Is Talking Therapy right for me ?
Exploring when CBT can be helpful, what to expect, and how to make the most of therapy with Norfolk and Waveney Talking Therapies.
Reaching out for support with your mental health can feel like a big step, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Understanding what support is available, whether it’s right for you, and what to expect from therapy or treatment can help ease worries and take away some of the fear of the unknown.
In this blog we’ll outline the support available from our service and help provide some useful information for anyone in Norfolk and Waveney looking for help with their mental health.
What we can help with
Norfolk and Waveney Talking Therapies is an NHS Talking Therapies service. As part of the NHS, it means our services are free of charge and are available to people aged 16 or over living within this area.
Our service provides evidence-based therapies for people experiencing common mental health challenges, including:
· ➡️ Depression
· ➡️ Anxiety disorders
· ➡️ Low mood
· ➡️ Stress
· ➡️ Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
· ➡️ Panic attacks
· ➡️ Social anxiety
· ➡️ Health Anxiety
· ➡️ Phobias (eg, fear of heights, fear of spiders, fear of needles or blood)
Treatments we provide use evidence-based techniques, recommended by NICE (National Institute of Health and Care Excellence), and based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
Read on to find out more about what CBT involves and if this type of therapy might be right for you…
How Talking Therapy works
Talking Therapy is based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). It is a practical, evidence-based therapy that helps us understand how our thoughts, feelings and behaviours are all connected and how by making some small changes, it can improve how we feel.
CBT is based on the idea that it’s not just situations themselves that affect our wellbeing, but the way we think about and respond to them. Sometimes our thoughts can become unhelpful or overly critical, which can affect our mood and actions without us even realising it.
You can read more about CBT here on our website and watch some helpful videos which explain more about it.
Getting the most out of talking therapy
As we’ve touched on, talking therapy uses CBT which is a practical, structured form of therapy. CBT tends to work best when you are able to take an active role in the process. Whilst there’s no “perfect time” to start therapy, and you don’t need to have everything worked out before you begin, there are some things that may be helpful to consider:
🟠 Are you open to new ways or thinking or doing things?
🟠 Can you commit to regular sessions with a therapist for a short period of time?
🟠 Can you set aside a little time each week to practise techniques we discuss in treatment?
It’s completely normal to feel unsure to begin with, many people do. What’s more important is a willingness to give things a go, even if it might feel challenging at times.
When our support may be right for you
Our service is designed to offer focused, time‑limited support for people who would like help with a specific difficulty or challenge they are experiencing. Here are some helpful things to consider:
💭 Having something specific you’d like support with
Our service may be a good fit for you if you are experiencing challenges such as managing anxiety, coping with stress, adjusting to a change in your life, or developing strategies to improve your wellbeing. Our approach works best when there is a shared understanding of what you’d like to focus on and what you hope to gain from support.
💭 Being able to engage with the process s
Our sessions are most helpful for people who feel able to engage regularly and are open to reflecting on their thoughts, feelings, or behaviours. This might include trying out small changes or practical tools between sessions to support progress.
💭 Feeling motivated and having realistic expectations
We recognise that seeking support takes courage, and you don’t need to have everything figured out before you begin. However, our work is generally most effective when people feel motivated to make changes, have realistic expectations, and are comfortable working within a time‑limited structure.
💭 Having support and stability around you
Having some stability in day‑to‑day life and access to support from friends, family, or others can also help you make the most of what we offer. Our service aims to complement the support already around you and provide tools that you can continue to use beyond the sessions.
💭 If you’re unsure, that’s okay
If you’re not sure whether our service is the right fit, that’s absolutely fine. Our website offers a range of self‑help resources you can explore at your own pace, including free Online Workshops, information on the Five Ways to Wellbeing, and Podcasts, which may help you decide what feels right for you right now.
When we might not be the best fit
Our support works best when it can be focused and tailored to a specific need. While we aim to help as many people as possible, there are some situations where we may not be the most appropriate service, and that’s okay. Being clear about this helps ensure people get the right support at the right time.
💭 When difficulties feel very complex
We may not be the best fit if the difficulties you’re experiencing are very complex, long‑standing, or affect many areas of your life at once. Our approach is most effective when there is one main issue to focus on and a shared understanding of what you would like to work towards within a limited timeframe.
💭 When more urgent or specialist support is needed
There are times when people need a different level or type of support. If someone is currently going through a crisis, feels unsafe, or needs more intensive or specialist intervention, other services may be better placed to provide support during that period. There are a number of useful resources and organisations who can help - or if you need urgent help click here
💭 When engaging regularly feels difficult
Our sessions rely on being able to attend regularly and reflect on thoughts, feelings, or behaviours. If attendance is very challenging at the moment, or if it feels difficult to engage with the process, a different form of support may be more suitable right now. Visit our Self Help pages or try one of our free online workshops which are full of evidence-based tips and techniques that help to support positive mental health or listen to one or our Podcasts .
💭 When ongoing or long‑term support is needed
We understand that some people are looking for ongoing or long‑term support. While our service focuses on time‑limited work, this doesn’t mean those needs aren’t valid, simply that another service may be better equipped to meet them.
💭 When wider life pressures are present
Wider life pressures such as housing issues, safeguarding concerns, or legal matters can sometimes make it hard to focus on therapeutic work. In these situations, addressing those immediate concerns first may be the most helpful next step.
💭 If we’re not the right fit right now
If we’re not the right service for you at this time, we will always aim to offer support by helping you think about alternative options and signpost you to an alternative and better placed organisation for you to receive the support you need wherever we can.
Taking the next step
Everyone’s journey with their mental health is different, and there’s no right or wrong place to start. Whether you decide our service is right for you or choose another form of support, seeking information and reflecting on your needs is a positive step towards looking after your wellbeing.
You can access our support by self-referring on our website here
Or call ☎️ 0300 123 1503 (8am - 6pm, Monday to Friday)
Further information
Our Frequently Asked Questions page includes answers to many commonly asked questions about our service and the support we provide.
