Emotional first aid and Single Session Therapy

What is single session therapy?

Single Session Therapy is a way of delivering therapy in which the client and therapist agree to help the client deal with their most difficult concern, issue or problem in one therapy session, knowing that more help is available if needed.

It can help clients to identify, and helpfully use, information from past attempts to solve the problem, encourage clients to use their inner strengths and resilience, identify their external sources of support and then work towards identifying the best solution for them, rehearsing that solution where possible and drawing up a realistic action plan for after the session.

Following the session, clients are encouraged to reflect on and digest their learning, act on it, let time pass and then decide if they need another session.

Ease the pain and heal

When we become physically hurt, such as receiving a cut to a finger, we usually take care of it immediately – carefully cleaning the injury, perhaps putting on some healing cream and a plaster – in order to reduce the risk of longer term problems such as infection.

Emotional first aid refers to taking the same approach to emotional injuries – that is, taking care of them as they occur so they don't become more damaging in the long run.

Sometimes things happen which can affect a group of people collectively, such as a sudden or expected death, an accident or other incident that leaves people in emotional pain. Headroom is able to offer an initial therapeutic response in these cases, which can be extended if required. This response can take the form of talking through the incident and associated feelings individually or in groups and assessing the ongoing emotional needs of those impacted.

As well as these kinds of incidences, Headroom has been able to provide on-site emotional first aid for young people facing important exams – being available before and after exams to help calm and focus individuals or groups and to help them to process difficult feelings around their experiences.

Headroom – room for your head