Mental Health Services—Counselling & Psychotherapy

Counselling is non-judgmental listening by a trained counsellor who will not usually give you advice but encourage you to work out what you want and what your next steps would be. Counselling and psychotherapy can provide an opportunity to explore emotional problems in a confidential setting, and to look at difficulties arising from the past, which may be reflected in current relationships. Your doctor may have a counsellor attached to the GP practice and, if so, you will be able to get up to six free one-to-one counselling sessions on the NHS. Hunts.Mind has a list of practices which currently have counsellors attached, but the easiest way is just to ask at the practice. For details of services, which are available free on the NHS, see Hospital and community mental health services.

Private psychotherapists and counsellors

There are many private psychotherapists and counsellors in the Huntingdon area. Look up ‘Psychotherapy and Analysis’ and ‘Counselling and Advice’ in the Yellow Pages. The British Association of Counselling, listed in the contacts will send details of counsellors (and their qualifications) living in the Huntingdon Area. You can also get details of local psychotherapists from the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP). This is the national umbrella organisation for all the psychotherapies, and annually publishes a National Register of Psychotherapists who have been trained by a member organisation and abide by a UKCP approved Code of Ethics. Hunts.Mind keeps an up-to-date copy of the BAC and UKCP Cambridgeshire lists. Remember that people can set themselves up as counsellors or psychotherapists with no training. A personal recommendation is probably best, but ask people to explain their approach to you, as there are many different kinds of counselling and what suits one person will not suit everyone. It is very important that you feel you can trust the person you choose as your counsellor or therapist. Hunts.Mind also has booklets telling you what to look for when choosing a counsellor.

You can also select an organisation by looking up the relevant heading in the section Mental Health Issues.

Links

Mind has produced a booklet (http://www.mind.org.uk/Information/Booklets/Understanding/Understanding+talking+treatments.htm) on understanding talking treatments.

Local Contacts

Cruse Bereavement Care
Fenland Branch
P.O. Box 16
March
Cambs
PE15 8RX

Tel: 01354 659499 (24 hr. answer phone)
Email: helpline@cruse.org.uk
Website: www.crusebereavementcare.org.uk

Ely Diocesan Committee for Family and Social Welfare
Bishops Woodford House
Diocesan Office
Barton Road
Ely
Cambs
CB7 4DX

Tel: 01353 652719
Email: cfsw@ely.anglican.org
Website: www.ely.anglican.org/church_in_community/social_welfare.html

CFSW is a registered charity, established under the Diocese of Ely. It provides an independent social work service to anyone in the Diocese (of any or no religion) who might prefer to consult a Christian worker independent of ‘the system’. Four, part-time, experienced Social Workers are employed. Some of the areas of work they cover are family support, counselling, mental and physical disability, benefits and debt problems, addiction, the elderly, bereavement and abuse counselling, and general guidance and support. Clients can be supported on a long-term basis to help prevent further crises from arising. The office is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 9.30am-12.30pm (answerphone after hours)

Hunts.Mind
The Limes
24, New Street
St Neots
Cambs
PE19 1AJ

Tel: 01480 470480
Email: communityprojmanager@huntsmind.org.uk
Website: www.huntsmind.org.uk

Hunts.Mind is a local voluntary organisation affiliated to National Mind, run by a team of staff team in conjunction with volunteers and service users.

They currently provide:
Day-time Drop-in Centres in Huntingdon and Ramsey, as well as Evening Clubs in Huntingdon, St Ives and St. Neots.

An Education Programme known as ‘Choices’ is one of several projects run in conjunction with Cambridgeshire Community Education.  These offer opportunities to access sessions on a range of creative arts subjects and also complementary therapies at venues around the district.  A rock group/music workshop and a basic computer skills course are also available.

Hunts.Mind’s aims are to raise the profile of mental health issues in the community and to combat prejudice and misinformation.  We also aim to empower current and past service users to become involved in the development of the organisation at every level.

Hunts.Mind supports and facilitates the Hunts User Forum, People of Potential.

A close working partnership with our local health providers also increases the opportunities for people to engage in sports and leisure activities using their local facilities.

Peterborough and District Relate
66 Broadway
Peterborough
PE1 1 SU

Tel: 01733 568551
Email: info@relatepeterborough.co.uk
Open Peterborough Mon - Friday 9.30am - 8.15pm

Wisbech
Monday during the day
Contact - for appointments 01733 568551

Relate provides counselling for couples and individuals with relationship difficulties; therapy for adult couples and individuals with sexual problems.
Utalk: a counselling service for 10 - 18 year olds whose parents are in conflict, separated or divorced (Free service), Family counselling and Relationship Life Skills Training - Tailor made courses for young people, parents and adults. (£35 per session for pyschosexual therapy and £30 an hour for counselling (bursaries are available for those who cannot pay the full cost) and are available to those living in Peterborough and Fenland Areas, Huntingdonshire and South Lincolnshire.

National Contacts

Al-Anon Family Groups UK and Eire
61 Great Dover Street
London
SE1 4YF

Tel: 020 7403 0888
Email: enquiries@al-anonuk.org.uk
Website: www.al-anonuk.org.uk

Al-Anon offers understanding and support for families and friends of problem drinkers. More…For details of meetings in the Huntingdon area contact the above phone number between 10.00-10.00pm weekdays. Outside these hours please ring the above number for other times.

The Beaumont Society
27 Old Gloucester Street
London
WC1N 3XX

Information Line: 01582 412220
Email: enquiries@beaumontsociety.org.uk
Website: www.beaumontsociety.org.uk

This organisation is run for, and by, people who like to wear the clothes of the opposite gender and people who may be Transsexual. There are members throughout the country, with local groups in most areas.

British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy
15 St. Johns Business Park
Lutterworth
Leicestershire
LE17 4HB

Tel: 0870 443 5252
Email: bacp@bacp.co.uk
Website: www.bacp.co.uk

Send a stamped addressed envelope.

British Association for Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapies
Victoria Buildings
9-13 Silver Street
Bury
BL9 0EU

Tel: 0161 797 4484
Email: babcp@babcp.com
Website: www.babcp.com

Please telephone for information on accredited psychotherapists. Open 9.30-5.30pm Monday to Friday.

Beating Eating Disorders (BEAT)
103 Prince of Wales Road
Norwich
NR1 1DW

Tel: 0870 770 3256
Email: help@b-eat.co.uk
Website: www.b-eat.co.uk

Helpline: 0845 6341414 8.30am-8.30pm Monday-Friday
Youthline: 0845 6347650 4.00-6.30pm Monday-Friday

A national charity offering information, help and support for people affected by eating disorders and, in particular, anorexia and bulimia nervosa. It aims to campaign to improve standards of treatment and care and to raise awareness of eating disorders and related issues.

Services include:

• General helpline open from 8.30am-8.30pm Monday to Friday
• UK wide network of self-help and support groups, postal and telephone contacts
• Membership which includes a regular newsletter
• A range of information leaflets, posters and books
• Youthline helpline and support service for young people aged 18 years and under open 4.00pm-6.30pm every day.

Ex-Services Mental Welfare Society (COMBAT STRESS)
Head Office: Tyrwhitt House
Oaklawn Road
Leatherhead
Surrey
KT22 OBX

Tel: 01372 841600
Email: contactus@combatstress.org.uk
Website: www.combatstress.org.uk

They are the only organisation helping ex-servicemen/women of all ranks of the three services and the Merchant Navy suffering mental disability due to their service career. We have a network of twelve welfare officers who visit at home or hospital, and can help with war pensions and appeals, and three treatment centres in Surrey, Shropshire and Ayrshire offering respite care, also a welfare office in Northern Ireland.

Ex-services Mental Welfare Society (West Midlands)
Audley Court
Audley Avenue
Newport
Shropshire
TF10 7BT

Tel: 01952 822700/822750
Email: wstn01@combatstress.org.uk
Website: www.combatstress.org.uk

The society provides free counselling and practical help (e.g. war disablement pension claims) for ex-services people. It also runs treatment centres for psychological injuries. Phone the above number 9.00am-5.00pm on weekdays to arrange an appointment with a local welfare officer.

First Steps To Freedom

Helpline: 0845 120 2916
Website: www.first-steps.org

Offers advice, support and counselling to people who suffer from phobias, general anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, panic attacks, eating disorders and people who wish to come off tranquillisers. Can also support their carers. Produces leaflets, booklets, videos & relaxation tapes. Available daily 10am-10pm.

Freedom Club (2BYouth)

Tel: 01480 398036
Website: www.freedomclub.org.uk

This service offers a safe supportive meeting place for young people (aged 16-23), who are or think they may be lesbian, gay or bisexual. Telephone for free information, support and advice. Confidentiality assured.

Gamblers Anonymous
PO Box 5382
London W1A 6SA

Tel: 0207384 3040 (24 hrs advice and support line)
Tel: 0762 694 7800 (free literature)

Gam-Anon for family and friends of compulsive gamblers is at the same telephone number.

Institute of Psychotherapy and Social Studies (IPSS)
PO Box 1067
Enfield
EN1 9GR

Tel: 0845 271 3303
Email: info@ipss-psycotherapy.org
Referral email: referrals@ipss-psychotherapy.org

The IPSS offers a consultation and referral service to people considering psychotherapy. Sliding scale of fees. Low cost therapy is available. The Institute is a member organisation of the UKCP, and abides by the council’s code of ethics.

London Centre for Psychotherapy
32 Leighton Road
Kentish Town
London
NW5 2QE

Tel: 020 7482 2002
Email: info@lcp-psychotherapy.org.uk
Website: www.lcp-psychotherapy.org.uk

Provides analytic psychotherapy for individuals, couples and groups in London and other parts of the country. Some low-fee vacancies available. Training courses for psychotherapists. Specialist courses in infant observation and assessment; supervision for counsellors.

Overeaters Anonymous Cambridgeshire

Tel: 01480 353639

Contact: Alison

This is a confidential self-help group run along the same lines as Alcoholics Anonymous, with a structured 12-step programme of recovery. The group is for anyone who suffers from an eating problem - either anorexia, bulimia or compulsive overeating. Meetings are held on Monday evenings from 7.30pm at Oddfellows Hall, 131 Newmarket Road, Cambridge.

No Panic

Freephone Helpline: 0808 808 0545
10am-10pm everyday
Website: www.no-panic.co.uk

You can phone to request an information pack on panic attacks, phobias and obsessive-compulsive disorder and to find out the number of the day’s phone counsellor.

United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)
2nd Floor Edward House
2 Wakely Street
London ECIV 7LT

Tel: 0207 014 9977
Email: info@psycotherapy.org.uk
Website: www.psychotherapy.org.uk

Youth2Youth

Tel: 0208 896 3675
Website: www.youth2youth.co.uk

This service is run by Mind in Ealing – a youth counselling and information service for people under 23 years. This service enables those to talk to a team of trained young volunteers confidentially. Times open are Monday and Thursday evenings 6.30 – 9.30pm. A call back service is available Monday and Thursday from 6.30 – 7.30pm.