Emotional Wellbeing & Psychological Therapy

Finding the right Psychological Therapy.

When you or someone you care about is experiencing emotional difficulties, it can be difficult to understand what kind of help you need and distressing when you have to wait for long periods.

Within the emotional wellbeing team, as registered Clinical Psychologists, we offer specialist psychological therapy for adults, adolescents, younger children and families experiencing psychological/emotional/behavioural difficulties.

We aim to help people and families understand the difficulties they are experiencing and how to begin making changes. Because no two people or families are the same, we offer a range of therapeutic approaches and tailor therapy to meet the unique needs of the individual.

Getting the right therapy at the right time is so important, we aim to offer initial appointments, in our relaxed clinic room, within 1-2 weeks. At the present time, we are also offering psychological support remotely using video platforms or the telephone.

We are able to take referrals from individuals/ families directly, as well as those covered by medical insurance.

Psychological Therapy Services

We have over 10 years experience of delivering psychological therapy in the NHS and in independent practice and to understand more about Clinical Psychology please read more here.

Our team offer specialist assessment and treatment for adults, children and families who are experiencing a range of difficulties or issues and our areas of expertise include:

• Anxiety disorders
• Depression
• Managing difficulties associated with neurodevelopmental difficulties such as Autism Spectrum Conditions and ADHD
• Eating disorders
• Behavioural difficulties
• Trauma

We are also able to help with a range of other issues such as stress, phobias, low self-esteem, postnatal depression and bereavement and loss. If you would like to discuss a particular issue not listed, please contact us to see if we may be able to help.

No two people, families, or their experiences, are the same and we don’t follow a one-size-fits-all approach which means we use one or more approach(es) that fit their unique needs and goals.

Clinical Psychologists are skilled in identifying which treatments/therapies are likely to be helpful based on a psychological understanding of the difficulty/issue we are focussing on. This is based on scientific research.

We are trained in a range of therapies and often draw upon Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Compassion Focussed Therapy (CFT), Systemic Therapies and Narrative Therapy among others.

Any therapy suggested will be explained in more detail during the assessment stage and agreed together.

To find out more about what happens in therapy please see what to expect.

Unfortunately, we are not an emergency service, therefore If you require an emergency service, we will be able to provide details as to how to contact the relevant services.

“Clinical psychologists are trained to work with individuals of different ages with behavioural, emotional and/or psychological distress which disrupts their everyday functioning and well-being. They aim to reduce distress and to enhance and promote psychological well-being, minimise exclusion and inequalities and enable service users to engage in meaningful relationships and valued work and leisure activities”  NHS England

Qualifications and Experience

To qualify as a registered Clinical Psychologist takes between 6- 10 years. Registered Clinical Psychologists must have completed an undergraduate degree in psychology (3 years) accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS), plus a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (3 years). It is usual to have also completed approximately 2- 5 years of postgraduate clinical and research experience before entering the Clinical Psychology doctorate course. Just like medical doctors and nurses, Clinical Psychologists are trained by the NHS and the training involves both academic and clinical work. After qualifying, most clinical psychologists will develop areas of clinical specialism (e.g. adult or child mental health, child development, management of physical health conditions, older adults, neuropsychology) and are required to undertake regular training and CPD (continuing professional development) each year to keep their skills and knowledge up-to-date.

What is the difference between clinical psychologist, counsellor, therapist and psychiatrists?

Clinical Psychologists have extensive training in understanding and assessing a range of psychological difficulties. They are skilled in determining the most appropriate form of help and are trained in providing more than one type of therapy.

Assessment by a clinical psychologist involves finding out about many aspects of a person’s life including background, emotional difficulties, family, social situation and physical health. Using this information, Clinical Psychologists work with a person to develop an understanding about what may have contributed to the development of their difficulties and how best to help/ move forward. To do this, they use their knowledge of psychological theory and scientific/research evidence. This helps them to suggest what type of therapy/treatment might be most helpful.

Psychiatrists are trained medical doctors who have specialised in mental health. They practice the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental health conditions. They can prescribe medication as well as recommending other forms of treatment. In the NHS, psychiatrists often work alongside other mental health practitioners such as psychologists and mental health nurses. Evolve Psychology Services also has Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists working with us should this be needed.

Therapists and counsellors often train in providing one or more particular type of therapy/intervention such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, or counselling.

Quality of care

Clinical Psychology is a highly regulated profession.

Anyone with a degree in psychology may call themselves a psychologist however ‘Clinical Psychologist’ is a legally protected title which means only professionals meeting the criteria set out by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) may use it. All Clinical Psychologists must be registered with the HCPC.  You can check the HCPC website to ensure your clinical psychologist is registered at http://www.hpc-uk.org/check/.

Many Clinical Psychologists are also a ‘Chartered Psychologist’ (CPsychol) which means they are registered with the British Psychological Society (BPS).

“The title of Chartered Psychologist is legally recognised and reflects only the highest standard of psychological knowledge and expertise” (BPS)

You can check the register of chartered psychologists at https://www.bps.org.uk/lists/cpsychol

Therapists and counsellors are not yet legally regulated professions, but many voluntarily register with one of the major professional bodies such as the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) or the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP). These bodies ensure that anyone on their registers have the appropriate qualifications and experience. We advise that you should always check the qualifications of anyone who works with you or your family.

The purpose of assessment

This is a piece of work undertaken to build a comprehensive understanding of the problem and needs of the child, of any parenting difficulties, or of the family system as a whole. It may involve meeting with parents, seeing the child individually, and liaising with any other professionals involved with the child.

Assessment in itself can be beneficial to the understanding of a problem and may be all that is required. Alternatively, it can enable us to work collaboratively with families to formulate an appropriate treatment package.

What issues does the assessment cover?

The focus of the assessment may include:

• A screen or full assessment for mental health problems, such as (but not exhaustively) anger, self-esteem issues, eating disorders depression, anxiety, OCD
• To provide a framework to understand behaviour that may be bewildering or concerning to a parent/carer
• To make sense of behaviour that may have arisen from trauma, abuse or neglect
• A cognitive assessment to establish whether the child has any learning difficulties (See our neurodevelopmental services)
• Assessments for Autistic Spectrum Conditions (See our neurodevelopmental services.)

We have extensive experience of working therapeutically with adults and older adults across a range of settings. Assessments are undertaken to build an understanding of the needs and difficulties that an individual may be experiencing. Assessments may include (but are not limited to):

• Assessment of mental health e.g. depression, anxiety, PTSD, eating disorders
• Case Formulation and Treatment Planning for people experiencing mental health difficulties
• Assessment of Cognitive Functioning / IQ/ Learning Disability (See our neurodevelopmental assessments page)

How to make an initial enquiry?

We would invite you to tell us about the difficulties you or someone in your family are experiencing and the type of help you are looking for. We will tell you about the service we offer and how we can help.

We work alongside GPs and other services (where appropriate), but we don’t require a GP referral from patients.  After the initial call or email we will send you information about the appropriate services we offer and include details about costs, what to expect and next steps. We also include a referral form, consent form and Covid consent form which outlines our Covid policy.

We ask you to read through the information and there is of course no obligation if you need time to review the information or come back with questions..

If you do wish to go ahead with an appointment, we ask that the referral form and consent forms are completed and returned. It is at that stage we arrange appointments and invoices for the appointments.

What to expect from the initial Emotional Wellbeing screening appointment?

The initial appointment is an 60 min assessment session. During this appointment, you will be asked to describe the difficulties you are experiencing. We will discuss the issues affecting you/ your family or your child at the current time, together with any relevant background information/history. You will be asked about a number of different areas of your life but there is no obligation to talk about anything you are not comfortable with.  Once we have discussed the issues in more depth, we can develop a joint understanding and discuss then plan the next steps including a treatment plan.

For assessments for young people, adolescents may decide to attend this assessment alone, or with someone e.g. a parent to support them. We always advise that a parent/ guardian is present for assessments for younger children. For adults, we will discuss in advance if you would like to bring someone with you to the assessment. Some adults choose to bring a partner, friend, or close relative.

Once we have discussed our recommended plan, you can decide if you would like another appointment. For some clients, an assessment can be a one-off appointment in order to help them understand their difficulties and/or gain a professional opinion. Others may choose to proceed to therapy. There is no obligation to have further sessions and you do not have to decide during the assessment appointment.

A written summary of your assessment (sometimes called an assessment report), including the treatment plan, will be provided to you via email or post . With your consent, we will also send a copy to your GP and any other services that you might be involved in whom you would like to have a copy. This will be provided whether or not you choose to book a further appointment. We do not share information without your consent, unless we are concerned about your own or someone else’s safety. However, if we were to be concerned, we would always talk to you about it first.

If you choose to proceed with therapy, you will have an opportunity to change your mind.  You are free to cancel the next appointment and any further input without needing to give an explanation. We do not charge for appointments cancelled with more than 48 hours notice.

What can you expect from an Emotional Wellbeing therapy session?

Therapy appointments usually last between 50-60 minutes. The appointment will be a form of talking therapy and can be weekly, fortnightly or monthly depending on the agreed treatment plan. The exact nature of the therapy will depend upon the outcome of the assessment appointment.

We will also review progress regularly. Should we reach the end of an agreed number of sessions and more are required, or you feel you need a different approach, we can review and reformulate a new plan together. In some cases, we may suggest referring you on to another professional either in addition to, or in place of, our sessions.

Older children/adolescents are normally seen on their own, although we may provide some feedback to parents. The frequency of this feedback can vary between families and is something that we will discuss with you. We also offer sessions for parents for young people of all ages if this is agreed by the family. Younger children often benefit from us working with parents rather than directly with the child. If this is felt to be the most appropriate pathway for you as a family, then your psychologist will discuss it with you. Please be assured for young people seen alone, that if there are any safety concerns these will be shared with the family, your GP and any other relevant adults.

You are able to stop therapy at any time and you are not required to give a reason. However, sometimes talking about the ending if you choose to stop therapy can be helpful for some clients to enable us to think together about how best to support you during that ending, or to provide information about other services that might be of benefit if appropriate.

Full details of confidentiality, data protection and terms and conditions are provided prior to the initial assessment.