Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
We understand that seeking mental health support can raise many questions. To help you feel more informed and confident in your journey, we've answered some of the most common queries about our services.
Below, you’ll find our FAQs grouped into the following categories:
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Appointments & Follow-Up (for existing patients)
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Fees
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Assessments & Diagnosis
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Therapy & Treatment
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Support for Parents & Families
Our clinic is located at Golders Hill Health Centre in North West London, near Hampstead and Golders Hill Park in North West London.
Address: 151 North End Road, London, NW11 7HB
We are a 12-minute walk from Golders Green tube station, and are easily accessible by buses 210 and 268. Buses run regularly to Hampstead tube station, Golders Green tube station (Northern Line) and Finchley Road Station /West Hampstead Station (buses 13, 82, 139 from Golders Green Station).
There is limited free parking available at the back of the clinic, as well as on-street parking on North End Road and nearby streets — please check local signage for restrictions.
Our psychiatrists and therapists support children and young people with a wide range of emotional, behavioural, and neurodevelopmental needs, including:
Emotional difficulties such as anxiety, low mood, depression, bereavement, trauma, and adjustment difficulties
Behavioural challenges, including oppositional behaviour, emotional dysregulation, and anger
Neurodevelopmental conditions, such as ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Please note that we do not provide treatment for:
Anorexia Nervosa or Bulimia Nervosa
Individuals at high risk of suicide or those in need of urgent or intensive crisis care
When you book an appointment, you will be asked to complete a brief booking form. This allows us to confirm that we are the most appropriate service to support your needs before the booking is finalised.
You do not need a referral to access our services — you can self-refer directly by contacting us.
We also accept referrals from GPs, paediatricians, schools, psychologists, psychotherapists, and mental health charities.
Following your assessment, the clinician will provide a summary of the outcome and a recommended plan, which can be shared with your GP or referrer if you wish.
A referral letter is not required — we accept self-referrals. However if you do have a referral letter please do forward to our operations team via emailing it to info@mindof.uk prior to your appointment.
We usually will routinely inform your GP of the assessment and will provide a consent form with the option to detail consent for sharing information with colleagues. Keeping your GP informed helps ensure continuity of care and supports your health more effectively in the long term.
Informing the GP is important because:
The clinician may need background medical information to provide safe and effective care
Your GP may be asked to support with further investigations or prescriptions
Health insurance providers often require the GP to be involved
In the UK, the GP plays a key role in coordinating overall healthcare and should be aware of any assessments or treatment plans.
We follow GMC guidance around confidentiality, safeguarding and sharing information. Please note, that if you prefer not to share information with your GP we may not be able to see you at MindOf. Please discuss this with our operations team if this may be a concern, prior to booking.
To book an appointment, please complete our new patient registration form in the first instance via https://www.mindof.uk/book or call us on 0207 118 0696 or email info@mindof.uk. Our team will be happy to guide you through the process and help find a suitable time for you.
It’s helpful to explain to your child in a calm and age-appropriate way who they will be seeing and why. You might say something like:
"We’re going to see a doctor (or therapist) who talks to children and young people to see how they’re getting on — at home, at school, and in general. They’re there to help us understand what’s going well and if there’s anything they can do to make things easier for you."
You can also reassure your child that:
It’s not a test or exam
There will be no injections or medical procedures
The doctor or therapist may ask about things they enjoy, what’s going well, and anything they find tricky
The goal is to create a safe and supportive space where your child can feel heard and understood.
Yes — an assessment report is included in the consultation fee and will be provided once the assessment process is complete.
The report will include:
A summary of the consultations
Analysis of any questionnaires (where applicable)
Relevant liaison with schools or other professionals
The clinician’s professional findings and tailored recommendations
Reports are usually completed within one to four weeks, but we recommend discussing the expected timescale with your specific clinician, as this may vary.
A copy of the report will be shared with you and, with your consent, can also be sent to your GP and/or referring professional. If needed, the clinician may also provide an abbreviated letter for your child’s school.
Please note: any additional reports or letters beyond this may incur an additional fee.
MindOf is an outpatient service, providing care for patients who require support on a scheduled basis — whether that’s weekly, monthly, 3 monthly, 6 monthly or annually. We do not offer out-of-hours, emergency, or crisis care.
If you are in crisis or need urgent help, please:
Contact your GP for a referral to your local crisis team
Or attend your nearest Accident & Emergency (A&E) department
Your safety is the priority, and urgent support is best provided by emergency services or dedicated crisis teams.
A psychiatric assessment usually involves meeting with (i) the young person and their parent(s)/carer(s) together and (ii) meeting with children/young people individually and (iii) meeting with parent(s)/carer(s) if requested.
Our expert psychiatrists provide in depth psychiatric assessments and we recommend allowing up to 2 hours for general assessments and up to 3 hours for autism/ ADHD assessments.
We recommend this first assessment is conducted face to face in our consulting rooms in Hampstead/ Golders Green.
Some families prefer for the first appointment to be with the parent(s)/carer(s) only, without the child present. This is absolutely fine — just let us know your preference when booking.
To build a full picture, the doctor will also request some pre-assessment information depending on your assessment type. This may include:
Questionnaires to be completed by parents/ carers, school (if you consent) and child/young person (depending on their age) prior to the in clinic appointment
Computerised assessments for assessing cognitive brain health and attention to be completed by the child/young person.
Liaison with school staff to gather additional information.
The assessment will explore your concerns in detail, and a treatment plan and written report will be provided upon completion.
Initial appointments last up to 2 hours for general assessments and up to 3 hours for Autism and ADHD assessments (depending on complexity) and feedback is provided the same day.
Follow-up appointments last between 20 - 45 minutes depending on whether these are phone appointment, remote consultations or face to face consults.
Appointments can take place in clinic, via secure video, or by telephone, depending on your preference and clinical needs.
Psychological support begins with an initial meeting, usually involving the young person and their parent(s) or carer(s). However, if preferred, the psychologist can meet with them separately.
The format of therapy is tailored to the individual needs of the young person. This may include:
Individual sessions with the young person
Parent-only sessions
Joint sessions involving both the young person and parent(s)/carer(s)
Together, the psychologist, young person, and parent(s)/carer(s) will agree on the most suitable therapeutic approach, set treatment goals, and determine the likely length and frequency of sessions.
Sessions are typically 50 minutes long, held weekly for a time-limited period (e.g. 2–3 months), though this may vary based on the young person's needs. Appointments can take place face-to-face in clinic or via secure video consultation.
Our psychologists are trained in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and other evidence-based therapeutic approaches.
A psychiatrist is a highly trained medical doctor who has undertaken additional training following their medical degree and first years working as a general medical doctor. A psychiatrist is therefore well-positioned to be able to undertake detailed medical assessments of mental health conditions, having had experience in general medicine, neurology, and other medical specialties before focusing on mental health.
A psychiatrist can provide mental health assessments, provide medical investigations, and prescribe medication, with our child and adolescent psychiatrists at MindOf, all of whom have completed additional expert training in working with children and young people.
Our MindOf child and adolescent psychiatrists have also undertaken specialist training in various therapeutic modalities, enabling them to use therapeutic processes during their assessments and, in some instances, provide ongoing therapy.
A clinical/counselling psychologist is a highly trained clinician who has completed a doctorate in psychology and has particular expertise in providing therapy. Our psychologists have undertaken additional training in various psychological therapies for children and young people. Our psychologists at MindOf also have additional training and expertise in working with young people with neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism and ADHD.
Our psychotherapists offer brief (8–12 sessions), medium, and longer-term psychotherapy (ranging from weekly sessions over 6 to 12 months), depending on the needs of the child or young person.
Therapy sessions often use creative and play-based approaches to help children and adolescents explore their emotions and behaviours. This may include:
Play
Movement
Painting or clay work
Puppet work
Some young people may prefer to talk, and that’s perfectly fine too — the approach is always adapted to the individual.
During the first appointment, the psychotherapist will meet with the child or adolescent and their parent(s)/carer(s) together, and then spend some time with the child alone. The therapist will then work collaboratively with the young person to develop a formulation and agree on shared goals for therapy.
Sessions last 50 minutes and are usually held on a weekly basis.
Family work and family therapy at our clinic aims to create a safe and supportive space where families can come together around their child to improve communication, strengthen relationships, and develop a shared understanding of the challenges they are facing.
Sessions may include the whole family, parents and child, or parents/carers only, depending on what feels most helpful. While the focus is on finding ways to move forward, sessions may also explore past experiences and how they continue to influence the present.
Family therapy can support a wide range of needs — from early intervention and prevention to managing intense or complex difficulties. Mental health difficulties in a child can have a considerable impact on the wider family unit. Even when a concern appears to relate to just one individual, therapy looks at the wider family system and how everyone can work together to bring about positive change for the entire family.
Sessions are 50 minutes long, and the length and frequency of treatment are tailored to the specific needs and preferences of each family.
Please see our assessment pathway here
Psychiatry assessments for new patients usually last up to 2 or 3 hours, depending on the type of assessment booked and the complexity of the case.
Follow-up psychiatry appointments typically last 20 to 45 minutes depending on whether a phone, video or face to face consult are booked.
Therapy sessions (including psychology and counselling) are usually 50 minutes in duration.
Your clinician will advise on the appropriate session length based on your individual needs.
In line with our updated practice guidance, safe medical practice standards, and GDPR compliance, our clinicians are unable to provide detailed clinical advice via email.
If you have a clinical query about your care, we kindly recommend booking a telephone, video, or face-to-face consultation. Please note that for certain concerns, a face-to-face appointment may be advised to ensure your needs are addressed safely and appropriately.
Yes, we offer secure video consultations as part of our outpatient service. When you book your appointment, you’ll receive a confirmation email with a secure link to access your session.
We recommend joining the consultation from a quiet, private space and using headphones to help maintain confidentiality.
Please note: for certain types of assessments, a video consultation may not be appropriate. In these cases, a face-to-face appointment will be advised to ensure the highest quality of care.
We generally do not offer telephone consultations prior to the initial assessment. Before your appointment, you’ll be asked to complete questionnaires and background forms, which provide the clinician with important information to prepare for the consultation.
The first appointment is structured to include time for:
Parents/carers and the child to be seen together
The child or young person alone, and
Parents/carers alone, where appropriate
We recommend discussing your concerns face-to-face or via video consultation, as these conversations are most effective when conducted in a dedicated clinical setting.
If you have an urgent clinical concern before your appointment date, we strongly advise you to contact your GP for immediate support.
For existing patients receiving ongoing care, your clinician will arrange any necessary telephone calls directly with you as needed.
Your treatment plan will be individually tailored based on your specific needs, as identified during the assessment process.
Treatment may include:
Psychiatric reviews
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Psychological therapy
Family therapy
Prescribed medication, where clinically appropriate
Referral to other multidisciplinary professionals, if needed
Our psychiatrists are authorised to issue private prescriptions, including medication for ADHD.
We work closely with a team of psychologists, family therapists, and other specialists, and can coordinate referrals to ensure you receive the most appropriate and effective support.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a structured, evidence-based talking therapy that helps individuals understand how their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are connected. By identifying and challenging unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviours, CBT can support meaningful, lasting change.
At MindOf, Dr Fiertag and our psychology associates are fully qualified CBT therapists. They offer CBT for a range of difficulties, including:
Anxiety
Depression
Low self-esteem
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
CBT is typically goal-focused and time-limited, with sessions tailored to the age and individual needs of the young person.
If you have a referral letter from your GP or another professional, please send it to us in advance of your appointment. You may also share any relevant school reports or professional assessments (e.g. from psychologists, paediatricians, or speech and language therapists). These can be emailed to info@mindof.uk before your visit or brought with you on the day. Your clinician will review them as part of the assessment process to gain a full understanding of your or your child’s needs.
Yes, absolutely. If you have a disability or condition that may affect your ability to access our service, please contact us on 0207 118 0696. We are committed to making reasonable adjustments to ensure your appointments and any treatment provided are accessible and tailored to your individual needs.
Fees for initial assessments and follow-up appointments are payable at the time of booking to confirm your appointment.
The consultation fee includes:
An assessment report (for initial appointments)
A GP letter (for follow-up/review appointments)
A prescription, if clinically appropriate
A school letter, where relevant
Please note:
Additional reports, duplicate letters, or further documentation may incur extra charges
Private prescriptions and medications not issued during a consultation may also carry a fee
Completed assessments and reports are non-refundable
For full fee details, please contact us via info@mindof.uk or call 0207 118 0696.
MindOf is a self-pay clinic, and payment is required at the time of booking.
If you plan to use private health insurance, please ensure your insurer:
Approves reimbursement for our services
Accepts our prepayment policy (as we do not invoice insurers directly)
Will reimburse you directly, as we are unable to liaise with insurers or handle claims on your behalf
You will receive a detailed receipt from MindOf, which you can submit to your insurer for reimbursement.
At MindOf, we provide face-to-face assessments of the highest quality, in an efficient timescale, and provide detailed reports and post-assessment support.
With us, you/your child is being assessed by the most highly trained professionals, with each new assessment being done by a consultant child psychiatrist with many years of experience.
Additionally, our psychiatrists use additional specialist pre-assessment tools, and for our autism/social communication assessments, we provide fully multidisciplinary care, with the psychiatrist leading the assessment with the support of a highly skilled autism specialist clinical team trained specifically in neurodiversity to carry out selected parts of the assessment.
Our service is fully CQC compliant, meaning that we adhere to the most stringent procedures and protocols, so you can rest assured that you/your child is receiving all care that is fully in keeping with the latest regulatory requirements. All our staff are closely monitored to ensure they meet this strict criteria, that their training needs are up to date, professional regulatory requirements are up to date, and they have an up-to-date DBS check. We have a dedicated operations team on-site for you to answer your queries and provide additional support.
Our fees are set at a fair level in order to maintain this high-quality service with the most experienced and senior staff within a clinic setting adhering to quality assurance measures required in order to fulfil CQC recognition and in line with best practice and evidenced based medicine.
We are committed to maintaining high standards of care and continually improving our service. Your feedback is important to us and helps us enhance the experience we offer to all families.
If you would like to share your thoughts, you can:
Complete our feedback form
Leave a comment or review on Google
We genuinely appreciate your time and input.
If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of the care you or your child has received and wish to raise a concern or make a formal complaint, please contact us at info@mindof.uk to request a copy of our complaints procedure.
MindOf adheres to the ISCAS Code (Independent Sector Complaints Adjudication Service), which provides a clear and fair process for managing complaints. You can learn more about ISCAS at https://iscas.cedr.com.
Further details about our complaint process can also be found on our website: www.mindof.uk/complaints
Due to high demand and a large number of referrals, we kindly ask that you provide as much notice as possible if you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment.
For new patient appointments, please give at least 7 working days’ notice
For follow-up appointments, at least 3 working days’ notice is required
This helps us offer the appointment to someone else on our waiting list.
If sufficient notice is not provided, the full consultation fee will be charged.
For all other cancellations:
A non-refundable £200 fee applies to cancellations of new patient appointments.
Please allow up to 28 days for any eligible refunds to be processed.