Talking Treatments

Talking treatments can help you to overcome emotional difficulties and free yourself from self destructive ways of feeling , thinking and behaving. They work by providing an opportunity for you to talk in a way that assists you to understand yourself better. Having gained this understanding you can work out ways of living you're life in a more positive and constructive way.

 

What are the different Talking Treatments?

There is a wide variety and some last for years while others just a few sessions.

 

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Individual counselling.

This is an opportunity to talk about what is troubling you, and to be heard. It is generally face to face. It is usually obtainable through your GP, or from a variety of organisations and is valuable in a particular crisis. If you decide to see a counsellor it may be for one session  or you may arrange regular appointments for an hour a week over a specific agreed time period.

 

Counselling tends to focus on your current problems, with the Counsellor helping you to find the best ways to tackle them. The counsellor's most important skill is the ability to listen. The aim is not to tell you what to do, or to offer a personal opinion, but about helping you to arrive at your own solutions

 

Individual Psychotherapy.

The overall aim of psychotherapy is to help you to understand why you feel the way you do, and what lies behind your responses to other people and to things that happen to you. Talking about your feelings can help you release painful feelings and find better ways of managing situations you have been finding difficult. This should enable you to reach a greater understanding of events that have shaped your life and of self-destructive patterns of behaviour. It may, therefore enable you to overcome specific problems such as compulsive eating and lack of confidence, or simply allow you to become happier.

Sessions can vary in length and timespan. It is not uncommon to have weekly sessions that are either open-ended or set to a fix time period of around six weeks, with the option of more if it is necessary.

 

Relationship Counselling and family therapy

Relationship counselling is for couples who want to sort out problems in their relationships. They attend sessions together and the counsellor helps them to express their difficulties and find ways of making their relationship work better. Family therapy works in just the same way with the whole family attending.

 

Group Therapy
Enables people to deal with  interpersonal problems and  develop  self-awareness. Usually 8-12 people meet regularly with a therapist to talk about their concerns.

It is reassuring to be with others who are in similar situations to yourself and opportunities may arise to behave  differently  to be more assertive for instance .

 

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)

CBT is often practised by psychologists. It is used to help some people overcome fears and phobias, such as feeling too scared to go into a shop , or obsessive behaviour, such as washing many times a day. CBT helps to identify connections between your thoughts, feelings and behaviour. It is practical treatment that focuses on specific problem –solving techniques and enables you to develop new coping mechanisms.CBT is offered by Psychologists, Mental health nurse specialists or Psychiatrists.

 

How Can I get started?
Talking treatments may be available free through the NHS, Social Services, GPs, Community Mental Health Teams and various organisations. What is available varies from place to place and unfortunately there is not always something suitable available.

The best place to start is with your GP’s practice who should be able to offer you help information or signpost you to the relevant organisation or practices that most meet your needs.