NHS Talking Therapies for Anxiety and Depression

Online therapy through our SilverCloud system

This option provides the following benefits:

• Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week 
• Can be done at a time and place that suits you
• You can start the therapy straight away
• You will get weekly online support from your therapist
• You will have access to the system for a year after you’ve been discharged from the service
• It has been shown to be more effective than one-to-one therapy.

Skills for Wellbeing course

This option offers the following benefits:

• A six week course that will help you develop skills to manage your mood 
• The sessions are informal and relaxed, and you don’t have to talk about your problems if you don’t want to
• Courses are available in your local area
• You will have a choice of times you can attend
• A new course begins every three weeks so you’ll never have to wait more than a few weeks to join
• When you have your first assessment appointment with a member of our team, you will have plenty of time to talk through the two options in more detail to help you decide which one is right for you.

Most people find that online therapy or a wellbeing course is all they need to feel better, but if you still need extra help after completing these, we will then offer you face-to-face, one-to-one therapy with one of our specialist therapists.

Referrals to NHS Talking Therapies is different in each area. Please link to your area below:

• Halton  
• Knowsley 
• Liverpool 
• St Helens 

Mersey Care provide services in the above areas. If you live outside of these areas please visit www.nhs.uk/talk

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a talking therapy that can help you manage your problems by changing the way you think and behave.

• Overview - Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
• How it works - Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

There are a range of evidence-based talking therapies. Which therapy you are offered depends on which one has been shown to be most helpful for your symptoms.

Examples of talking therapies include:

• guided self-help – where a therapist coaches you as you work through a self-help course in your own time, either using a workbook or an online course
• cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) – based on the idea that thoughts, feelings, what we do, and how our bodies feel physically, are all connected. CBT helps you notice and challenge thoughts or behaviours to help you feel better. There are different types of CBT, for example CBT for social anxiety is different to CBT for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• counselling for depression – a type of counselling developed for people with depression
• interpersonal therapy (IPT) or dynamic interpersonal therapy (DIT) – therapies that look at the link between your depression and your relationships

Talking therapies are offered in different ways, including:

• using a self-help workbook with the support of a therapist
• as an online course
• one-to-one sessions either in person, over the phone or as a video consultation
• in a group

See more about types of talking therapy

1. Someone from the service will get in touch, usually within a few weeks.
2. They'll ask for more details about the problems you're having. This is known as an assessment.
3. If the service thinks they can help you, they'll recommend a therapy for you. This is based on your symptoms and how severe they are.
4. Waiting times for the first session vary. The service will tell you what to expect.

While you wait for your assessment or therapy to start, you can access expert advice and practical tips on the Every Mind Matters website.

Due to the success of the employment support service in St Helens, new services have launched in the Liverpool, Knowsley and Halton Talking Therapies teams in January 2024. The service supports patients, who are on the Talking Therapies caseload, and have additional needs with employment.

• See case study

This could include, absent from working and need support to return, in work but need support to remain in employment or those who are unemployed and want support to find work.

If you need support, please speak to a member of the team from Talking Therapies.