FAQ

How much do you charge?

click here to find out on our charges

How often can we meet?

This will depend on the Programme that you choose. However, it is important to stress that we aim to work around your needs and this is particularly true for the Exam Programme, which can be structured to provide you with an ongoing sense of support throughout your exam period, without impacting on your study time.

Where will you meet me?

We meet in café’s in the Cambridge and Ely area. We can meet in College study rooms if you prefer. This has proved to be a highly effective way of embedding learning into your daily life, as you remain within your usual environments. We wish to embed any new tools or strategies into your regular routines as quickly and easily as possible.

If you have a favourite café or place that you go to study, we will be happy to consider meeting you there.

Alternatively, if you would prefer somewhere more formal, we have therapy rooms in Cambridge and Ely. www.therapy-directory.org.uk/therapists/liz-parker

What is the next step for me?

If you feel that Cambridge Academic Performance might help you during your period of study, then we recommend that you email us to set up a free thirty minute telephone call. In this way you can make an informed decision without commitment.

You will never be pressured by us to take on what we offer. This would be counter-productive, as it undermines our therapeutic performance model.

If we feel we can help you we will say so, then you can make your decision in your own time, based on the information we provide.

Do I need to prepare?

Not initially. On our first meeting we will provide you with the classic Cambridge Moleskin notebook for you to make any notes during our sessions. We will prompt you if we feel a particular point is important to record. Often, there will be some new strategies or plans that you hope to try after a session and it will be left to you to use these as feels best for you. We do not apply pressure and this will not be homework, they are simply new possibilities for you to experiment with, when you feel able.

What if I can’t make my session?

We ask that you give 24 hours notice of a cancellation; otherwise we will charge you for the agreed session. We will give you similar notice if we cannot attend or provide you with another session free of charge.

Do you have any rules or guidelines?

Yes, as Professionals there are Codes of Conduct for Occupational Therapists which guide our professional and personal behaviour. Ours is: The Occupational Therapy Code of Conduct. Within this service we have basic guidelines that ask that you turn up on time wherever possible and that if you know that you are arriving late, then you let us know by text.

We will stay at the agreed meeting place for the length of our agreed session, whether you are there or not, and we will charge you for that session.

Are you a Professional?

Yes. This service is founded on Occupational Therapy Principles which we fully subscribe to. Occupational Therapists must be registered with the College of Occupational Therapists and the Health Professions Council. They must also have regular supervision with an experienced clinician and maintain their Continuing Professional Development Portfolio.

These are the fundamental principles of good clinical performance and they underpin personal and professional development. It is experiencing the effectiveness of giving and receiving high quality supervision that has provided the inspiration for this service.

Is this extra support worth the expense for me?

United Kingdom students must now invest heavily in their academic careers. Costs run into tens of thousands of pounds, adding considerably to the stresses that students now face.

Our view is that it is important for today’s students to have the opportunity to access support that is friendly, responsive and tailored to their needs. We hope that Cambridge Academic Performance will provide you with this. Completing your education and achieving the grades that you need has never been more important. This is targeted support by trained professionals who are experienced in supporting students. This service is designed to give you an edge. It is based on ten years successfully supporting students to gain their qualifications, and to enjoy both their program of study, and life outside of it.

We think that this is a worthwhile investment in yourself, now, and for your future.

What are the costs?

We charge £75/hour for individual coaching sessions.

For training sessions, prices depend on the numbers of trainees. Please call or email for a chat.

Is your service completely confidential?

Yes. As clinicians bound by a Professional Code of Conduct we are legally bound to respect your confidentiality. This means that your University, College or Institute do not need to know about your personal engagement with us.

We have however one exception – this is in the circumstance that you become unwell in a way that puts you or anyone else at risk of injury or neglect. Under these circumstances we would wish to contact your General Practitioner. Your GP is also bound to keep your health information private. However they will be in a position to help you access further support if they feel that you need it. In this way we feel we may discharge our duty of care to you as a professional, without breaking your overall confidentiality.

We will always ask you for your permission and would not talk to your GP without also informing you first.

What is the purpose of your service and how can it help me?

The purpose of this service is to help you succeed during your academic studies.

We will help you to identify what success really means for you by considering your longer term goals in your life and career. You can then start to build the markers for future success, into your life now. These may include, having a positive self-image, being confident with others, enjoying your time at University and making the most of your classes as well as achieving the grades you want.

Successful performance relies on knowing when to work, when to rest, and when to allow yourself to have fun. We can help you to apply effective revision strategies to your current ways of working. Successful performance, such as we see in athletes, is characterised by a steady period of practice, leading up to a high intensity performance followed by a manageable period of recovery.

This is what we aim to help you achieve, rather than two terms of stress and prevarication, followed by excessively long, guilt-laden hours of study, leading to poor performance when you least need it. Usually to be followed by an enormous crash, difficult recovery and consequently a fear of the following year’s study.

What exactly are you offering?

We are offering a selection of programmes designed to support you at different stages of study. Please see our programme page.