Session Setup

The psychologist needs to see and hear you well, and you need to feel comfortable and safe, and be alone.
Please prepare for the session in advance:

• Check your internet connection
• Check that the sound, camera, and microphone on your device work well
• Secure your device so you don't have to hold it
• Make sure no one can overhear you or walk in unexpectedly
• Sit in a comfortable chair, armchair, or sofa

Unacceptable Conditions

Walking down the street with your phone, sitting in a café or park, or driving during a session is not acceptable. If you can't find time for a session, please reschedule it for another day.

Additional Recommendations

• Have paper, a pen (sometimes you'll need to write something down), and tissues ready.
• When working with shock trauma, it's especially important to have a comfortable seat and a pillow at hand.

Cancellations and Late Arrivals

• Please give notice of cancellation at least 24 hours in advance
• If you do not show up at the scheduled time, the payment is not refunded by default. I may make an exception after discussing the reasons for your absence, and I decide this case by case.
• A client's lateness does not change the session end time
• If you are more than 15 minutes late without notice, the session is considered cancelled

Payment

I work strictly on a prepayment basis.
Over time, the cost of my services may change. If a new price makes it difficult to work with me, we can discuss it individually: I can offer a different session frequency or another solution.

During Sessions

Confidentiality

Everything you tell me in sessions remains strictly confidential. I may share it only with a supervisor or colleagues, for the purpose of receiving professional support.

Your Role

In sessions, we explore your psyche together. You are the lead explorer, and I accompany the process, creating a safe and supportive space. My understanding of your difficulties and possible solutions matters, but you find the real insights yourself, and that is what helps you apply your discoveries in life. We are exploring what is inside you, and many of the answers are known only to you. You also take responsibility for using what you discover and for doing the homework assignments, and I support you along the way.

My Role

My role as a psychologist is to create a safe and supportive space where you can explore your feelings, thoughts, and experiences. I accompany the process, ask questions, help you become aware of feelings, needs, and patterns, and offer information about the psyche and ways of working with it. I don't evaluate, judge, or push you toward specific actions: your life and your choices remain yours. My role is to be there, explain, support, and help you see what is inside you, so that you can understand yourself better and apply that knowledge in life.

Length of Regular Sessions

When a problem is recent, for example you have been laid off or lost a loved one and need support, a few sessions are sometimes enough to feel better and learn to cope on your own.
If a problem has existed for a long time, unfortunately it can't be resolved quickly, despite promises of instant solutions. It is impossible to predict how many sessions you will need, as it depends on your history and goals. A very rough guideline: about one third of the number of years the problem has existed, if you meet with a psychologist once a week.
Regular sessions help maintain the continuity of the process and consolidate results. Although sometimes it is possible to meet less often or on request, ongoing work with a psychologist most often gives a more lasting and deeper effect. It is similar to going to the gym: if you train regularly, progress is visible and lasting, while occasional workouts give slow results.
After about 4–5 sessions, it makes sense to discuss the frequency and duration of our meetings. By then, you will be able to feel whether you are comfortable working with me, and decide how to proceed.

If You Decide on Long-Term Therapy

Seeing Other Specialists

Please do not see other psychotherapists without discussing it with me first, including during my vacation. If there is an urgent need, it is better to write to me in the chat than to go to another specialist. This is due to the nature of the psychotherapeutic relationship, which is close and unique.

Pausing or Ending Therapy

A client should discuss the decision to take a break or end therapy in a session, not in the chat.
Sometimes the wish to end therapy comes from inner resistance, and you may not want to come to a session at all. A final session is needed to:

• avoid "escaping" from change and from yourself, which the unconscious sometimes strives for
• sum up, "take ownership of," and recognize the positive changes
• properly conclude the therapeutic relationship and say goodbye

The Role of the Relationship in Therapy

The relationship between two people in the therapeutic space is the most powerful tool of healing and interpersonal learning. It is possible and important to talk about this relationship. You can always give me feedback on our process or ask me any question.

Chat Communication

The chat is used only for organizational matters (session times, payment) and in cases of acute crisis.
An acute crisis is a situation with an immediate threat to life, health, or safety (for example, thoughts of suicide, a desire to harm yourself, a severe panic attack, a situation of violence).
In such cases, you can write to me in the chat, and I will reply as soon as I can.
Outside of an acute crisis, your difficulties are discussed in sessions.

What Successful Therapy Requires from You

• Trust
• Openness
• Withholding nothing
• Exploring every nuance of your feelings
• Taking risks

See you at our sessions!