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Our method

The 5-Session Method

From understanding to autonomy. Brief, structured therapy: from day one you know what we are going to do and when we will finish.

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The 5-Session Method path: session 1, sessions 2 to 4, session 5 and a follow-up one month after discharge12345+1Session 1Sessions 2–4Session 5Follow-upMap and toolsProgress and gainsClosure and autonomyOne month after dischargeThe 5-Session Method path: session 1, sessions 2 to 4, session 5 and a follow-up one month after discharge12345+1Session 1Map and toolsSessions 2–4Progress and gainsSession 5Closure and autonomyFollow-upOne month after discharge

Step by step

What the 5 sessions look like

  1. Session 1

    Map and tools

    We assess and, in the same session, I explain clearly why you feel the way you do and what keeps it going. That alone removes guilt and uncertainty. We turn your complaints into concrete, measurable goals, and you leave with your first tools to start working at home.

  2. Sessions 2, 3 and 4

    Progress and gains

    Every session starts by reviewing what you have worked on at home: what you have discovered and where you got stuck. With that material we go deeper into the patterns of thought and emotion that sustain the problem. And we look at your progress together: how you arrived on day one and how you are today. You leave with new goals and tools for the week.

  3. Session 5

    Closure and autonomy

    We review the journey: the key learnings and the milestones reached. We organise the tools that worked best for you into your personal maintenance manual, to prevent relapse. And we close the therapy space knowing you now have the judgement and the resources to carry on by yourself.

  4. Follow-up

    One month after discharge

    One session to consolidate what you have achieved, see how you are using your manual and adjust whatever is needed.

A method of my own, built in practice

My 5-session method is designed to take you from the distress that holds you back to the point where you are making your own decisions and acting on them again.

I have built it over 20 years in practice, combining the best of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, mindfulness, humanistic psychology and the psychodynamic approach: deep, but highly practical.

It works for individual and couples therapy; in family therapy we add the systemic approach.

Alicia López de Fez, registered psychologist CV09654

The work between sessions

People who work on their process between sessions make more and better progress: it is one of the most robust findings in psychotherapy research. That is why at every session you will take away readings, audio, videos or written exercises. They are not homework: they are the tools you will use to build your autonomy. The next session always starts by reviewing what you have discovered.

Frequently asked questions

What if I need more than 5 sessions?

The 5 sessions are the foundation. If your case calls for it, we assess it together in session 4 and extend with a clear plan. One month after discharge we hold a follow-up session to consolidate what you have achieved.

Who is the method for?

For individual therapy with adults and adolescents, and for couples therapy. In family therapy we add the systemic approach. If your case needs a different kind of intervention, I will tell you in the first session.

How long is each session and how often do we meet?

Sessions last 50 to 60 minutes and take place weekly, which is the pace at which brief therapy progresses best. Between sessions you work with the tools you take away.

Can it be done online?

Yes. The method works just as well by video call, in English, Spanish or French, with the same sessions and the same material between sessions.

How much does it cost?

The price per session is the same as any session at the Centre, in person or online. You will find it on the fees page.