How we help
Merton Talking Therapies offers free, confidential talking therapies alongside wellbeing and employment support for people aged 18 years and above experiencing anxiety and depression.
Difficulties we help with
We can help with a range of difficulties that may be affecting your quality of life. These include:
- Feeling sad or low
- Feeling anxious and/or panicky
- Worrying about things a lot of the time
- Feeling stressed
- Having difficulty coming to terms with a traumatic experience or loss
- Phobias such as a fear of flying, needles, dogs, spiders, heights, etc.
- Severe shyness in social or work situations
- Having upsetting thoughts or pictures come into your mind that you cannot get rid of and needing to carry out certain behaviours to feel less distressed such as praying or checking.
- Eating difficulties, which could be restricting the amount of food you eat or bingeing on food.
- Challenges living with a physical health problem such as diabetes, pain, cardiac, respiratory disorders or long/post Covid.
- Difficulties adjusting to a new role such as caring responsibilities, retirement or becoming a parent.
Types of support we offer
We provide support to the people who refer to us and our local community in a number of different ways.
Evidence Based Psychological Therapy
All the talking therapies we offer at the Merton Talking Therapies service follow the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) treatment guidelines. This means that we provide therapies where there is evidence from research trials and clinical settings proving its effectiveness.
We also follow a “stepped care” model which means we offer the most effective, yet least intensive, support that is appropriate for a person first, to try to maximise their chances of a quick recovery from their symptoms.
When we have had an assessment with you, the clinician who spoke with you and their supervisor will think carefully about your treatment and will offer therapies that are recommended for your particular type of problem.
To learn more about the different types of evidence based psychological therapies we offer, please click here
Employment service
Our employment circumstances can have a significant impact on our wellbeing. Perhaps stress in the workplace is causing you to struggle in carrying out your role, or being out of work is leading to feelings of low mood. Does the thought of looking for paid work bring feelings of anxiety and uncertainty?
If you are thinking of changing career, looking for a new job or struggling at work in your current workplace and need reasonable adjustments to help you to carry out your work duties more effectively, then you can talk to one of our in-house Employment Specialist’s for advice and support.
Who can receive support from the Employment Service
Employment support is available for people receiving treatment from Merton Talking Therapies Talking Therapies and who are:
- Out of work and want to get into paid employment
- In work and need help and support to stay in employment
- In work and want support to find another job including a career change
What the Employment Service can offer
We offer personalised support tailored to your needs:
- Advice and career guidance
- Motivation, confidence building and assertiveness skills
- CV writing, job search and interviewing skills
- Disclosure of mental health difficulties within the workplace
- Signposting to benefits and debt counselling
Our personalised support to retain employment includes:
- Adjustments in the workplace
- Management of employment and employer-related issues
- Developing self-management strategies at work
- Support and strategies to return to work after sick leave
- Attendance at workplace Sickness Review and Mediation meetings
- Liaison with HR and Occupational health departments
- Help to look for more suitable jobs whilst still employed
- Supporting in signposting for legal matters within the workplace and supporting during the process.
How to access Employment support
You will be asked in your initial assessment if you would like support from the Employment team and if so, your details will be passed on to the Employment Advisers who will contact you. Alternatively, if your situation changes whilst you are on a waiting list for treatment, or whilst you are in treatment with us, then please do let the service or your clinician know. They can ask the Employment team to get in touch with you at that point.
Wellbeing team
Wellbeing support helps people to connect and access activities and resources to meet their physical, social and emotional needs. We aim to support you to cope in the present and help you move forward in the future. Our team are experienced in supporting people with their wellbeing, either professionally or through lived experience.
What we offer
1. Wellbeing Workshops
Our Wellbeing Team offer a range of workshops (each lasting approximately 90 minutes) where you can learn techniques and strategies to improve your wellbeing. Popular topics include:
- Coping with Stress
- Self-Care and Relaxation
- Self-Confidence and Assertiveness
- Tips for Better Sleep
- Managing Anger and Irritability
- Avoiding work stress and burn-out
We also offer workshops for people experiencing specific health issues or life circumstances:
- Living Well with chronic pain
- Living well with long Covid
- Wellbeing for new or expecting parents
- Financial stress and how to tackle it
A wide range of people have found the workshops to be a valuable source of information and peer support. A previous participant has fed back:
I am grateful for the comfortable & safe spaces that are provided to the residents of Merton. I have found the service very supportive.
The mini sessions help you to understand why you are going through difficulties. By breaking up large topics you can begin to gain an insight into yourself and possible practical strategies you can apply moving forward. Having a team who are invested in the group and peers whose experiences you can empathise with and learn from, is a hugely reassuring support.
Our workshops are free to attend and available to anyone over 18 and living within Merton or registered with a Merton GP.
You can sign up for our workshops here Merton Uplift Events | Eventbrite
2. Practical support with a wellbeing navigator
Our partnership with local charities Wimbledon Guild and Focus – 4 -1 enables Merton Talking Therapies to offer some 1- 1 sessions with a Wellbeing Navigator. Your therapist will be able to explore with you if this would helpful.
These practical support sessions can help with things such as:
- Accessing activities that help to keep you both physically and emotionally well
- Participating in community activities
- Accessing health or other financial support services
Follow us
We are very active on social media, so please follow us for updates and information about the service, and for helpful wellbeing strategies and information:
Working with our community
Our Community Partners
Merton Talking Therapies works in partnership with a number of local organisations with expertise in a particular field to co-deliver our services.
We are proud to be partnered with:
- Wimbledon Guild
- Focus – 4- 1
- Carers Support Merton
- Polish Family Association
Working with Local Community Organisations
We know many communities and groups already support local people with their wellbeing. We are always keen to work with others – be it co-producing a new wellbeing workshop based on your individual needs or visiting your group to answer any questions about our services and to explore how we could work together.
Perhaps you run a lunch club for older people in your neighbourhood, or a play group for local children? Is your faith group interested in exploring the wellbeing of your community? Are you a member of a local peer support group for carers?
In the last year, Merton Talking Therapies has worked with Alzheimers UK, Mencap, One You Merton, Homestart, Sustainable Merton, Carers Support Merton, Ahmadiyya Womens GroupPollards Hill Baptist church, Walk and Talk Movement Merton, Citizens Advice Bureau, Tooting and Mitcham Football Club, the Salvation Army, BAME Voice and Age UK to name but a few! OR
Please contact us to discuss working together to help improve the mental health and wellbeing of your communities.
Our Champions
To ensure we are supporting everyone from our local communities to access our service, we have developed Champion roles in our teams. These clinicians and wellbeing practitioners are keen to develop their interest and expertise in working with people who may have found it difficult to engage with services in the past or have particular needs they need support with.
Our Champions link with other organisations to ensure people in the local community are aware that we are here and the type of support we can provide, and they also ensure the service understands what changes we need to make to ensure people want to come to see us. We currently have Champions working with people and organisations related to pregnancy and becoming a new parent, people with long term physical health conditions, older people, people from a black and minority ethnic backgrounds, carers, people with a learning disability, those experiencing domestic violence and isolated men.
If you would like to link with one of our Champions then we would love to hear from you. Please do get in touch.
Service User Forums
Merton Talking Therapies is keen to improve and learn from people who have accessed our services. We ask every person who is seen for support to complete a Patient Experience Questionnaire which are collected and reviewed every three months. The findings from these are shared with the team and we think about how we can act on the feedback we have received.
We also hold regular service user forums to share experiences and help influence new service developments. Please contact us if you would like to join our friendly groups to support us in this valuable way.