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What is Talking Therapies?
NHS Talking Therapies in Herefordshire and Worcestershire offers free, confidential support for people experiencing everyday mental health difficulties, including low mood, anxiety, stress, and general worries that are starting to feel hard to manage.
Our approach focuses on evidence-based techniques and therapies, to help you understand what’s affecting your wellbeing and develop new ways of responding.
Who is this service for?
NHS Talking Therapies in Herefordshire and Worcestershire is for you if you:
- Are aged 16 and over, including those over the age of 65
- Are registered with a GP in Herefordshire or Worcestershire
- Are consenting to the referral
- Are ready to engage in treatment
- Need certain adjustments to access therapy, we will support this wherever possible
Priority groups
We aim to see you as soon as possible if you are:
- A new parent (from pregnancy until the child is one years old)
- A British Armed Forces veteran whose symptoms are related to their military service
How we can help
We help with common mental health symptoms of low mood and anxiety, including:
- Feeling low, hopeless or lacking motivation.
- Finding it hard to cope with work, life or relationships.
- Having flashbacks or nightmares about a past event.
- Worrying about the past or future, or thinking something bad will happen.
- Feeling anxious, irritable or struggling to relax.
- Experiencing panic attacks.
- Feeling stressed or overwhelmed.
- Having obsessive thoughts or behaviours.
- Feeling nervous in social situations.
- Managing specific fears such as spiders, flying or heights.
We can help if you have low mood or worry related to the challenges of living with a physical health condition, such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
What we can treat
We can help if you have mild to moderate symptoms linked with:
- Low mood
- Lack of motivation
- Depression
- Low self-esteem or confidence
- Worrying too much
- Stress
- Anxiety about your health
- Body dysmorphia
- Insomnia and sleep difficulties
- Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Panic
- Phobias, including agoraphobia
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Social anxiety disorder
- Worry or low mood linked to living with a long-term physical health problem
What we can't treat
We may not be the right service for you if you're experiencing:
- Severe depression or anxiety
- Risk of significant self-harm or suicide
- Post-traumatic stress related to multiple incidents and/or resulting in severe mental health problems
- Bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or symptoms of psychosis, such as hallucinations or delusions
- Hoarding
- Dementia
- Significant learning disability
- Drug or alcohol misuse that would make it difficult to engage effectively with treatment for anxiety and depression
- We cannot treat drug or alcohol misuse, but we can work with you while you are receiving treatment for this
- Eating disorder
- Skin picking disorder
- Hair pulling disorder
- Disabling complex mental health difficulties that require support from additional services
Find out more about Talking Therapies
Talking Therapies FAQs
How do I refer myself to Talking Therapies?
Simply complete our online self-referral form here: [insert link].
What happens after I refer myself?
We'll contact you to arrange an assessment appointment. Assessments are usually completed by phone.
How long will I wait for an assessment?
Most people are offered an assessment within six weeks.
I've been sent some questionnaires. Do I need to complete them?
Yes. The questionnaires help us understand your anxiety and depression symptoms. Completing them beforehand means we can spend more time talking about your needs in the session. You will need to complete questionnaires before every appointment we offer you in order that your symptoms can be monitored.
What happens during the assessment?
The assessment helps us understand your difficulties and decide whether Talking Therapies is the right service for you.
Will I receive therapy during my assessment?
No. The assessment is designed to understand your needs and discuss the most suitable support options available.
What happens after my assessment?
Following your assessment, we may offer treatment within our service, provide information about other sources of support, or refer you to another service.
What happens if my difficulty cannot be treated by Talking Therapies?
If we have details about a suitable service, we will provide you with the appropriate information. Please note that our knowledge is grounded in the treatment of common mental health conditions and it is therefore not always possible to recommend other forms of support. More details about other services can be found here [insert link].
What do you treat?
We support people experiencing depression and anxiety. You can find out more here: [insert link].
What types of treatment do you offer?
We offer a range of treatments, including online programmes, courses, groups and one-to-one therapy. Find out more here: [insert link].
Can I choose the treatment I receive?
You will be offered the best treatment for your needs. Occasionally more than one treatment option is suitable and in this case, you will be offered a choice.
How is treatment provided?
Depending on the type of treatment, appointments may be offered by telephone, video call or face-to-face. If you have preferences or accessibility requirements, please discuss these during your assessment.
How long will I wait for treatment after assessment?
Waiting times vary depending on the recommended treatment but generally expect to wait for several weeks or months. Your assessor will be able to give you the most up-to-date information.
Is there anything I can do while I'm waiting for treatment?
Yes, you can access SilverCloud while you wait. Access SilverCloud here: [insert link].
What times are appointments provided?
Appointments are normally provided Monday to Friday between 9am to 5pm.
What if I can't attend an appointment?
Please let us know as soon as possible if you cannot attend. If you do not attend and do not contact us, we will assume that you do not want treatment and discharge you.
Will the sessions be confidential?
Yes, your sessions will be confidential to the Trust. We will also keep your GP and referrer updated. We will only breach confidentiality if we need to do so to keep you or someone else safe, or if required to do so by law.
What should I expect from my treatment?
During our courses, groups or therapy you will be treated with respect and compassion. You will be able to work at a pace that suits you. You are likely to find that some difficult material is covered in the work and that some sessions are challenging. Progress takes time, but small steps can lead to meaningful change.
What do you expect from me?
We expect you to be on time for all appointments; to ensure you are in a confidential space if the appointment is on the phone or online; to treat all our staff with respect; to be open and honest about your difficulties; and to engage well with the treatment provided.
Will the treatment work?
Our treatments are evidence-based and recommended by the NHS for treating depression and anxiety. However, they can only work if you also work hard to make changes in your life.
What if I have concerns about my treatment?
If you have any questions or concerns, please speak to your therapist. They will be happy to discuss these with you and work with you to ensure you're receiving the most appropriate support.
Will I receive a diagnosis?
No. Talking Therapies does not provide diagnoses. If you would like an assessment for a specific condition, such as ADHD, please speak with your GP.
Can I have an interpreter?
Yes. If you need an interpreter, please let us know and we will arrange this for you.
What should I do if I need urgent help?
If you need immediate support or are in crisis, please visit: Urgent help
Anxiety
Anxiety is a natural response to threats that cause you to feel worried, nervous, concerned, or uneasy.
When anxiety becomes difficult to control and affects your everyday life, then you may have an anxiety disorder.
Depression
Depression is more than just feeling unhappy or fed up for a few days.
While everyone experiences low moods from time to time, depression can cause ongoing feelings of sadness, hopelessness or a loss of interest in daily life that last for weeks or months.