Living Life

Telephone service based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

To receive this additional support that will help you get the most from the online course, please speak to your GP surgery to see if they are taking part in the pilot. If they are, you can ask for a referral to NHS Living Life.

The helpline number for Living Life is 0800 328 9655. People can now also self-refer if they live in the pilot areas. However, you must be attached to a GP practice included in the pilot.

 

Feeling low, depressed or anxious are common problems. Some people recover in a few weeks on their own while others need more specialist help and support. That's where Living Life can help.

Living Life is a new telephone service based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). We provide help for people suffering from low mood, mild to moderate depression, symptoms of anxiety or a combination of both.

 

Living Life offers two services:

Supported Self-Help – speaking directly with a self-help coach
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy – speaking directly with a qualified therapist.

 

Supported self-help involves speaking with a self-help coach, whilst working exclusively with manageable workbooks, in a structured format based on the CBT approach. The self-help coach will guide you through workbooks, helping you understand some of the reasons why you are feeling low, depressed or anxious. The workbooks can also help teach you how to use these new ways of coping in your life.

 

CBT is a combination of two types of therapy:

'Cognitive' helps you to look at your thought processes which, when experiencing low mood, depression or anxiety, can be unhelpful in your life

And

'Behavioural' is what you do in response to these unhelpful thought processes.

 

CBT is based on the belief that most unhealthy ways of thinking and behaving have been learned over a long period of time. Through Supported Self-Help or CBT you will learn to change this way of thinking, helping you react more positively, while boosting self-esteem and confidence. It is an empowering and practical way of encouraging self-help.

 

The service will help you by:

Being part of Living Life will mean:

You have to wait less time before speaking with a specialist who can help
You receive the treatment and support that is best for you
You are able to speak with someone on a regular basis to discuss your difficulties
You have a choice about the approach that is best for you
You will have support in the privacy of your own home at a time that suits you

 

You will be offered a series of telephone support sessions talking you through specific materials which you will access from the internet or from a workbook which will be sent to you. The sessions will be weekly or fortnightly over a period of approximately four to twelve weeks at a time suitable to you. Once you have completed the work, we will inform your doctor who will then speak to you about further options, if necessary.

 

If you would like to know more about Living Life, please make an appointment with your doctor. If you both agree that it would be an option for you, and your GP is taking part in the pilot, then the doctor will start the process by completing a short questionnaire.  This form will be sent to Living Life and will help decide the best treatment for you.

 

Alternatively, your doctor may have already considered Living Life as an option and in this case will recommend it and give you the contact details.

When you call Living Life, a staff member will take some details. Arrangements will then be made for you to receive an assessment to discuss the service and whether it is suitable.

 

We are a team of Cognitive Behavioural therapists and trained self-help coaches. We will work alongside you as you go through the most appropriate treatment.

 

Living Life is open from Monday to Friday 1pm to 9pm.

 

This website offers a free life skills course that aims to provide access to high quality, practical and user-friendly training.