Mental health service budgets 'cut by 8%' But we can still help you by offering affordable counselling

Mental health service budgets 'cut by 8%'

But we are still going strong regardless & offering affordable counselling

'Therapy for Life' has survived all along without funding or any aid from the government, and still able to offer affordable counselling for the public from as little as £15 per session on our scheme.

How do we do it? Our successful results bring back client after client through positive word-of-mouth. We are able to see clients within a week instead of long waiting lists, and our therapy is tailored to each client. We don't just use a single theory, we are integrated therapists and apply several theories to get the client to achieve their goals.

Successful companies like us are built on good feedback and results. That's how we survive inspite of the cuts that the NHS IAPT and MIND services suffer.
We are here and ready to help, why not come along and meet us. You'll be greeted with a warm friendly smile and offered something to suit your needs.

Client Testimonials:

"I have struggled with depression at various points in my life and have had anxiety as long as I can remember. I thought these were things I had to learn to live with.When it got really bad, I felt like there was nobody to help and no escape from my fears. It was a very frightening time. Luckily, I found Sam at Therapy for Life. Using CBT and other techniques, we talked through my worries and worked through my issues each week. She laid out a plan for me to do after each session and I felt empowered. My confidence grew and she gave lots of support and kindness. I was quickly back on my feet and I have got a brand new outlook on my life. It was a compelling and rewarding experience. I feel more in tune with myself and my confidence is here to stay. I am very glad I picked up the phone to her. I would highly recommend Therapy to Life and thank Sam for helping me feel free and happy."

Lucy from Southend-on-Sea

"On initially meeting Sam, you immediately realise why she is a counsellor. Being able to talk to someone knowing that they are truly listening is such an empowering experience. Sam shows such empathy and provides the perfect environment to be able to talk openly and honestly without the fear of being judged. Most of us at some time, for whatever reason, struggle to deal with certain issues and don’t quite know how to move forward. By seeing Sam and talking it through we worked together on coming up with a more positive way to deal with things. We owe it to ourselves to lead the happiest life possible. I would most definitely recommend Sam to anybody. You could not meet a kinder, more caring, genuine, trustworthy person. A truly positive experience. Thank you."

Keeley Smith from Essex


"Many thanks for the care, warmth and professionalism you have shown me over the last few months Sam. As I have said to you before, I am amazed at how much I have got out of the counselling sessions. I have a greater understanding of myself, feel more relaxed and able to manage life’s challenges better, which previously caused me a lot of anxiety - can’t thank you enough!"

Nicola Huggan from Essex

"I can honesty say therapy for life changed my life in every way As cliche as it may sound I feel like I've grown as a woman and person in mind and spirit. Sam was so welcoming and warm I felt comfortable and safe. Thank you is not enough I will be forever and eternally grateful."
Laurelle from Essex

"We found our counselling sessions really helpful and supportive. Sam was really lovely and made us feel at ease. Just having someone listen to our situation really helped us in our relationship. We would definitely recommend Sam and therapy for life for anyone who may have problems or struggling with life in general"
Claire and John from Southend-on-Sea

Source: BBC News

A letter to GP's

Dear GP

‘Therapy For Life’ has an experienced set of Counsellors who can be available within 24 hours. Sometimes almost immediately if your practice is nearby, the client can travel straight to our office just off the High Street in Southend-on-Sea, alternatively with arrangement we can travel to your surgery.

You may find that patients suffering from mental health issues are propelled to repeat behaviours and are unable to escape a vicious negative cycle. Part of that cycle can be repeatedly returning to the GP surgery with unrealistic worries, fears and negative thoughts.

Please consider offering our help to your patients if...

• ·       Patients are re-contacting you whilst being on the NHS ‘Therapy For You’ waiting list needing help much sooner than is available and are able to pay for private sessions (Staff can advise patients to come along to ‘Therapy for Life’ as an interim whilst waiting for an NHS response).
• ·       A patient seems chronically depressed needing help quickly and in your opinion should be seen within days or hours.
• ·       Patients seem to be taking up nurse and GP time discussing problems other than physical ailments.
• ·       Patients that repeatedly return complaining of undiagnosable ailments or unexplainable pain.
• ·       Patients that return with the same or similar issues that are realistically manageable by themselves.
• ·       Patients suffering from recent loss of a loved one or unhealthy long-term grief.
• ·       Patients repeatedly approach you outside of the surgery.
• ·       Patients who approach with hostility and anger.
• ·       Patients that don’t adhere to your advice yet keep returning.
• ·       Patients that bring along symptom after symptom, none of which falls into any recognisable pattern of illness.
• ·       Patients that are ‘manipulative help rejectors’... "Why don't you?" "Yes, but I can’t because ... "
• ·       Patients that are ‘self-destructive deniers’ e.g. Patients with emphysema who cannot stop smoking, alcoholics drink even though their liver is failing etc.

A chronically depressed patient needs time to talk about their issues, much longer than the nurse or GP can provide in a booked session. Please do offer them a solution at Therapy for Life in addition to their physical needs.

It will not only help the patient, but your future interactions with the patient will become simpler. 

"We believe Physical Illness is linked to Mental Health, let us work side by side with you."

We understand the NHS provides IAPT, which is essentially low and high intensity CBT. We provide CBT but also Psychodynamic, Transactional Analysis, Solution Focussed and Loss/Grief Therapy.

As you already know, CBT is not the choice therapy for someone suffering from loss and grief. If you do have a patient who is unwell but also grief stricken, offering them therapy alongside physical healthcare is the most beneficial treatment for your patient.

We would be happy to leave more business cards with you if you think you will refer to us. Please check out some of the counsellors on our website, we have many more all with different backgrounds and experience. Give us a try, and see the positive feedback from your patients.

Take Care... Samantha

Director at ‘Therapyfor Life’

Why hasn't NHS IAPT utilised local trained counsellors to tackle the demand?

The NHS IAPT system (Improving access to psychological therapies) is designed to be cheap and relatively quick which has led to it being described as...

“the clinical equivalent to online dating”

says Dr Elizabeth Cotton, a former NHS psychotherapist who is studying working practices in mental health, she also says... 

“You are given 30 minutes to get to grips with complex and often hopeless situations, lie about what you can do and walk away from human tragedy without a care in the world.”

I think its terribly sad that people are not getting the care that they need, 

I was always taught that therapeutic counselling is supposed to be the long term cure and medication often the short term in many cases. People may well get a boost from the NHS IAPT system but seems not to be effective longterm.

A psychologist working in a London IAPT as a one-to-one therapist said: 

“More and more we are seeing a revolving door because people who weren’t getting what they need are coming back.”

CBT is aimed at being a short therapy, but changing cognitions may well take a little longer than the allocated 6 sessions for some.

Only about one in five people who undergo treatment enjoy a reliable recovery, according to NHS data, and about 40% of those who start courses drop out.

Several counsellors say that IAPT is a clumsy cure-all for complex and profound traumas, and that its tick-box approach to mental health problems can be “dangerous” and “distressing”.

“IAPT has been set up to apply CBT to first cases of anxiety and depression, but the cases coming through are far more complex. People have long histories of complex trauma. It is massively oversimplifying mental health.”

Says a psychologist working in a London IAPT as a one-to-one therapist

“We have heard cases of people waiting upwards of two years or more for specialist treatment. While we know CBT can be the right treatment for many people, it isn’t suitable for everyone.” 

Says Paul Farmer, chief executive of Mind, who also chairs the NHS mental health taskforce

Being a locally trained Therapeutic Counsellor struggling along trying to run my own private business I'll admit to feeling a little resentful, along with disgust, frustration and disappointment. Here I am ready to help people, I have the free hours and the training available to help but I'm sitting here twiddling my thumbs along with most of my colleagues.

Are all these people genuinely unaware that they can be seen privately at affordable prices and don't have to wait? or is it that all these thousands of people really can't afford it and have no choice but to wait.

If the latter is the case, the answer seems obvious to me that NHS IAPT should source locally trained counsellors to help with their long waiting lists. Through them the government would be helping small businesses and lets face it, 

"lives could be saved... 

it's as serious and as simple as that!"

Contact Sam at Therapy for Life if you are struggling to cope or are still waiting for help

source: Robert booth for The Guardian