Referrals and general enquiries: 01268 739128
Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 9am - 5pm

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What we do:

The aim of the service is to help people across the county to be able to access psychological therapy and social care support, to help them achieve better psychological health and wellbeing, enabling them to gain, return or remain in employment and to participate in daily living activities.

Mental Health Matters are working in partnership with Essex Partnership University Trust to provide employment related support to individuals who are accessing the Therapy for You (NHS Talking Therapies).

The Therapy for You (NHS Talking Therapies) service is part of this government initiative to provide easily accessible, evidence based treatments for people experiencing common mental health problems such as anxiety and depression. The aim of the NHS Talking Therapies service is to help people across the county to be able to access psychological therapy and social care support, to help them achieve better psychological health and wellbeing, enabling them to gain or remain in employment and to participate in daily living activities.

We are a team of dedicated Employment Specialists, working alongside the Therapy for You (NHS Talking Therapies) service helping people who are experiencing mental health problems to achieve their employment goals. We provide personalised support to suit your individual needs. This support includes:

• Help to set personal recovery employment goals, which we will regularly review alongside clients.
• One to one appointments, following a person centred approach.
• Support meetings with your employer to maintain employment, return to work or find alternative employment.
• Support with job searches, creating CV’s, completing applications and writing covering letters.
• Support with interviews and affective interview techniques.
• Support to receive benefits advice and signposting
• Guidance to gain skills relevant to your chosen careers or finding courses to update skills and offer opportunities to gain relevant qualifications.

We know that keeping or finding a job can be difficult when you are feeling anxious, depressed or unwell. If our service is right for you, one of our Employment Advisors will work with you to support you towards your own employment goals. They will help you to identify your strengths and skills, and to develop through experience, volunteering and training which is tailored to suit your needs.

If you are already working and experience difficulty in the work place then an employment coach can provide you with support and assistance whilst you deal with your challenges and decide how you wish to proceed, including support if you wish to change positions or careers.

We understand that your needs and mental health can change, so all the support we provide is flexible and responsive, and focuses on empowering you to take control of your own wellbeing and support.

We also work with local employers to raise their awareness about mental health in the workplace and what they can do to support their employees.

Who is the service for?

This service is available to people who are currently on the waiting list or receiving treatment from the Therapy for You (NHS Talking Therapies) service. Whether you are recently out of work or have been unemployed for some time, we can help you to find suitable and sustainable employment. We can also help if you are in work and require support keeping your job.

How to access support:

You can refer yourself to the Therapy for You (NHS Talking Therapies) service in a few different ways, by:

• Can be referred by a GP or health professional (with patient’s permission)
• Members of the public can self-refer via the website: www.therapyforyou.co.uk or by calling 01268 739128 in South East Essex.

You can be referred at any stage of your therapy journey from initial assessment, during and before completion of your therapy (ideally minimum four weeks before discharge).