Practical details
Fees
Everything practical in one place — what sessions cost, how booking works, and what happens next. It always starts with a free consultation.
Fees
Sessions are £100 for 60 minutes — the same online and in person, in English or Spanish. The first 15-minute consultation is free.
| Appointment | Length | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| First consultation | 15 minutes | Free |
| Therapy session (CBT or EMDR) | 60 minutes | £100 |
| Therapy session online | 60 minutes | £100 |
| Therapy session in Spanish | 60 minutes | £100 |
Sessions & appointments
A therapy session lasts 60 minutes. Most people start weekly — a regular slot at the same time each week is what lets the work build — and we space sessions out as things improve.
I work online across the UK and internationally, in English or Spanish, at the same fee either way. For regulatory reasons I'm not able to take on clients based in the United States.
I also see a small number of clients in person at Sanctuary Therapy Centre in Prestwich, Manchester — my permanent base — and in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire. In-person availability is limited, so I'll tell you what I have when we speak.
How booking works
- Book a free consultation — pick a time online, ring directly, or request a callback. It's a short, no-pressure conversation to see if we're a good fit.
- We agree a plan together — we talk about what's going on and how I'd approach it with CBT, EMDR, or both.
- Sessions begin — online or in person, at a regular time that works for you.
Payment
Sessions are paid for in advance, by bank transfer. I'll send you my account details along with the working agreement before your first session.
If you'd like a receipt — for your own records, for your employer, or for an insurance claim — just ask and I'll send one.
Insurance
I'm not registered with private medical insurers, so I can't bill them directly. Some clients pay me and claim the cost back from their policy afterwards.
If you plan to do that, check with your insurer before we start: ask whether they cover an independently practising BABCP-accredited CBT therapist, and what they need to see. I can give you my BABCP accreditation number and a dated receipt for every session.
Concessions & reduced fees
I keep a small number of reduced-fee spaces for people who couldn't otherwise afford therapy. They're limited and often full, but it is always worth asking — mention it on the free consultation and I'll tell you honestly what I have.
If the fee doesn't work and I have no space, I'll point you towards services that might: NHS Talking Therapies, low-cost counselling services, and charities working in your area.
Cancellation & rearranging
If you need to cancel or move a session, please give me at least 24 hours' notice. There's no charge, and I'll offer you another time that week wherever I can.
Sessions cancelled with less than 24 hours' notice, and sessions missed without notice, are charged in full — the time is held for you and can't usually be filled at short notice. If something genuinely unavoidable happens, tell me and I'll use my discretion.
There's no minimum number of sessions and no notice period for stopping. If you decide therapy isn't right, or isn't right just now, you can simply say so.
If you need help urgently
I'm not an emergency service. I don't monitor messages between sessions, and there may be times when you can't reach me for several days.
If you need help now:
- 999 — if you or someone else is in immediate danger
- NHS 111, option 2 — for a mental health crisis, 24 hours a day
- Samaritans: 116 123 — free to call, any time, day or night
- Text SHOUT to 85258 — free, confidential text support, 24/7
- Your GP, or your local NHS crisis team
Your information, ethics & complaints
What you tell me stays between us. The exceptions are the standard ones, and I'll go through them at the start: if I believe you or someone else is at serious risk of harm, or where the law requires it.
I keep brief, secure notes so I can work well with you. They're held under UK GDPR, kept no longer than I need them, and you can ask to see them at any time. There's more detail in the privacy policy.
I'm accredited by the BABCP and work to its Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics, with regular clinical supervision.
If something isn't right, please tell me first — most things are best sorted out directly. If that doesn't resolve it, you can raise it with the BABCP through its complaints procedure.
Common questions
How much is a session? £100 for a 50-minute session — the same online or in person, in English or Spanish. The first 15-minute consultation is free.
Do I have to commit to a set number of sessions? No. We'll talk at the start about roughly how many sessions the work is likely to take, and review it as we go, but there's no package to buy and no notice period for stopping.
How do I pay? By bank transfer, in advance of each session. I'll send you my details with the working agreement before we start, and a receipt whenever you'd like one.
Can I claim this on my private health insurance? Possibly, but not directly — I'm not registered with insurers, so you'd pay me and claim it back. Check with your insurer first, and I'll provide my BABCP accreditation number and dated receipts.
What happens if I need to cancel? Give me at least 24 hours' notice and there's no charge, and I'll find you another time that week if I can. Later cancellations and missed sessions are charged in full.
Do you offer reduced fees? I keep a small number of reduced-fee spaces. They're limited, but ask on the free consultation and I'll tell you honestly what I have — and where else to look if I have nothing.
Ready to take the first step?
A free 15-minute call — no pressure, just a conversation to see whether we are a good fit.
Send Gisela a message
A few lines about what's going on is enough — you don't need the right words for it. She reads every message herself and replies within one working day.