Frequently Asked Questions
What is an online clinic?
An online clinic is simply a clinic that is done using a web-based video conferencing application such as Skype or Zoom. Because Sleep Well Oxford is done through Zoom, we can see people for appointments wherever they are in the UK. This means that you can attend you appointment in the comfort of your own home or office causing minimal disruption to your schedule.
Do I have to be based in Oxford to book an appointment?
No. Being an online clinic, we accept patients from all over the UK.
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 any course of therapy to meet your own specific needs.
If we do decide on therapy, how long does it 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.
Can I opt-out of therapy if I don’t want to continue?
Absolutely! Although our experience tells us that the people we’ve helped are very happy with how we’ve helped (see our Testimonials here), you are of course able to opt-out of therapy at any time without giving us any reason. If you do wish to discontinue, any unused therapy appointments will be refunded in full (see “Can I cancel an appointment?” below).
Can I cancel an appointment?
Certainly. If you find you can’t make an appointment or if you’ve booked more than you need, you can cancel any appointment so long as there is more than 48 hours notice given to receive a full refund.
How does the process work?
When someone refers themselves for therapy, or is referred by another clinician, the first thing we do is to arrange a standalone 90-minute 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 investigate the problem further and to make a diagnosis of the sleep problem and 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.
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.
If there’s something you’d like to ask directly, why not drop us an email?