NHS Talking Therapies (Previously known as IAPT)
If you live in England, are aged 18 or over (or in some areas 16-17), and are registered with a GP, NHS Talking Therapies can be an excellent resource for help and support. Services are available in person, via video, over the phone, or as an online course, allowing you to fit them into your schedule.
NHS Talking Therapies offer psychological treatments such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), counselling, and guided self-help for issues like anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other common mental health concerns such as:
- Anxiety.
- Depression.
- PTSD and struggling with flashbacks or nightmares about upsetting events from your past.
- Feeling low and hopeless.
- Excessive worry.
- Having panic attacks.
- Finding it hard to cope with work, life or relationships.
- Feeling stressed.
- Worrying a lot.
- Obsessive thoughts or behaviours.
- Social Anxiety.
- Being afraid of things, such as spiders, flying or heights (phobias).
If you’re struggling with any of these issues, seeking help through an NHS Talking Therapies service can be one of the best steps you can take to overcome mental health issues and get back on track. You do not need to have a diagnosed mental health problem to refer yourself to an NHS Talking Therapies service. Getting support as soon as you start having difficulties can help to reduce their impact.
Talking Therapies can also help if you have mental health problems resulting from physical health conditions. They also provide employment advice in many areas of England, to support people to reach their employment goals.
The NHS is encouraging anyone struggling, to seek help through NHS Talking Therapies services. These are effective, confidential, and free treatments delivered by trained clinicians, online, on the phone, or in person. Your NHS is here to see you, safely. Help Us Help You.
You can either be referred by your GP or refer yourself directly without needing a referral. For more information or to refer yourself, please follow the link below.
Don’t have access to the internet?
That’s fine, you can also self-refer via phone, where referral advisors will take a few details from you before booking you in for a triage telephone appointment.
Just call on:
024 7667 1090
Alternatively, you can write to:
Talking Therapies
Central Booking Service
City of Coventry Health Centre
Paybody Building
2 Stoney Stanton Road
Coventry
CV1 4FS
What can I expect from talking therapies?
- An initial 30 minute triage call within a few weeks to talk about what you’re struggling with and to discuss what kind of support may help you.
- A non-judgemental approach and an open mind.
- If the service thinks they can help you, they’ll recommend a therapy for you. This is based on your symptoms and how severe they are.
Waiting times for the first session vary. The service will tell you what to expect.
What types of therapy can I expect to receive?
The type of therapy you are offered depends on symptoms being experienced and can include:
- Guided self-help – where a therapist coaches you as you work through a self-help course in your own time, either using a workbook or an online course (via the internet or digital app)..
- Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) – this works to help you notice and challenge patterns of thoughts or behaviours so you can feel better.
- Counselling for depression – a type of counselling developed for people with depression.
- Interpersonal therapy (IPT) or dynamic interpersonal therapy (DIT) – therapies that look at the link between your depression and your relationships.
- Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy – which uses meditation to tackle depression and reduce the risk of relapse.
- An independent online course (via the internet or digital app).
- Therapy sessions in person, over the phone or through video consultation alone or as part of a group.
For more information and support please visit their website below.
Please see here for answers to frequently asked questions about Talking Therapies. www.talkingtherapies.covwarkpt.nhs.uk/iapt-faqs
PLEASE NOTE: For those whose first language is not English, talking therapies can be delivered through multi-lingual therapists or through confidential interpreters, and in British Sign Language (BSL) through SignHealth’s NHS Therapies for Deaf People service.
Over half (52%) of respondents felt concerned about their mental health in the last year, with one in five (19%) being very concerned.
Over two in five (42%) respondents have experienced depression before and over a quarter (28%) of respondents have experienced generalised anxiety disorder before.
Of the respondents who had experienced an anxiety disorder or depression, almost a quarter (24%) did not seek professional help for this.
For those who have accessed professional help for an anxiety disorder or depression, over two thirds (67%) said they saw an improvement in their mental health.
Almost two thirds (64%) of respondents did not know that they could refer themselves to NHS Talking Therapies online to access treatment for anxiety and depression, while four in 10 (40%) did not know that they could get a referral from a GP to access treatment.
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Feeling anxious or depressed? NHS Talking Therapies can help
Struggling with feelings of depression, excessive worry, social anxiety, post-traumatic stress or obsessions and compulsions?
Refer yourself at www.nhs.uk/talk