Urgent Support

More information on each option is on the way and will be added to the Urgent Support menu options.

Need some help to move forwards?

I have to ask – have you considered talking to friends, family and colleagues?

I’m suggesting this first because it’s free and can be easy to access – but it’s often overlooked. You might not want to share every detail but it might help you and those close to you to know how you’re feeling.

Sometimes it can feel easier to start by talking to someone we already know. Is there someone around who you think makes a good listener? Has someone else shared how they are feeling, so you think they’d understand you too? Would a debrief with a colleague help?

Need more support? Not ready to share how you feel with the people you know?

If you prefer privacy, or need a greater degree of support, professional counselling or psychotherapy could help. It gives you a safe space where you can talk through your difficulties and get expert help in trying to make sense of it all. You will be treated in a non-judgemental way, in confidence.

This type of support is available through many routes – employers, volunteering organisations, charities, universities, the NHS and from private practitioners.

What’s the difference between counselling and psychotherapy?

Counselling is usually for problems with the here-and-now such as PTSD, work stress and bereavement. Counsellors often combine different ideas and techniques in an “integrated approach” so that they can best support each individual client.

Psychotherapy is best for working on deep-seated problems, often originating far in your past. If you feel stuck with unhelpful patterns of behavior, thoughts or feelings, psychotherapy can help you get to the source of these problems. Having this greater personal insight helps you make lasting changes. Psychotherapists usually specialise in one approach, which they understand in depth.

Who else understands how I’m feeling?

You are not alone in how you are feeling. Being part of a group can help you feel understood. It may feel easier to talk with people who are likely to empathise with your experience. Can you find a group for mutual support?

In a group you can help each other to find ways to cope and move forwards, by sharing experiences and ideas. It also feels good to help others – including outside the day job.

Have you found support in other places? Please let me know so that I can include these ideas too.