Mindsmatter and First Step have now changed names to NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Talking Therapies.
We are a psychological therapy service offering a range of free talking therapies to people aged 16 and over in Lancashire and 18 and over in South Cumbria.
1 in 4 people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year. Many of us go through difficult times in our lives, which can leave us feeling worried, anxious or depressed and feeling unable to cope. Talking Therapies offer a range of brief psychological interventions to support people’s differing emotional needs (such as generalised anxiety, panic, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), this includes online, telephone and face-to-face treatment and therapy options. We also offer therapy for individuals with long-term conditions (such as chronic pain or cardiovascular conditions) who are experiencing anxiety or low mood. All treatment is free and provided by the NHS and partners.
The Talking Therapies Team is made up of psychological wellbeing practitioners (PWP), cognitive behavioural therapists (CBT), counsellors, employment advisors, team leaders, and our supportive admin staff.
You can self-refer to our services either via this website by completing a registration form or by telephoning your local talking therapies team.
We work right across Lancashire and South Cumbria, including areas such as Preston, Chorley, Blackburn, Morecambe, Lancaster, Burnley, Barrow-in-Furness, Leyland and Accrington.
What we can help with
Sometimes people come to talking therapies after seeing a GP and have a clear idea of their problem, often though, people know they are experiencing problems (feeling low, having panic attacks) but are unsure of exactly what the problem might be. This is normal and during your appointments, you and your practitioner can discuss this.
Talking Therapies can help with a variety of problems. Some of the most common mental health problems we work with are panic disorder, depression, postnatal depression, generalised anxiety disorder, chronic worry, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), health anxiety and social anxiety.
For some problems there is more than one choice available, for some there is only one talking therapy option that is recommended to be effective. A practitioner will discuss the best options available for you during your initial telephone assessment.
If you are worried about finding a suitable job or you are feeling worried or depressed because of difficulties at work, we can refer you to one of our Employment Advisors for help and support if this is something that you feel you need. You can access employment support if you are receiving talking therapy, ask your practitioner about employment support during your initial telephone assessment or at your next appointment.
Is Talking Therapies right for me?
Please ask yourself the following questions. If you feel that you are depressed or anxious, and answer no to all of these questions you can self-refer.
If you answer yes to any of these questions, Talking Therapies may not be the right service for you.
To prevent any delays in accessing services, please speak with your GP to discuss this before contacting us.
Are you currently seeing anyone from another mental health team? (for example the community mental health team, the crisis team or psychotherapy)
Are you getting another form of therapy elsewhere?
Are you looking for help for bipolar disorder, psychosis, schizophrenia or a personality disorder?
Are you hearing voices or seeing things that aren’t there?
Do you feel that you could be a risk of taking your own life?
