Finding Help: How Migrants Can Access Mental Health Support
Migrants living in the UK often face unique challenges that can impact their mental health, including trauma, displacement, isolation, and the stress of adapting to a new culture. At PBIC, we understand that life can be difficult, and sometimes, you just need someone to listen. Our listening service, available in Polish, Ukrainian, Russian, and English, provides a safe space for those who are struggling. If you need further help, we can also guide you in accessing professional mental health support.
To shed more light on the important topic of migrant mental health, we are pleased to feature a guest piece by Dr. Maja Jankowska, a Clinical and Counselling Psychologist at Expansion Psychology. In this blog, Dr. Jankowska shares valuable insights on navigating the process of accessing therapy in the UK.
Read on to learn more about the different therapy options available, how to find the right support, and what to expect from the process.
How to access therapy in the UK
by Dr Maja Jankowska, Clinical and Counselling Psychologist at Expansion Psychology
Overall, looking for therapy in the UK can be daunting, especially for a migrant coming from another country. Unfortunately, there are many unregulated therapists that claim to help with all sorts of issues, whilst not having the required training, knowledge and skills and not being accredited with any reputable professional body.
This brief guide focuses on accessing help locally in Bedfordshire with some additional pointers for national organisations, as well as private help. The last section focuses on understanding how psychologists differ from counsellors and other therapists and how to find them.
How to get free therapy on the NHS
You can get some therapy sessions for free on the NHS. These services are usually called talking therapy or psychological wellbeing services. In Bedfordshire (and in England, generally) you can self-refer yourself or ask your GP to refer you. Here is the link to Bedfordshire Talking Therapies (a service run by ELFT – NHS East London Foundation trust) https://www.elft.nhs.uk/bedfordshire-talking-therapies
And you can access an online referral form here https://gateway.mayden.co.uk/referral-v2/df79f95f-90a2-46a2-9893-d25632d6a9c5
Overall, the service caters for people with mild to moderate mental health difficulties (anxiety and depression) and is not a crisis service. If your problem is more complex, you are in crisis or you need help with substance use, this is not a service for you.
This service offers psychoeducation type of groups, therapeutic groups and 1:1 therapy. As with all NHS services, there is usually a waiting list in place and it can be lengthy (but this changes, therefore please check). Most of NHS services would also have a limited number of sessions and they offer mainstream therapy models such as CBT, EMDR or Counselling for Depression.
Once you are referred or self-referred yourself, within a few weeks someone from the service should contact you to do an assessment and provide you with the info of what is available to you. If you require an interpreter, you can request this right away.
In the past this way of getting therapy was known as ‘IAPT’. Some local services may still call it that.
What if I am seeking therapy for under 18?
You can get free NHS therapy too through CAMHS. That’s the mental health service for young people.
Here is the link to Bedfordshire CAMHS service (also run by NHS ELFT) and you can also either self-refer or go through a professional referral https://www.elft.nhs.uk/services/camhs-south-bedfordshire-and-luton
What happens in the assessment?
The person who contacts you from the service will ask for more details on what you’re experiencing. If they’re calling on the phone, it might be a withheld number. They should explain who they are, and make sure you have time to chat privately.
They might ask you to say how you’ve been feeling recently, and how it’s affecting your life. This might include answering some questions on a questionnaire. They might also ask you about your medical history, and your family’s medical history.
Be open and honest, and use words that feel natural to you. If you find it hard to explain, let them know.
At the end of the assessment, if they think their service can help you, they’ll put you on a waiting list to see a therapist.
Waiting times can vary, but they should let you know how long you can expect to wait.
They should also explain how to contact them afterwards. And they might give you a local crisis number you could call in an emergency.
You should be able to choose whether you see a therapist in-person or online and request an interpreter. And if you have extra needs it’s a good idea to mention it in your assessment. Like if you’d prefer to see a therapist of a particular gender, or who understands your cultural background.
Choice on the NHS is limited, but they should accommodate you if they can.
I’m on a therapy waiting list – what now?
While you’re waiting for your first session you could prepare by reading our tips on what to expect from therapy and getting the most from therapy.
Unfortunately, you may have to spend a few months on a waiting list before you see an NHS therapist. Sometimes longer.
This can be really hard to cope with. So it’s worth thinking about what helps you look after yourself during your day-to-day life. Our page on how to improve your mental wellbeing has some ideas you could try.
I’d definitely tell anyone who was accessing talking therapies for the first time to be patient and don’t give up! The NHS can be difficult to navigate but it’s worth it in the end.
Free therapy from charities, work and study
The NHS is the largest provider of free therapy in the UK – but there are others. Your local library, GP surgery and community centre are all good places to find out about affordable services in your community. Here are some more.
Your local Mind
There more than 100 local Mind centres across England and Wales which run free mental health services. Sometimes they help deliver NHS services too. MIND BLMK (Bedford, Luton and Milton Keynes) operates in our area (see https://www.mind-blmk.org.uk/ )
Other charities
Some other charities may also offer free or low-cost counselling services.
For example:
Anxiety UK offers talking therapies for anxiety. There is a fee but they offer reduced costs for people on a low income.
Mental Health Matters (MHM) offers a telephone counselling service and talking therapies in some areas.
Cruse Bereavement Support offers free counselling services if you’re going through a bereavement.
Rape Crisis centres offer counselling to survivors of sexual abuse, and sometimes to their families.
Some charities also run free helplines and listening services. These aren’t therapy, but can be helpful if you need to talk to someone between sessions.
Many charities also run peer support groups, which can be therapeutic.
This website lists more services in Bedfordshire (some free, some low cost or on a sliding scale)
Your workplace
If you’re employed, your work might have an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). These should offer some free counselling sessions. You can usually access this without needing to go through your manager or HR.
Your college or university
If you’re a student your university or college should have a free student counselling service. And you should be able to access it without going through your tutors.
Low-cost online counselling
There are various internet sites which advertise lower-cost counselling online.
You might prefer speaking to a therapist on your phone or computer instead of in person. And it’s become common for therapists to offer remote sessions.
But be careful – some sites selling cheap counselling online might not use professional therapists.
If you speak to someone online, it’s important to know you can trust them. Ask them questions about their experience, and what professional bodies they’re registered with. Check you’re comfortable with the website’s ethics and privacy policies.
Paying for private therapy
You might want to go private if you can’t get the therapy you need from the NHS.
Unfortunately paying for private therapy can be expensive, and many of us can’t afford it. But if you’re exploring this option, we recommend these general directories:
- The Counselling Directory
- The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)
- The UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)
Counselling is generally cheaper than therapy with a qualified psychologist – this is because in the UK HPCP registered psychologists have the highest level of training (more on this further in this article).
There are also some directories aimed at people from a certain background, group or identity:
The Black, African and Asian Therapy Network (BAATN), for therapists of Black, African, Asian and Caribbean heritage
The Muslim Counsellor and Psychotherapist Network (MCAPN) for Muslim therapists and counsellors
South Asian Therapists.org for therapists of South Asian heritage
Pink Therapy for therapists from the LGBTQIA+ community
Unfortunately finding the help you need isn’t always straightforward. It can take time to find a therapy that works, or a therapist you get on with. But it’s important to remember that you’re not alone, and that you deserve support.
National Support:
NHS 111 Mental Health Option: For immediate mental health assistance, you can dial 111 and select the mental health option. This service connects you to trained professionals who can provide guidance and support.
Samaritans: Available 24/7, Samaritans offer a listening ear to anyone in distress. You can reach them at 116 123.
In Case of Emergency
If you or someone else is at immediate risk of harm, please call 999 or visit the nearest Accident & Emergency (A&E) department.
What about psychologists? What is a difference between a counsellor/ therapist and a psychologist and how does the training and provision differ between the Uk and most other European countries?
So where do we start?
Firstly, please understand that there are a variety of ‘helping’ professionals who offer therapy and counselling. Therapy and counselling are not legally regulated professions, which means that one can use the title of a therapist or counsellor without much rigorous training and without being monitored and regulated by any professional body. This is a serious issue and time and time again we see such professionals aggressively marketing their unethical services and targeting vulnerable people, such as migrants.
Therefore, finding a professional who is knowledgeable, skilled, accredited, regulated and appropriately monitored by their professional body can be difficult for migrants who may struggle to understand the system in the UK.
In many European countries (like Poland, for instance), psychologists are regulated by a national body such as for instance Polish Psychological Society (Polskie Towarzystwo Psychologiczne). In the UK, confusingly even to psychologists coming from other countries, it is not the British Psychological Society that regulates psychology profession (it used to years ago but not anymore). Since 2009 all practitioner psychologists are regulated by HCPC (Health and Care Professions Council).
What does this mean?
In essence, a person can complete an undergraduate psychology degree at the university and call themselves a psychologist (in fact, anyone can call themselves a ‘psychologist’ as it is not a regulated title). Yet, a three-year undergraduate degree in psychology does not give one the skills required to work as a practitioner psychologist, simply because it does not equip one in any depth in therapy knowledge, skills or practice (there is no clinical placement involved).
Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), was given statutory responsibility for the regulation of practitioner psychologists in the UK (HCPC also regulates other health and care professions such as e.g. social workers, speech and language therapists, paramedics, physiotherapists, dietitians, occupational therapists and many more https://www.hcpc-uk.org/about-us/who-we-regulate/the-professions/).
So why does it matter?
Only practitioner psychologists who are registered with the HCPC may use titles protected by the HCPC. These are:
Clinical Psychologist
Counselling Psychologist
Educational Psychologist
Forensic Psychologist
Health Psychologist
Occupational Psychologist
Sport and Exercise Psychologist
Practitioner Psychologist
Registered Psychologist
In order to use one of the 9 different protected titles for practitioner psychologists, a professional must be on the HCPC Register (https://www.hcpc-uk.org/check-the-register/) and must have met and continue to meet the HCPC Standards.
So if I want to find a suitably qualified, accredited psychologist to help me with my mental health, which one should I look for?
Generally, Clinical Psychologists and Counselling Psychologists have the highest level of training and are the most qualified of talking therapy professionals in the area of mental health.
They have a Doctoral level training which involves both academic, clinical and research work under close supervision. They are trained in a number of therapeutic approaches and usually undergo further training within a specific modality(ies) after qualifying.
Of course, if your problems are related to issues such as e.g. chronic or terminal illness or pain, a Health Psychologist may be right for you. And if you are looking for help with specific educational needs of your child, you should look for an Educational Psychologist.
Although each NHS service employs some psychologists, their numbers are low and they are mainly employed to develop clinical services, evaluate/ research service provision or specific interventions, offer supervision and they tend to do less clinical work in their overall workload. and they tend to do less clinical work in their overall workload. You will see more psychologists in CMHT (Community Mental health Services), hospitals and specialist clinics (e.g. a pain management clinic or a traumatic brain injury/ neuropsychology clinic).
How do I make sure I found the right Psychologist (privately)?
Firstly, you need to check the HCPC register to ensure the individual’s name appear on it. You should ask questions about their training, skills and experience. It is useful to have an initial consultation to see whether you feel they will understand and help you.
What about other therapists and counsellors?
As already mentioned, anyone can call themselves a therapist or a counsellor and it is even more difficult than in the case of psychologists, to distil and find the therapist that has undergone rigorous training.
If you are looking for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, then British Association of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (BABCP) has a register of accredited CBT therapists https://babcp.com/CBTRegister/Search#/ . In the UK CBT therapists have to complete 2-year intensive Postgraduate Diploma in CBT (with clinical placement component) in order to be accredited by BABCP.
Other good places to find a therapist of counsellor are:
The Counselling Directory
The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)
The UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)
To sum up, there are many different options available. Remember, seeking help is a sign of strength, and numerous resources are available to support you through challenging times.