An introductory appointment will usually last between 60-75 minutes. Follow-up appointments are generally 60 minutes with Lucy and Jo, or 45 minutes with Pia and Caroline. There are exceptions, and appointments can be shorter or longer depending on the nature of the discussion and what is being covered during the meeting.

This will often depend on the age of the young person, however who attends the first appointment is up to you.  Sometimes it is useful for you or your child/young person to have the opportunity to speak privately to one of us, and sometimes it is more valuable that parents/carers and young people are in the meeting together.  Please talk to us if you/your young person feels they wish to exclude a parent. The most important thing is that everyone feels heard and able to have an open conversation about the challenges you are facing.

Clients come to us for a wide range of reasons and the number of appointments will depend on the support you are looking for, whether a short term solution for a specific matter, a neurodiversity assessment, or long term therapeutic/psychological intervention.  Some people have weekly sessions for a number of months and some will have just a few appointments before they feel confident they have the resources they need to manage their situation, or may want to see one of the team for a review just once or twice a year.  We will reach these decisions together as we get to know you and your situation.

We would not usually see a client for a single appointment - the introductory appointment we offer is an opportunity for us to get to know each other and for one or two of the team to carry out a holistic assessment, which may take more than one meeting. We will take time to review your referral and may also want to liaise with our team and any other professionals who are involved. Our recommendations for how to proceed will be carefully considered, and even if you are just looking for us to prescribe rather than ongoing therapy it is important that we monitor and review the young person’s response to any medication to ensure the right dose is established and there are no untoward side-effects.

The best way to book an appointment is to email Roz at info@woven-minds.co.uk. She will find a time that fits with your clinician’s calendar and your child’s timetable.

Once we feel we have got to know you well enough to make recommendations for treatment we will often write a summary letter which is copied to your GP as standard. It can also be appropriate to include your child’s school if attendance is being affected by the situation and you wish them to be involved.

This is sometimes possible but as this funding only covers Dr Pia Menzies and not the rest of the team it really limits how we can provide a multi-disciplinary service for you and work together.

We use a secure online system for payments called GoCardless. Before your first appointment we will arrange for a link to be sent to you so you can set up an account with them. GoCardless will then notify you before taking any payment.  Even if your appointment is funded through an insurance provider we will invite you to join GoCardless for payments that are not covered by them, such as prescriptions and policy excess.  (Please note that we are not able to take card payments.)

If medication is prescribed during your appointment we will give you the prescription immediately. If the prescription is made remotely we will either send you a digital prescription, send one to you in the post or arrange to drop it off at a local pharmacy. There is a fee of £60 for issuing prescriptions.