We offer a range of talking therapies for a number of problems which are all supported by evidence and delivered by Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners or Psychological Therapists. If you recognise any of the signs of the mental health difficulties on our problems we can help with pages, then we may be able to help.

There are lots of different types of talking therapies, but they all involve working with a trained therapist. This may be one-to-one, in a group, online, or over the phone.

For some problems a certain type of talking therapy may be better than another, and different talking therapies also suit different people in different ways.

To find out more about how self-referral works and what will happen next, see our refer me  page.


Step 2 Treatments

Step 2 treatments are often the first stage of treatment that someone has. These are treatments which last for up to 6 sessions. Many people find that they are able to overcome their difficulties following step 2 treatments.

Guided self-help is based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. In Guided self-help you are supported by a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner to understand current problems and use self-help materials. These materials enable you to learn different skills and tools which mean you can manage difficulties and achieve your goals. The sessions can be either face to face or over the phone.

In cCBT you will be given access to an online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy programme which you can work through at your own pace, with telephone support from a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner. Similar to the guided self-help resources, the aim of cCBT is to teach you skills which help you to manage your difficulties and achieve your goals.

We can provide information on how to access local community services that may be helpful to you. These can include services that can give you advice on housing, drugs and alcohol, or local activities. 

Several of our services have in-house employment advisors who can help you to find work and provide support and advice with any work related issues (such as workplace bullying). If one of our services does not have in-house employment support, we can refer you to local employment services. 

We offer a range of psycho-educational groups where you can learn different techniques to manage your problems, and meet others who are experiencing similar difficulties. We also provide one-off workshops where you can get information and advice on how to overcome issues such as sleep difficulties.

We run a number of groups, each with a different theme. Please contact your local service to find out the current timetable of groups. 

 Examples of groups are: 

  • Mindfulness 

  • Wellbeing for mums 

  • Bereavement groups 

  • Sleep groups 

  • Stress groups 

  • CBT groups 

The groups have a welcoming and informal setting. It is not compulsory to talk in the groups, but anyone who would like to share their experiences will be greeted with a supportive atmosphere and advice from our therapists. 

Groups are particularly helpful for meeting other people experiencing similar difficulties and learning from and supporting each other. Tasks are usually set by the facilitators at end of each group session to practise any new coping skills you may have learnt. Everything discussed in the group is confidential. 

Mindfulness meditation is very beneficial for relieving stress and improving your mood. Mindfulness groups focus on developing skills for: 

  • Living in the present, instead of worrying about the future or regretting the past 

  • Having a greater sense of awareness of your mood and actions 

  • Improving physical health (e.g. improving sleep, relieving stress) 

  • Accepting your experiences rather than avoiding them 

  • Accepting yourself  


Step 3 Treatments

Step 3 treatments are often for people who have had longer term difficulties or difficulties which can be very complicated. If someone has not recovered following a Step 2 therapy, they may then have a Step 3 therapy. Typically Step 3 treatments involve 8 – 12 sessions with a Psychological Therapist either in a group or individually.

CBT is based on the idea that the way you feel is affected by your thoughts and what you do.  We can create unhelpful patterns of thoughts and behaviour which keep problems going. Often these behaviours can help you in the short term but in the long term they keep problems going. For example, someone who thinks they are a failure, might avoid applying for a promotion at work because they think they will never get it, but, by doing this, they keep the thought going that they are a failure. In CBT you learn how to identify these negative patterns and begin to change your behaviour and challenge negative thoughts. This helps you to improve your mood or anxiety and achieve your goals. 

Counselling provides the opportunity to talk to an experienced counsellor who will listen carefully to you and help you think about how and why your problem has arisen, and how best to move forward with how you are feeling. Your counsellor will encourage you to talk about your current feelings, as well as your previous feelings, relationships, or similar situations. However, you will never be forced to talk about anything which you do not feel comfortable discussing. 

Behavioural Couples Therapy is useful when one partner has depression (or depressive symptoms) and it is causing a strain on the relationship. Both partners need to be involved in the therapy, which will focus on relieving stress and improving communication. 

Interpersonal Therapy is a structured treatment for depression. Symptoms of depression are interpreted as a response to relationship problems. This therapy aims to improve relationships and depression by targeting particular situations which are difficult in certain relationships. 

Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy is based on a model that assumes depression is connected with relationship problems. This therapy aims to find reoccurring patterns in previous relationships. After this pattern has been recognised, the therapist can support you to address this pattern in a current difficult relationship. 

EMDR is a talking therapy that was developed to support people who have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). EMDR helps by changing the way that the brain processes information to help you to let go of the traumatic event that you experienced. You still remember what happened, but it is less upsetting.

We run a number of groups, each with a different theme. Please contact your local service to find out the current timetable of groups. 

 Examples of groups are: 

  • Mindfulness 

  • Wellbeing for mums 

  • Bereavement groups 

  • Sleep groups 

  • Stress groups 

  • CBT groups 

The groups have a welcoming and informal setting. It is not compulsory to talk in the groups, but anyone who would like to share their experiences will be greeted with a supportive atmosphere and advice from our therapists. 

Groups are particularly helpful for meeting other people experiencing similar difficulties and learning from and supporting each other. Tasks are usually set by the facilitators at end of each group session to practise any new coping skills you may have learnt. Everything discussed in the group is confidential. 

Mindfulness meditation is very beneficial for relieving stress and improving your mood. Mindfulness groups focus on developing skills for: 

  • Living in the present, instead of worrying about the future or regretting the past 

  • Having a greater sense of awareness of your mood and actions 

  • Improving physical health (e.g. improving sleep, relieving stress) 

  • Accepting your experiences rather than avoiding them 

  • Accepting yourself  


Online Therapy

Some types of therapy are online, and they let you work through the programmes in your own space and at your own pace with some telephone support from a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner. Generally these are Step 2 treatments.

In cCBT you will be given access to an online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy programme which you can work through at your own pace, with telephone support from a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner. Similar to the guided self-help resources, the aim of cCBT is to teach you skills which help you to manage your difficulties and achieve your goals.

To find out more about how self-referral works and what will happen if you decide to self-refer, click on the “Refer me” button below.