Mental Health Advice & Counselling

Mental Health

NHS 111 Wales - Health A-Z : Mental Health and Wellbeing

For urgent mental health support call NHS 111 and press OPTION 2

The service is available for people of all ages, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in all areas of Wales to ensure those in need of support can access it quickly when they need it most.

If you need to talk to someone urgently about your mental health, or you’re concerned about a family member, call NHS 111 and select option 2 to be placed in direct contact with a mental health worker in your area.

The number is free to call from a landline or mobile, even if you have no credit left.

Mental Health Support Worker

Embedded within the surgery are mental health support workers who have a wealth of experience working with patients with mental health challenges. They have the ability to spend more time with patients discussing issues in greater depth and instigating treatments to help patients through challenging times. They can suggest and can access local service and treatment centres, independently refer to the hospital mental health services and will discuss the case with the GP's if they feel that medication would be of benefit.

If you would like to speak to a mental health support worker please contact the Practice

Community Mental Health Team

How to access the service

Referrals to CMHTs are usually made by the GP, although referrals are taken from other organisations or professionals if appropriate. People who have been provided with treatment by a CMHT can self refer for a re-assessment for up to 3 years from their discharge date.

Information for those who have been referred to a CMHT

If you have been referred to a CMHT and would like to know more about what to expect from your first appointment see this information leaflet.

Information for those who are currently receiving treatment from a CMHT

Further information on care and treatment can be found on this information leaflet.

How to contact the CMHT

Based at Barry Hospital, Colcot Road, Barry, CF62 8YH

Tel: 01446 454300

The CMHTs are open 9am – 5pm Monday to Thursday, and 9am – 4.30pm Friday

Children & Young People

Mind in the Vale of Glamorgan - Counselling and Mental Health Support

Mind in the Vale of Glamorgan provide one to one support to patients with mental health issues.

Offering 6-8 week guided self-help course, on a one-to-one basis. There are nine different courses offered, each looking at different areas teaching skills and techniques to enable people to cope differently with the effects of their mental health. All courses are broken down into a number of modules which are given in the form of workbooks each week. You will meet with the staff member once a week for a short meeting to discuss how you are getting on and to collect your next modules for the following week.

The nine courses are:

Assertiveness
Self Esteem
Depression
Panic
Worry
Perfectionism
Procrastination
Social Anxiety
Distress Intolerance

If you feel that you would benefit from working with Mind in the Vale please complete the self referal on-line form

Assistance with practical matters is also offered. Through the use of the Recovery Star, a holistic recovery-focused tool, practical problems in a person’s life can be identified. Social Prescribing and referrals to many other services can then be made. Issues including debt advice, employment advice, careers advice and many others can be identified and dealt with in this way.

Website: www.mindinthevale.org.uk

National Website: www.mind.org.uk

Telephone: 01446 730792

National Telephone: 0300 1233393 Text: 86463

Email: admin@mindinthevale.org.uk

National Email: info@mind.org.uk

Other Local Counselling Services

Cardiff and Vale Primary Care Counselling Service

Aims and Objectives

Our aim is to provide an accessible, effective, equitable, efficient and empowering high quality counselling service to clients in GP practices across the Cardiff and the Vale locality. Our goal is to achieve excellence in providing safe, effective, efficient and compassionate care.

Our counsellors aim to provide a sound therapeutic environment in which a client is able to explore a number of psychological issues which may be causing emotional distress or impairment in their normal daily functioning. Counsellors' work collaboratively with clients with the aim of alleviating this distress and facilitating change. The client may work towards a number of achievable goals set out within the therapy process.

All counsellors are qualified to at least Diploma level and are either accredited/eligible for accreditation with the BACP.

Summary of the Service

Free NHS provided counselling service accessed via referral by local GP. Providing 6 sessions of brief focused counselling for individuals aged 18+ with mild to moderate mental health difficulties. A wide variety of evidence based therapeutic approaches are utilized throughout this service and all counselors are trained in the delivery of CBT.

Accessing the service

Access is via referral through the GP practice.

Clients are generally sent an information leaflet and requested to opt in to the service and to supply information on their availability. Waiting times can vary, although we aim to keep these within 12 weeks.

The Amber Project (Church Army)

Aims and Objectives

Offer appropriate, accessible counselling to young people (aged 14-25) who have experience of self-harm.

Summary of the Service

Working on an integrative model the project offers a free counselling service to young people who are self-harming or who have a history of self-harm. It does not work exclusively with self-injury but places self-harm within a broader context.

Accessing the Service

We take referrals from a number of sources including G.P.'s, CAMHS and School Counsellors.

Young people can also self-refer to the project; they can contact us by text, telephone, letter or by e-mail

Website: www.amberproject.org.uk/

Telephone: 029 2034 4776

Text/Mobile: 07905 905437

e-mail: c.stock@chircharmy.org.uk

Carers Trust South East Wales (CTSEW) Counselling Service

Aims and Objectives

Our free counselling service supports carers of people with late-life dementia or depression living in the Vale of Glamorgan.

Summary of the Service

Caring for someone with dementia can be challenging, and you may be faced with situations you were not expecting or that are new to you. Often carers don't want to burden friends or relatives with their worries and find it easier to speak to someone who is not directly involved in their situation. Counselling offers support and the chance to express feelings safely and in confidence. The counsellor is not there to tell you what to do, but they can help you explore difficulties and ways of coping with them.

Accessing the Service

Carers do not need to be using any other Carers Trust South East Wales services to take advantage of the counselling service. Counselling sessions typically last one hour and take place in a private room at the Carers Trust South East Wales offices in Penarth and Barry. In some circumstances it may be possible to arrange the counselling sessions in the carers own home.

They aim to be in contact within 14 days, from first contact/referral. Our waiting list varies throughout the year.

Website: www.ctsew.org.uk/

Telephone: 029 2192 1024

e-mail: counselling@ctsew.org.uk

Headway

Aims and Objectives

To increase awareness and understanding of acquired brain injury (ABI) and its consequences
To provide information and support for people with ABI, their families and carers and professional people
To promote improved approaches to brain injury screening, acute care, assessment, rehabilitation and community reintegration
To assist people with ABI to maximise their independence
To support those with ABI so that they can attain the highest possible quality of life

Summary of the Service

Free counselling for individuals or couples affected by acquired brain injury i.e. survivors and family members. We have 2 fully qualified Counsellors who have experience in working with survivors of acquired brain injury and have the requisite knowledge of the impact of ABI on family members.

Accessing the Service

We accept referrals from any source including self-referral. The referral can be made face to face, by phone, in writing or by e-mail. Minimum information is required for monitoring purposes. The referral is dealt with by the Headway Cardiff office. Sessions are by appointment at Rookwood Hospital on Thursdays, although alternative arrangements can be made in exceptional circumstances. Where considered appropriate, telephone counseling can be arranged.

Website: www.headwaycardiff.com

Telephone: 029 2057 7707

e-mail: info@headwaycardiff.org

Y Cwmni Siarad (YCS) - The Talking Company

Aims and Objectives

YCS is a Social Enterprise working to improve access to therapies and counselling for under-represented groups in South Wales. Our organisational objects are to:

Improve access to and inclusion in evidence-based creative psychological therapies and support services;
Meet the needs of under-represented groups via relevant projects, wherever possible by working in partnership with local organisations;
Undertake community engagement work and appropriate research to ensure the service is responsive to community needs.

Our low cost counselling service offers a private and accepting space in which clients are supported to improve their psychological and emotional wellbeing, enabling them to live happier, more productive lives.

Summary of the Serivce

We deliver counselling in central Cardiff and Bridgend and our counselling sessions cost either £10 or £20, depending on your situation.

Accessing the Service

We accept referrals direct from clients by phone or email using the contact details below. There is someone in the office on 3 days every week, so if you contact us with a message we will reply or call you back within 2 working days. There is disabled access at most of our venues and clients can be allocated to counsellors using accessible venues as needed. There is no requirement to attend an assessment appointment prior to being allocated to a counsellor.

We are usually able to match clients with counsellors within one month of accepting a referral and aim to keep our waiting times below 3 months in total. How long a person waits will be influenced by their availability and preferences such as location or gender of counsellor.

Telephone: 029 2166 0828

Mobile: 07763 120331

e-mail: referrals@ycscounsellingwales.co.uk