Psychiatry Consultations and Counselling Services  in  Goa, India 

General guidelines about therapy

1. The duration of a standard session is 40 - 50 mins. Though,  when required,  session time may be prolonged by the therapist depending on material to be discussed and intensity and urgency of the issues. 

2.The minimum frequency of sessions is once weekly. Session frequency  may need to be increased depending on severity of symptoms, complexity of life circumstances, etc 

3.Regularity is most important for successful conduct of therapy.

4. Generally sessions are held weekly (or biweekly) from Mon to Fri. Weekends are generally avoided.

5. The  session is kept on the same day weekly, preferably at similar time,  to condition the client to regularity of treatment. Though flexibility is permitted as per day to day circumstances.

6.Rescheduling of appointments to another day in the week can be done by prior intimation 24 hours in advance.

7. Skipping the entire week is not permissible unless the client is travelling outstation or hospitalized.

8. Generally after 4 consecutively missed sessions, therapy is terminated.

9. Sometimes desire to terminate treatment arises in the client prematurely, due surfacing of emotions such as shame , guilt, etc.  as therapy proceeds or lack of hope a symptom of depression. In such a case it is advised to discuss it in the sessions instead of abruptly terminating the therapy.



10. Psychotherapy is not merely an intellectual process to be benefitted by mere telling, the realisation of the causation or dynamics of the problem needs to be experienced emotionally.  Merely stating what the problem is due to, is more often than not, rejected or not realised by most people thereby not leading to much benefit or appropriate change.

 11. The client needs to muster sufficient courage and patience, though difficult, to wait for realisation of the cause of his problem to come, by working through the complexities of emotions thus allowing change to occur in the subconscious mind, rather than expect dramatic symptom resolution.

12.The outcome of therapy depends on the ability and willingness of the person's subconscious mind to implement changes which determines  progress as well as amelioration of symptoms.

13. Different therapy approaches may be needed to be employed simultaneously for a client depending on the generation of different issues and emotions  by his mind.

14. Discussion outside of sessions by phone , sms, email, etc. is advised against, since the issues need to be addressed in detail, during therapy sessions, in person or via videoconference, to avoid misunderstanding.

15.  The client should prepare for sessions by writing down feelings or incidents between sessions.

16. Termination of therapy once sufficient development of the client has occurred, is considered, however this phase also needs preparation of the client after thorough discussion.