Complex psychological needs assessments and therapy

​Getting support for complex psychological needs

We offer confidential psychological therapy for adults with complex mental health needs.

Our team can support you for needs such as:

• complex PTSD
• significant difficulties in regulating emotions
• dissociative disorders
• longer term depressive conditions

Most people we care for have experienced significant childhood trauma and adversity.

How to access the service

To access this service, speak to your GP who can refer you.

Once you’re referred, your information is reviewed and sent to the Psychological Assessment and Therapy Service (PATS). They’ll contact you directly to make an appointment and discuss next steps.

We may add you to our list for individual therapy. Waiting times vary, you may have to wait 18 to 24 months. We may offer you some of our group courses while you wait.

You can choose to pay for private therapy with a counsellor, psychologist or psychiatrist. This might help you see someone quicker. You’ll need to find a clinic yourself and pay for all costs. Find how more about choosing a private counsellor or therapist.

What we help with

We can help you with:

• Complex Post-Traumatic Stress (CPTS)
• treatment resistant conditions, such as chronic low mood
• recurrent interpersonal difficulties
• effects of childhood abuse
• dissociative presentations
• extreme emotional dysregulation
• autistic spectrum diagnosis with additional psychological needs

Individual therapy

We offer a variety of one-to-one therapy appointments including:

• behavioural and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) 
• Schema-Focused Therapy 
• Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT) 
• Eye-Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)
• Person-Centred Approach 

One-to-one sessions last around 1 hour and are offered Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

Therapy can last for up to 30 sessions in most cases.

Group courses

When you’re under our care, you can attend group courses to support your mental health, learn coping skills and take more control.

If you’re interested, speak to the member of staff involved in your care. They can refer you to a group.

If you’re referred, we’ll send you details about the next course.

Preparation for Therapy

This course explains the basics of therapy and teaches practical skills to help you manage distress and difficult emotions.

Delivered in 1 session.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

This course teaches you how to take control of your mind and your life through values.

Delivered in 4 sessions.

Trauma Stabilisation

This course is for clients with active trauma symptoms.

During the sessions we teach you about the effects and symptoms of active trauma and offer coping strategies.

Delivered in 2 sessions.

About our team

The Psychological Assessment and Therapy Service (PATS) includes:

• assistant psychologists
• cognitive behaviour therapists
• counselling psychologists
• clinical psychologists
• consultant clinical psychologists

Get help from charities and organisations

There are many charities and organisations to support you with your mental health.

Find a list of local mental health charities and organisations​.​