond to therapy differently, no therapist can predict outcomes or specify in advance how many sessions will be most helpful. In practice, most clients choose to work with me for at least three months, with many continuing for a year or longer. Therapy is an investment in yourself and an act of self-care, so please take the time you need. My work is grounded in long-term, relational therapy. I focus on working at depth—understanding the underlying patterns, experiences, and relationships that shape how difficulties arise—rather than offering short-term or symptom-focused interventions. This kind of work typically takes time and benefits from consistency and commitment. If you’re looking for brief, fixed-term, or solution-focused therapy, I am not a suitable therapeutic fit for you. In that case, I recommend seeking a therapist who specialises in short-term work.

I work with individual adults aged 18 and over. For safety, clients must: • Be registered with a UK-based GP • Provide a UK-based emergency contact

I work with individuals to explore a range of psychological areas including, but not limited to: • Abortion • Affairs and betrayals • Anxiety • Attachment • Bereavement • Bullying • Careers • Childhood bereavement • Depression • Disabilities • Discrimination • Family issues • High sensitivity • Illness • Infertility • LGBTQ+ identities • Loneliness • Low self-esteem • Miscarriage • Past abuse • Pregnancy and birth • Relationship issues • Separation and divorce • Spirituality • Stress • Values and meaning

I specialise in working with people who are: • Experiencing low self-esteem • Questioning their identity, values, and how to live an authentic and meaningful life • Experiencing loss, bereavement, or the prospect of dying

I work pluralistically, meaning I’m trained in several forms of therapy and tailor how I work to each individual client. The forms of therapy I most often incorporate into my work are: • Existential-phenomenological therapy • Person-centred therapy • Psychodynamic therapy • Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT; second-wave and third-wave)

To provide safe, appropriate therapy within the current scope and capacity of my independent practice, I don’t work with: • People under the age of 18 • Insurance-funded clients • People with a criminal record or who are currently engaged in illegal activity • People with a history of physical violence towards other people or property • People who are currently receiving individual therapy from another practitioner (I do, however, work with clients who are receiving couples or family therapy, or who are under the care of a psychiatrist) • People seeking therapy to meet academic, professional, or other third-party requirements • People experiencing acute psychological distress or crisis requiring urgent or emergency care • People who are currently perpetrating physical or psychological abuse, neglect, coercive control, or other serious harm • People who are involved in, or anticipate being involved in, legal or regulatory proceedings where their mental health may be relevant • People who are known to be in close relationships with my current or former clients

There are some client experiences about which I may need to request further information to determine whether or not I can provide safe, appropriate therapy within the current scope and capacity of my independent practice. These include, but are not limited to: • People experiencing addictive, compulsive, or obsessive thoughts or behaviours (e.g., substance misuse, body-focused repetitive behaviours such as skin-picking or hair-pulling, or OCD) • People experiencing hallucinations (other than those occurring only at sleep onset or waking), delusions, paranoia, or significant dissociation • People experiencing eating disorders, disordered eating, body dysmorphia, or significant body image issues • People experiencing ongoing physical or psychological abuse, neglect, coercive control, or other serious harm • People experiencing PTSD or panic attacks • People engaging in ongoing self-harm • People who have previously attempted to kill themselves or who are seriously considering doing so

It’s important to find a therapist who’s a good fit for you. To help you, I recommend these resources: • Counselling Directory(https://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/adv-search.html) • Welldoing MatchPlus(https://welldoing.org/personalised-matching-service)