What to Expect

Understanding your Journey 

Embarking on a therapeutic journey can bring many questions. Here, we outline what you can expect at each stage of working with Barbara Vaughan Integrative child & adolescent counsellor/psychotherapist, ensuring a clear and supportive experience for young people and their families.

Your Questions Answered

As a Master's qualified integrative child and adolescent therapist with over a decade of experience, Barbara Vaughan is dedicated to helping young people understand their feelings and behaviours. From anxiety and depression to panic attacks and self-inflictions, the focus is on exploring past and present events, understanding nervous system responses, and developing effective coping strategies. Support extends to neurodivergent young people, those exploring their gender and sexual identity, and individuals who have experienced trauma, with EMDR therapy available for those aged 15 and over.

What is the first step when reaching out for support?

The first step is to get in touch by email. Once I receive your enquiry, I will arrange a complimentary telephone consultation that usually takes 15 minutes.

During this call, we will discuss your concerns, your child's background and history, and what has prompted you to seek support. This conversation helps me determine whether I am the right person to help and gives you the opportunity to ask questions, understand how I work, and decide whether I feel like the right fit for your family. We will also consider whether your child is likely to feel comfortable engaging with me, as a positive therapeutic relationship is central to effective therapy.

What happens during a typical therapy session?

During the first couple of sessions, my priority is to get to know the young person and for them to decide whether they feel comfortable working with me. This might involve exploring their interests, drawing a household tree, playing games, using creative activities, or talking about school, family, friends and their environment.

As trust develops, sessions naturally become more focused on the difficulties they would like to explore. This may include current challenges, past experiences, thoughts, feelings or relationships. Every session is led by the young person's needs and pace, and they are always free to decide what they would like to talk about. My role is to provide a safe, supportive and non-judgemental space where they can explore their experiences and work towards positive change.

How are parents or guardians involved in the therapy process?

Therapy is reviewed six weeks after the young person starts, and then every eight weeks thereafter. These review meetings provide an opportunity for parents and carers to share their observations about how the young person is managing both at home and in other areas of their life, while I share my general assessment of their progress in therapy. Together, we can discuss any concerns, consider what is working well, and agree any adjustments that may support the young person moving forward.

Confidentiality is paramount (except where safeguarding concerns arise), as a trusting therapeutic relationship is essential for effective therapy. The young person will be informed at the start of our work together, and reminded before each review, so they have the opportunity to contribute their views and hear the feedback shared.

How do I help young people and their families when therapy is ending?
When therapy is naturally coming to a close, we will work towards a closure that allows the young person to experience a 'good enough' ending. Depending on the circumstances, this could take as little as two weeks or may require a longer, even prolonged, timeframe. This will be discussed with the young person alongside their family or carers, ensuring everything is well thought out and planned. If there is an abrupt request to end, I will respect the client's decision but ask that we book a final session to allow for proper closure for the young person.

Your Journey Starts Here

I am committed to providing a supportive and effective therapeutic experience. Based in Hythe & Folkestone, Kent, United Kingdom, I am ready to guide young people through their challenges and help them thrive. Contact me today to learn more.