Psychological therapies

The Psychological Therapies team is made up of therapists who are all highly trained to deliver different types of evidence-based therapies.

This includes:

• clinical psychologists
• counselling psychologists
• Clinical Associates in Applied Psychology (CAAPs)
• cognitive behavioural therapists

We also have trainees and assistants working under supervision in the team.

Referrals to our service are accepted from GPs or Community Mental Health Teams (CMHT). Following acceptance of a referral, a letter is sent out to the individual asking them to phone us to arrange a telephone assessment appointment.

You will be asked to call us to book an appointment by the date stated in your letter. This appointment will be by telephone. A psychologist will call you at a convenient time in order to assess your mental health and to provide you with an opportunity to explore what kind of therapy might be most helpful for you. You can also ask questions.

If a different type of service would be more helpful for you, arrangements will be made for you to be referred there.

If you are going to have psychological therapy, your name will be added to our treatment waiting list. Your therapist will recommend the type of psychological therapy best suited to your needs. This will be noted for when you start your treatment.

After the assessment telephone appointment the psychologist will write a summary letter of what has been agreed. A copy will be sent to you, to the person who referred you, and/or your GP.

You will probably have to wait for several months before your therapy starts. This is because so many people are referred and would benefit from therapy. We are working hard to make this faster. It is getting better, but there is still work to do.

The demand for psychological therapy is extremely high and it is important that appointments are not wasted. To help ensure this, you will be asked to agree to a contract at the start of your therapy which will explain the commitments required from you and from us.

If your difficulties get worse while you are waiting, please tell your GP or make contact with your community mental health team if you receive support from there.

Most of our clinics take place over video calls on Near Me.

You will need a smart phone, tablet or computer with a good internet connection to use Near Me. You should make sure you are in a safe and private space to use it. If you do not have these then we can help you arrange to use Near Me at a health centre or hospital local to you. Your therapist will meet you on the screen. Near Me is secure and confidential.

A lot of people like using Near Me because you can have your appointment from your own home. Some people prefer to attend in person at New Craigs Hospital. You will have a chance to discuss these options before you start therapy. We see patients across the Highland HSCP area.

This varies depending on the person and the type of treatment. You will usually be offered 12 sessions at the start of your therapy. Sometimes this can be longer if the therapy is helping and more sessions are needed. Your practitioner will discuss this with you.

For any psychological therapy to work well, you will need to be an active participant. This will mean attending all your appointments.

You might be given specific tasks to try out between sessions. This might be a skill you are asked to practice, or a new behaviour you are asked to try out. It is important you complete these tasks, as they are an important part of therapy.

You will not be forced to do or say things you do not want to. If you have any concerns about any part of your treatment, it is important that you share these with your practitioner.

The Psychological Therapies service will treat information about you in strictest confidence and our confidentiality policy will be discussed with you in detail if you begin therapy.

As an NHS service we must keep a record of patients' details and treatment. These are held in secure electronic databases and paper files. You can find out more about privacy on our website here.

As part of professional practice, all clinical staff are required to attend supervision. This may involve discussing your case with a senior clinician. The purpose of supervision is to ensure practice is as safe and effective as possible. Your confidentiality will be protected in supervision.

The following links provide information on crisis support services, local resources and self-help materials:

• Highland Mental Wellbeing - a collection of resources to support mental wellbeing
• ALISS (A Local Information System for Scotland) - information on resources, services, groups and support in local communities and online
• CCI - Self Help Resources for Mental Health Problems - an online resource with helpful worksheets and self-directed CBT workbooks to download
• Getselfhelp.co.uk - online resource with lots of useful information and helpful worksheets

See more support organisations for mental health and wellbeing, outside NHS Highland.