Talking therapies explained – Free guide

At some point, many of us want to take a fresh look at a problem, or an issue in their life and the first port of call is often a therapist. But which one? It can be confusing to sort your way through what is available, and how suitable it is for you and your particular concern. Most people know something of how counseling works, but would psychoanalysis or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy better – and how do you know? There is now an excellent free guide from The Mental Health Foundation called ‘Talking therapies explained’, and it does exactly that. It is a quick and easy guide that explains the types of different therapies available and how they work, as well as organisations listing reputable therapists.

To get the right help, you nee to know the right questions to ask, and the guide lists practical questions to ask when looking around because although work is being done to address the accreditation and regulation of therapists, there are still unscrupulous and poorly qualified practitioners around and you can’t always recognize them without some help.

The Government now has a programme to improve access to psychological therapies on the NHS, but it has only just begun and there is currently an average wait of six months to get an appointment. In these stressful times, more people need help than ever and certainly the talking therapies not only improve an individual’s mental health but also their ability to manage family life, relationships, a job or an ongoing physical illness.If you would like a copy of ‘Talking therapies explained’ you can either telephone the Mental Health Foundation on 020 7803 1101 or download it from their website at www.mentalhealth.org.uk and it is free for a single copy, though there is a small charge for bulk orders.