WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
The process
The process
Enquiry – how to access the service
- Fill in the online referral form
- Telephone call
- Via your GP
- Or from other professionals
Referral – we will contact you to arrange your consultation
- Once you or your GP have completed a referral form we will be in touch, usually within 72 hours.
- One of our friendly admin team will contact you to arrange a suitable time for your telephone assessment.
Your Telephone Assessment Appointment
- Your initial assessment will take place over the telephone. This will be a 20-30 minute call with a Therapist and a treatment plan will be recommended at the end of this call. In certain circumstances we are able to arrange face to face appointments.
- At the end of this call a treatment plan will be discussed with you based on the information gathered
- Occasionally we may need to signpost you on to another service/agency for more appropriate or alternative support.
Weekly Therapy Sessions
- Therapy sessions will be pre-arranged to take place on a weekly basis and depending on the treatment will vary in duration.
- We will provide workbooks and appropriate resources to support you through the treatment and therapy sessions.
- It is important that you practice the skills and techniques discussed with you in session in between appointments in order to get the maximum benefit from these. You may set homework which will inform future therapy sessions and it is key these are completed and brought along to subsequent sessions.
- It is important that you keep your appointments or let us know in advance if you need to change or cancel the appointment.
- Unfortunately if you do not attend 2 appointments you will be discharged from the service.
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The length of treatment will be based on your individual needs.
Once you have completed your therapy sessions
- Our goal is to support and guide you to learn the skills and techniques you need to move towards recovery.
- After you have completed your therapy we recommend a period of consolidation to master the skills and techniques you have learned within treatment.
- We welcome your feedback on our service so that we can make improvements, to give us feedback click here.
Self-referral video guides
In our library, you will find a range of videos to help you understand what happens when you self-refer. This includes videos about completing your referral, what to expect from an assessment, and information about how you can access our Well-Being Courses.
What to expect?
Talking Therapies works from a progression model. This means we usually recommend the least intrusive treatment first. These are the step 2a interventions or Low intensity.
In terms of commitment to treatment we expect all those accessing our service to work collaboratively with their practitioner in order to gain the best possible outcomes. Regular attendance to appointments is key to achieving this and we recommend weekly appointments at every level of treatment. If, for some reason you are unable to make an appointment please let us know at the soonest possible opportunity. If you do not attend two consecutive appointments and we are unable to contact you we will discharge you back into the care of your GP.
Step 1 - Primary care / GPs
At this initial step, the focus is on addressing mild symptoms of anxiety and low mood that may be causing discomfort or distress, but are not yet significantly impacting daily functioning.
This stage of treatment can help to prevent these mild symptoms from developing into more severe mental health conditions. By addressing these symptoms early on, individuals can learn to manage their anxiety and low mood and prevent them from becoming more severe over time.
Step 2 - Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners
At this stage of treatment, the focus is on addressing mild to moderate symptoms of depression, anxiety, and sleep problems. This may include conditions such as social anxiety, generalized anxiety, and panic disorder. These conditions may be impacting daily functioning and causing distress, but they are not yet severe enough to require hospitalization or other intensive treatments.
Step 3 - CBT therapists / High intensity therapists
At this stage of treatment, the focus is on addressing moderate to severe symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as other conditions such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and specific phobias. These conditions may significantly impact daily functioning and quality of life, and may require more intensive treatment approaches.
It’s important to note that seeking help at this stage can be challenging, but it’s essential for improving mental health and wellbeing. With the right treatment and support, individuals can learn to manage their symptoms and work towards recovery.
Step 4 - Specialist support
At this final stage of treatment, the focus is on addressing severe and recurrent symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as complex trauma and personality disorders that have not responded to previous treatment. These conditions may significantly impact daily functioning, relationships, and overall quality of life.
Individuals with personality disorders may benefit from specialized treatments, which focus on developing coping skills, emotion regulation, and interpersonal relationships.
Support from a team of mental health professionals, such as psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and occupational therapists, may be necessary to provide comprehensive care and address the complex nature of these conditions.
It’s important to remember that recovery from severe mental health conditions is possible with the right interventions and support. Seeking help at this stage is a courageous step towards improving mental health and overall wellbeing.
Treatments we can offer
Wellbeing Pathway:
Step One Counselling
You will receive up to 6 sessions of counselling to talk through difficulties you are currently experiencing. The main issues counselling can help with are bereavement, relationship issues (divorce / separation), stress, anger management, sleep, historical issues (non-trauma).
Wellbeing Referral
If the main problem for you is more of a practical need than a mental health problem, your assessor can refer you to an appropriate service to help you. This includes services who support with housing, wellbeing, addiction and many more.
Pure Self Help
If your symptoms indicate very mild anxiety and depression you will receive a wellbeing pack and self-help materials specific to your symptoms, either by e-mail or post following your assessment call. You will be discharged from the service and advised to work through the materials and monitor your own symptoms. If things worsen and you would like support, you can refer yourself back to us.
Service Pathway:
Face to face guided self-help
These face to face sessions run over the course of 6 – 8 weeks and the therapist will guide you through materials along with teaching you skills and techniques to overcome your difficulties.
Computerised cognitive behavioural therapy
You will be allocated a practitioner and given a log in for our computer based CBT program. Your first and last appointment will take place over the telephone but all other reviews can be online for your convenience.
Depression and Anxiety groups
Within the course we will present information about depression and anxiety along with some of the skills and techniques you may find helpful. Although this is interactive you are not expected or pressured to talk or share personal information with other participants, and each week we provide helpful handouts for you to keep.
Telephone guided self-help
You will receive a wellbeing pack either by e-mail or in the post following your assessment call. Your therapist will provide 20 minute telephone appointments over a period of 4 weeks. The therapist will guide you through the wellbeing booklet and provide you with advice and support relevant to the difficulties you are experiencing.
Step Three Counselling:
Our step 3 treatments are offered on a 1 to 1 basis. The principal aim of this approach is to enable you to become your own therapist by working with your practitioner to understand your problems and concerns and develop strategies to overcome them. We offer a variety of step 3 treatments which include:
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
You will receive up to 12 sessions of face to face treatment which will each last 60 minutes and take place on a weekly basis. Here you will be able to gain a deeper understanding of your current problems and learn specific skills and techniques to overcome them.
Interpersonal therapy (IPT)
You will receive 16 sessions of one to one treatment which will allow you to explore the links between the impact of low mood on relationships and the interaction between these two areas of your life.
Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR).
This method is shown to be effective in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder and can help reduce symptoms associated with this (i.e. flashbacks and nightmares). Treatment sessions can last 60-90 minutes and will take place weekly over a period of 12 weeks.
Accessing our services
If you wish to refer yourself to our mental health service, please choose one of the following options
Self Refer Online ORby telephone: 0191 333 3300
Lines are open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm – open till 8 pm Thursdays. The service can also be accessed through your GP or any other healthcare professional.