Frequently Asked Questions

What is a virtual clinic?

A virtual clinic is simply a clinic that is run through a web-based video conferencing tool such as Skype. Our virtual clinics mean that you can be seen for confidential and professional therapy wherever you are in the country (or the world!) with the appointments creating minimal fuss and disruption to your life and schedule.

Do I have to be based in Oxford?  Or in the UK?

No. We see people from all over the UK and from further afield. We know that there are people based all over the world who, for whatever reason, can't access high quality psychological therapy. Being a virtual clinic, we can and do take referrals from people based outside the UK. We use the English language in therapy and at the moment unfortunately can't offer therapy in other languages. Other than that, the only limitation is your time zone, and we'll do our best to make it work for you.

What if I’m struggling with more than just my sleep?

If you've been struggling with your sleep for a while it's probably quite likely that things have spilled out into other areas of your life. Alternatively, perhaps that's where your sleep difficulties started initially. Either way, the treatment we offer is flexible and personalised to you. As a Clinical Psychologist, Dr Gavriloff is able to work with a wide range of psychological problems. He takes each person and their experiences into account and will tailor the therapy to meet your own specific needs. 

How long does the therapy take?

This is a tricky one to answer and will depend on what you've come for help with. In most cases, treatment for insomnia (CBT-I) might be expected to last around four to eight weekly sessions. However, this is only a guide and we will review as we go to make sure that we don't over- or under-do what you need. We only see people for as long as they need to be seen, so if it feels that therapy is no longer necessary, even if further sessions were planned, you will be offered the chance to conclude early and be refunded for any unused appointments.

How does the process work?

When someone refers themselves for therapy, the first thing we do is to arrange a standalone one-hour assessment appointment. This appointment does not commit you to a course of treatment. It is an opportunity to hear about what it is that you're finding difficult and how you'd like things to be different, to hear more about the treatment and to ask questions. At the assessment appointment we will also come up with a plan for treatment together. After the appointment an assessment letter is written and usually sent to the referring clinician or GP, with a copy for your records. 

Can I back out of therapy if I don’t like it?

Absolutely. Whilst our experience tells us that the people with whom we work are very pleased with what we offer (see our testimonials here), if for whatever reason you don’t want to continue with the treatment, all you have to do is to say so. If there are any unused sessions that you’ve paid for, you’ll be refunded in full (in accordance with our Cancellations Policy below).

Can I cancel an appointment?

Yes. Refunds can be made in full for any unused appointments so long as they are cancelled with more than 48 hours notice.

Why can’t I do this on the NHS?

You can. Simply put, however, Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is just not that widely available and if it is available it's often group based, which may or may not appeal to everyone. A good first step is to talk to your GP and see what's available locally to you. In some regions of the UK, IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) may offer CBT-I groups to local patients.