Mental health problems can affect anyone at any time. They do not discriminate against age, race or sex and with 1 in 4 people being affected at some point in their lives. For some people it can be clear to make sense of the triggers which may have led to the onset of their problems such as loss of employment or another life changing event. However, for some of us it can be an accumulation of day to day stressors weighing us down and overtime erode away at our resilience.

Talking changes is here to help by offering free and confidential talking therapies and counselling through a progressive model of care to those who are:

• Aged 16 or over
• Live in County Durham or Darlington
• Experiencing a common mental health problem such as; depression, generalized anxiety, specific phobias, panic, obsessive compulsive disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder for example.
• Not already accessing adult mental health services

Talking Changes has been set up to improve access to psychological therapies (also known as talking therapies). Counselling services are also available from April 2019. Support is provided by trained professionals and is available in a wide range of locations in the County Durham and Darlington area.

The service is part of the national improving access to psychological therapies (IAPT) programme. It is run by a joint venture between Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, Mental Health Matters and Sunderland Counselling Services.

Talking Changes offers psychological interventions that include talking therapies and supported self-help programmes as well as counselling services.