What we offer

What is guided self-help?

Guided self-help involves using self-help materials based on Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to learn techniques to help manage symptoms of depression, anxiety, panic attacks, phobias and stress with the help of a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner. You will be asked to do some simple in-between session tasks and the emphasis will be on providing you with techniques and coping strategies that you can use in the long term.

What happens in guided self-help sessions?

Each session will last up to 30 minutes; therefore sessions will be focused and structured in order for you to get the most out of your treatment. Guided self-help is a collaborative treatment, so together in each session, you and a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner will aim to:

• Set an agenda for the session
• Identify your priorities and goals for the session
• Work through a range of guided self-help booklets
• Guide you in how to use the guided self-help techniques and apply them to your daily life
• Set in-between session tasks to help you practice the techniques
• Review how you get on with in-between session tasks

What are in-between session tasks and why are they important?

In-between session tasks are set at the end of each session and are a key method of change in guided self-help. As the sessions are only 30 minutes long, most of the practical work will be done outside of sessions, which enables you to try out the techniques in your everyday life and test out how well they work for you.

It is important to complete the in-between session tasks because many of the techniques will be new and will need to be developed through repeated practice. Regular practice of the techniques is essential in order for change to come about and for you to see improvements in symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a form of talking therapy which focuses on developing strategies for tackling patterns of unhelpful thoughts and behaviours, which in turn can affect how we feel.

It is a short term, time limited and structured therapy, which is focused on ‘the here and now’ to reduce problematic symptoms. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommend CBT in the treatment for a range of emotional problems, including depression and a range of issues relating to anxiety.

In early sessions you and your therapist would work together to develop an understanding of your difficulties and consider what may be contributing to emotional difficulties (e.g. unhelpful thoughts, unhelpful behaviours or difficult life events).

The next phase of therapy involves trying out new ways of thinking and coping, by using evidence-based techniques and strategies. It is important that people are motivated to experiment with making changes and are prepared to try things out between sessions in order to maximise the benefits.

Towards the end of therapy, to support you in continuing your progress, the focus is on preventing problems recurring in the future and planning how you might be able to cope with any setbacks.

Please complete the form if you would like to request an appointment for CBT.

Please note there are waiting lists for all our treatments.

we offer a range of online therapy options that can be accessed on your computer or any mobile device with access to the internet.

Research shows that online treatment can be as effective as individual therapy sessions, with the added benefit of:

• Quick access – with some options you can access treatment immediately; much shorter waiting times for therapy.
• Flexibility – you choose when and how you want to access therapy. Available at any time of the day or night, ideal for those with busy or irregular schedules.
• Convenience – no need to travel to appointments. Get support from the comfort of your own home – or anywhere else you prefer.
• Ease of use – online therapy is designed to be simple, intuitive and interactive, with lots of support for those concerned about their computer skills.

To benefit from online therapy you will need to:

• Have basic computer and internet skills (and/or smartphone/tablet)
• Be motivated to improve your well-being

SilverCloud

SilverCloud is an evidenced based online programme that helps teach skills based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.  It looks at thoughts and behaviours, and offers a wide range of activities to support you in making practical changes to help you improve your mood and anxiety.  Alongside this you will be offered six regular reviews with a therapist.  The first and last will be over the telephone and the others will be completed online.

Once you have an account you can download the SilverCloud app which allows you to access the programme anytime, anywhere, on any device that has an internet connection e.g. computer, smartphone, tablet. SilverCloud is therefore an ideal option for people who may have difficulty attending regular appointments away from home e.g. full-time workers, parents, carers. It provides a flexible way for you to access support.

Each session can be done independently (pure self-help) or with the feedback of a therapist (guided self-help) and even after you have completed treatment you will have access to the programme for an entire year. This allows you the opportunity to recap the sessions which can help maintain progress and prevent setbacks. The pure self-help option can be a particularly good first step before receiving any formal therapy. It is also a stand-alone treatment in its own right that can be accessed with minimal waiting time.

If you are interested in this type of treatment, please complete this form. Once you have completed this form one of our team will contact you and help you choose what therapy options may be best for you.

Our group treatment and courses include:

• Understanding Depression
• Stress Management Course
• Living with Pain
• Improving Self Esteem
• Kingston University Understanding Wellbeing Course
• Feeling Good Group
• Type 2 Diabetes Group
• Mums in Mind

Worried about attending a group?

People worry about joining therapy groups for different reasons but there are many reasons why attending a group can be equally if not more helpful than individual work. Here are some of the common concerns:

Will I be forced to talk in the group?

No one is forced to contribute to the group, however, you will be encouraged to share experiences of the group and homework tasks as those people who share in the group, tend to make more positive changes.

Is the research evidence for groups any good?

Existing research shows that group CBT is just as effective for a number of problems as individual CBT. There are additional reasons why group CBT can be particularly helpful, these include:

• you and the therapist stick more closely to the treatment protocol and this is what’s been shown to work
• people have told us that discovering that they are not alone with their problem is enormously encouraging
• the support that people receive and give to each other in a group is very helpful
• 10 minds (or however many) are better than 2
• being in the group where everybody is involved in similar tasks helps people to work on their homework tasks and feedback from others is helpful

What if I feel judged?

Other people coming to the group will have similar issues and it can be helpful to speak to other people who feel like them. People will probably have different ways of dealing with difficulties and it can be helpful to learn from each other. Groups can give a real life way of working through problems in a supportive environment.

What about confidentiality?

At the start of each group you will spend some time working out ground rules with the other members to ensure that the group becomes a safe and respectful learning environment. Rules include respecting confidentiality by not discussing things from the group outside group-time with other people.

We can help you to build links with local groups or organisations with community linking, also known as social prescribing.

We can provide you with details of counselling services, activity classes, community centres, support groups, employment support, volunteering and training and education schemes in your local area.

This community linking can help you to:

• get out more or become more active in the local community
• socialise and share interests with others
• find places to get practical help with things like benefits advice or employment
• find support or help from others with lived experiences of similar problems

In 2013 ‘The Reading Agency’ launched a national scheme of self-help books and the two book lists have been combined; this is what you’ll find in your local library. Self-help reading is recommended for common mental health problems such as anxiety and depression.

The books give information and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) techniques to help people understand and manage common mental health problems.

The books are free for all people and signing up to the library is easy when taking out these books; no need for proof of address etc. Despite the name, you don’t need a ‘prescription’; you can go into your local library and browse all of the books. However, your GP or therapist can provide a ‘prescription’ if you would like to take something into the library.

There are also additional services available in the libraries that you can access: free computer use and courses, free public Wi-Fi, parent and baby groups, ‘knit and natter’ clubs, children services, home library services, study spaces and a warm space to read the newspaper.

What books are available?

The books are approved by mental health practitioners and cover a wide range of topics, including: Anxiety, Depression, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Social Anxiety, Low self Esteem, Stress, Post Natal Depression/Motherhood, Anger, Eating and Body Image problems.

For a complete list please click here.

MBCT is based on the Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) eight-week programme.  Research shows that MBSR is empowering for patients with chronic pain, hypertension, heart disease, cancer, and gastrointestinal disorders, as well as for psychological problems such as low mood, anxiety and panic.  It is helpful for those suffering with  low mood, negative thought processes, anxious reactions, reactive thinking, self-sabotaging behaviour, feelings of low self-esteem, self-destructive behaviour and other emotionally based behaviours that are ultimately harmful to our wellbeing. It will help you discover what makes you vulnerable to downward mood spirals, and why you get stuck at the bottom of the spiral.

To find out more: mbct.co.uk

Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) is an evidence based psychotherapy that is time-limited and structured approach to the treatment of depression. The fundamental clinical task of IPT is to help patients to learn to link mood with interpersonal contacts, and to recognise that by appropriately addressing interpersonal situations they may simultaneously improve both their relationships and depressive state. Typically, IPT focuses on one of four areas of difficulty that are having a significant impact on the patient’s depression symptoms, namely conflict with another person, life changes that affect how you feel about yourself and others, unresolved grief and difficulty in starting or keeping relationships going in a satisfying way.

A course of IPT may involve 8-16 sessions. Its overall aims are to reduce the symptoms of depression and to improve the quality of the patient’s social and interpersonal functioning. By appropriately addressing interpersonal situations improvements to both relationships and depressive mood can be found.

(Acknowledgement: Information adapted from www.iptuk.org)

Brief Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy or DIT is a time limited and structured psychotherapy, typically delivered over 16 weekly sessions. It aims to help patients understand the connection between presenting symptoms and what is happening in their relationships through identifying a core repetitive pattern of relating that can be traced back to childhood. Once this pattern is identified, it will be used to make sense of difficulties in relationships in the here-and-now that contribute to psychological stress. A DIT therapist will also help individuals to reflect on their thoughts, feelings and experience, with the goal of helping them to establish more helpful ways of being in and managing important relationships in their life.

Please note there are waiting lists for all our treatments.

Kingston Talking Therapies have Employment Advisers to help people struggling with their mental health navigate work related difficulties. We offer an impartial, supportive, and confidential approach to help people find the right job for them and to prevent them leaving their existing jobs due to mental ill health, when they want and can work.

We provide support in the following areas:

Support to sustain your current role.

• Discussing ways to support your wellbeing at work and developing strategies that you can use along with support with confidence and motivation.
• Reflecting on support that is available within your organisation, for example, a supportive colleague, Employee Assistance programme or speaking with your manager about your health and advising on reasonable adjustments, if appropriate. We can speak with your employers or talk you through ways that you can do this.
• Support you if you feel your current role has a negative impact on your mental health and you wish to move into a different sector which is more in line with your interests and values.

Returning to work from sick leave

• We can help you to return to work and develop a plan to help support you. This could include liaising with your employer or supporting you to do this, to include a phased return and ongoing support.

Finding the right job for you

• CV development, interview skills, job searching, assistance with application forms
• Signposting to courses, volunteering, and advocacy
• Guidance on changing career sector including looking at your current skills, what your strengths and interests are and planning what training or support there is to link you in with
• Overcoming identified barriers for example coming off benefits, working with you to stay motivated by helping you identify your employment related goals

 Accessing our support

If you are self-referring to Talking Therapies you can indicate that you would like employment support on the referral form, alternatively please speak to your Talking Therapies clinician and a referral will be made to our team.

If you require further information about the employment support we offer, please email infokingstonemployment@swlstg.nhs.uk