Is it time for your Mental Health MOT?

As a counsellor working in private practice I am acutely aware of the cost of therapy. No, forget that - as a human being who has used counselling as a tool to maintain good mental health and process life's offerings, I am aware of the cost of therapy. However as a professional who meets people who have been unable to obtain help through the NHS or a charity, I am acutely aware of the cost of not being able to access therapy.

I think there are a few common schools of thought when private therapy is under consideration:

a) It costs money, I should be able to get it free (at point-of-access) through the NHS, I can get medication, I'm not going to pay
b) Its a luxury, I can manage my own issues with my own methods and where they don't work I can always get medication, I'm not going to pay
c) It costs money, but the emotional and practical cost to me of not being able to address my problems or talk to someone about what I'm going through outweigh the financial outlay and make it worth it
d) I have a niche issue that I need to address, and I like the fact that private therapy gives me more autonomy to choose who I work with, when and for how long makes it attractive to me

Where do you sit when it comes to private counselling?

I'll admit, that I - like most people I'm sure - believe that therapy should be more easily accessible through the British healthcare system. Unfortunately the funding for mental health support in the NHS is woefully small, particularly in times of austerity. Here are a few articles with further information for those so inclined:

• Lack of NHS mental health services puts under-18s at risk, say GPs - https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/dec/30/inadequate-nhs-services-put-under-18s-with-mental-he...
• People in mental health crisis neglected by NHS, MPs warn - https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/oct/16/people-mental-health-crisis-neglected-nhs-mps-warn

• NHS to look into deaths of 100,000 mental health patients a year - https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/nov/27/nhs-deaths-mental-health-patients-england

So many therapists would dearly love to work within the NHS - the BACP, of whom I am a registered member - recognise that availability of roles within the NHS for qualified counsellors is lacking. And many practitioners whom I know personally would love to feel they could make a difference in the healthcare system. But we can't right now. So the next best thing we can do is offer our services privately in a way that is as accessible as possible. We have had to adjust the expectations that we have of our workplace. Just as our clients who might have subscribed to options a) and b) probably will eventually have to if they are to make changes.

But another option that I would suggest is to consider the idea of counselling and talking therapy as a practise that we should ALL be considering on a regular basis.

Most of us have enough going on in our complex and sometimes difficult lives to consider the idea of a session with a counsellor. Maybe an annual check-in that allows us to air the issues that might have been lurking in the back of our minds, keeping us from sleeping well but not yet impacting our daily lives or ability to form and keep relationships. Not yet manifesting as anxiety, depression or addiction.

And believe me, as a therapist, that's the stage at which I want to be meeting people. I want to be meeting my clients when they're well enough. When they can cope with the idea of meeting someone new and talking about personal things. When they can look at a set of sessions as an investment in themselves - a yearly mental health MOT if you will - and come away from the experience feeling lighter, alleviated of anxieties and having aired issues or sadnesses which they haven't been able to share with anyone else.

So to this end, I'm going to be offering a new way of working starting this summer in addition to my long-term online counselling sessions and email therapy:

The Harley Counselling Mental Health MOT: A block booking of one, three or six 1-hour counselling sessions for an affordable one-off fee - including a list of reading recommendations once completed to continue any work you might like to afterwards. 

1 x 1-hour Mental Health MOT: £80
A full therapeutic hour to meet, discuss and learn from issues that are affecting you. Space to talk confidentially and openly with a qualified, trained and registered mental health professional around your life and what you want from it. A written recommendation for reading, videos, podcasts and literature adapted to your session content.

3 x 1-hour Mental Health MOT: £220
Three full therapeutic hours to meet, discuss and learn from issues that are affecting you. Space to talk confidentially and openly with a qualified, trained and registered mental health professional around your life and what you want from it. A mutually agreed plan for three sessions of work together on issues and subjects of your choice. Relationships, career aspirations and hopes can all be discussed here. A written recommendation for reading, videos, podcasts and literature adapted to your session content.

6 x 1-hour Mental Health MOT: £410
Six full therapeutic hours to meet, discuss and learn from issues that are affecting you. Space to talk confidentially and openly with a qualified, trained and registered mental health professional around your life and what you want from it. Here we have time to look at things that have taken place in the past, and how they impact behaviours now. Relationships, career aspirations and losses can all be discussed. A mutually agreed plan for six sessions of work together on issues and subjects of your choice. A written recommendation for reading, videos, podcasts and literature adapted to your session content.

What do you think?

I've had a lot of positive responses to this offering already from those I've discussed it with, and so this offering will be starting over the next few weeks. I'm only going to run these in the summer, where life can offer us a little space to attend to admin and we can hopefully take some time for ourselves. To invest in ourselves, and our futures.

If you'd like to know more or sign up, then please feel free to get in touch via email at info@harleycounselling.com or my contact form on www.harleycounselling.com/contact

Laura