Richmond Wellbeing Service has helped many people improve their quality of life by supporting them with overcoming their depression and anxiety.

Here is a small sample of feedback from clients who have completed therapy. (Client and therapist names removed for confidentiality reasons).

Are you someone in Richmond who uses (or cares for someone who uses) Richmond Wellbeing Services Talking therapies? Why not join our Service Users’ and Carers’ Involvement Forum. If you are interested in helping to shape what we do contact us on richmondwellbeing@swlstg.nhs.uk

I think for me the thing that was super helpful was around the understanding the things about checking and reassurance seeking and what it was doing. That helped me learn something early on that was really useful. I found early on using the values based approach was really helpful. The values-based approach helped me so I think maybe it would be good to do more of that as well.

The “Coping with Long-COVID” course has been fantastic.  It has helped me to turn around the Long-COVID problems I was encountering and get me onto a path towards a better recovery.  Several aspects of the course are life skills that will help me in the future, well beyond Long-COVID.  I fell exceptionally lucky to have been referred to this course.

I just wanted to drop you an email as it’s just over a year since I completed the Social Anxiety Group you ran.I honestly can’t thank you enough for running the group. It has been a genuine life changer!

I’ve also taken on line management, something I previously avoided due to my anxiety. It’s something I even volunteered to do and not something that was forced onto me and I’m genuinely loving it!

Excellent. A life saver.

*** has been amazing, supported throughout my journey. So was **** from the previous course. I still have unresolved issues but hopefully after tomorrow’s chat we can address those. Thank you to all the therapists.

I have been on three different CBT courses, and am hoping to start a 4th on mindfulness in January.  Each course has built on the one before it and all of the therapists have been so helpful and supportive.  My last session was with ****, who was in equal measure supportive and challenging – and a brilliant group leader.  It was a small group (three females) after many others dropped out, but **** was fantastic in making us feel engaged and really guiding us to make positive changes.

My experience with RWS has been extremely positive. The courses i have taken part in have been very helpful. The staff have always been very professional. I have felt able to share thoughts and feelings which at times can be difficult but have  been listened to and made to feel more comfortable to do so.

I think Richmond Wellbeing is an amazing service!

The therapist showed understanding and knowledge. I enjoyed her delivery style, making the sessions thoughtful, helpful and engaging. I would recommend the service.

Help and advice was delivered professionally and thoughtfully, the tools provided from the service are of a great benefit and I feel confident to better manage my anxiety from here on.

My theraphist was a good listener and I could feel her enthusiasm to help me and on her work. I did enjhoy and find very helpful the programme.For sure it is up to us / me to revise it to get the most out of it.

The therapist was extremely good, she gave me good tools and techniques, I felt motivated at times. It’s also very good that she has suggested I have more therapy/counselling and she is helping with finding a suitable counselling service.

During this Time, i have found this support so so so helpful to me! i’ve learnt a lot about myself and ways to manage. i was really nervous about doing something like this but its really helped me and opened up my eyes to the support thats available during these covid-19 times. The support group has been great as well as the CBT. its a shame you cannot do one without the other.  Everyone i have met has been lovely, all therapists have be super supportive, helpful and made me feel comfortable.  i think CBT could be more interactive than what it was even if that means the course being carried out over a more weeks, i just found that sometimes it would be hard to focus and if it was a little more interactive it would help stay focused.  So grateful to you all for providing this service.

So very grateful to *** & ****. I have been treated with care and encouragement and equipped in better ways to cope. This is a real life saving service you offer I am so thankful to have received help from these therapists. Thank you

I can’t believe **** is a trainee, she was professional and skilled at all times. I felt involved in every aspect of the therapy and have skills to use in the future. Of course I have to keep on using them and I still have anxieties and mood fluctuations. However I have found this 121 CBT more focused and useful than the groups, though they too were useful. I’m very grateful to have had these sessions.

My experience has been life changing.
***** had been amazing from day 1.
She is so professional yet so heart warming and made me feel at ease the whole time. I really do hope we cross paths someday because she has changed my life for the better. X

Due to the multiple lockdowns during my treatment there were some in person elements that were not possible, which is an important aspect of treating social anxiety. Despite this I was surprised with the amount of progress I achieved during therapy, I saw a noticeable decrease in my anxiety levels at work and in some social situations. Although I still have some work to do  on addressing anxiety reaction certain situations I feel that I have the tools to move forward.

A brilliant service from lovely people!! Thank you very much.

The Mindfulness course …. is perfectly positioned to give individuals the tools to help themselves adjust to factors that are not within their control to influence. I found it hugely useful and am impressed that the NHS has finally moved from a Structured CBT approach to a people-centred Cognitive approach, providing the necessary guidance to those looking for a sustained framework to move forward in life. I have the utmost respect for the NHS which is one of the UK’s greatest services and I hope the Pandemic will offer a future that is better funded, valued by the entire population and able to run as a macro organisation, while allowing for micro flexibility on a local level. I have the privilege of volunteering with vaccinations in Putney and thoroughly enjoy working with Clinicians and Clerical alike, their commitment and ‘heart’ for their patients is hugely humbling. I would like to say thank you to Richmond Wellbeing Services for embracing this aspect of service and healing, ably led by ****** and supported by a number of other committed therapists and other specialists. Thank you. Best wishes

This experience has been life changing. I’ve learnt skills and strategies that have changed my perception on my own health. I feel much better equipped to deal with health anxiety. Before I would spiral and would feel out of control. Whereas now, although it is tiring, I am able to deal with these thoughts rationally and clearly. Thank you for providing this excellent service.

I found the group setting really helpful both as a safe place to practice the skills learnt during the course and because it allowed the members of the group to share their experiences and help each other.

Very helpful in providing empowerment at abolishing the situation and reasons as to how it’s affecting me.the use of pictorial graphs is very usefull and visual reminder of what has been achieved. On a separate note the door closers to various rooms need adjusting to stop the doors from banging!

It was an overall, pretty good experience. My therapist was really quite nice and helpful, and listened to what I had to say. Early on, I had a bit less confidence in them, but gained more throughout the sessions. The person I spoke to initially, with the referral, was also quite helpful and understanding. They took a lot of time to listen to me, for which I was really grateful. I was helped quite a lot overall.

Great service, really impressed with the level of support – have learnt some great tools to help me in the future – thank you all very much

In my experience,I had learn about my problems and had learn how to deal with my situation. The 5 areas model,Present mind focus and Categorising worries are very good technique and exercising helped me with stress and also I find meditation maid me calm and understanding lives more.

My experience of the service has been great. The same day that I self-referred I was called and booked in for triage. The clinician who triaged me was very helpful, thorough and knew exactly what she was doing which was really useful for me. I then had CBT with ***** and she was really helpful and supportive throughout. She was training but it felt like she knew exactly what she was doing the entire time and I really felt listened to and supported. I have seen a massive improvement in my anxiety and low mood.

The entire mental health care ‘package’ I have been offered by you guys has been nothing short of brilliant. Thank you

Very positive experience. The therapists were extremely engaging, knowledgeable and helpful.

It helped me with every aspect of my life not just my mental state . I felt so confident that I quit my job and pursued my dream job as a portrait artist . Your techniques were simple but ineffective although I didn’t need all of them the ones I did use were great so thank u .

I would like to personally thank my therapist for everything she has done over the past few months. The consultation sessions have been amazing and a key part in my treatment and recovery. She has offered really practical advice in these sessions and has been incredibly empathetic and caring in her style and approach. 

XX was the perfect therapist allowing all of us in the group to speak and contribute. She would pick up on and remember little things that each of us would mention and help tailor the treatment to those. I’ve gained a much more in-depth understanding of the issues I face and feel confident in moving forward on my own. 

This has been a helpful journey. Thank you!

I feel the service was really helpful. XXXX was great at taking the time to listen to everyone. She helped me realise the signs of depression and that everyone suffers from it differently. Hopefully with the techniques she gave I will be able to put them in to practice in day to day life. 

I wanted to thank everyone at Richmond Wellbeing Service, for taking my condition seriously & treat me as an individual esp. the General Anxiety group therapy and the Health Anxiety group therapy’s tutors and therapists. More specifically I wanted to thank my own therapist XXXX for being such a positive, professional & non judgmental person. She is very young yet very mature and professional. I hope for everyone to have a therapist like her. I wish I could use her skills as a therapist for the rest of my life, but unfortunately she doesn’t have a private practice. She made me fight my anxiety& not let my fears decide for me. Thank you so much. 

The best thing was to see others with similar problems in a neutral and non-judging environment 

The service was thorough and really helped me. I understand my PTSD and was given the time and space to work through the exercises and guidance given. It has made a huge impact on my quality of life. Thank you

Having never before used this type of service I felt it really has helped me to understand how much my physical and mental health were linked . I now realise that my physical symptoms were  causing symptoms of anxiety which I didn’t realise and as the sessions went on this has really helped me to identify these.Thank you XXXX for your help. I hope to be able to  continue to use the advice given.

I am so great full for all the help and support I have received in beginning to understand and tackle my OCD, everyone was very friendly and welcoming, and helped me work at a pace that was comfortable for me and always gave me opportunity to ask questions about anything I was unclear about. XXX is one of the best health professionals I have ever met.

I wasn’t optimistic if I’m honest but it really helped me change my mindset. It gave me other ways of thinking about certain issues and allowed me to not constantly blame myself or put too much pressure upon my shoulders. 

From application to my first assessment, it was a quick process and all in all, I would recommend it to others who need help. 

I feel better in myself and confidence in doing the silvercloud course. 

I am a veteran and I was struggling with a number of issues related to PTSD and found this service invaluable. It helped to identify my critical areas for development and gave me the tools to lead the happier and healthier life in the future. My sincere thanks to XXXX.

 It was great being with like minded people. Making me feel I’m not alone. 

XXX was excellent in every way. Professional, understanding, kind, encouraging. Brilliant. 

The service helped me to address my problems, look at them from a different perspective, and to find solutions which helped me to overcome some of the difficulties that I was facing. 

The service is amazing – offering so much help in different aspects of my life. Thank you!

I have been very pleased with the efficiency to help me get treatment as quickly as possible as well as having been given some valuable tools to help me get better. It has been a very positive experience and I hope that I will continue to learn more ways to get myself back to normal.

I couldn’t believe how quickly I got a phone call, within 3 or 4 days of my self-referral, and an appointment straight away. My experience with RWS has been really good. I was heard quite quickly!

Digital therapy was a big help to me as I suffer with Chronic back pain and am unable to walk at times. Thank you for helping me and in a short space of time too!

I am so grateful for Digital Therapy. I don’t know what I would have done without them!

I wish I had known about this option (online digital therapy) sooner… it was a very convenient way for me to receive treatment

I found the whole thing very helpful. From the first call – everyone was very nice. I thought the waiting list would be a lot longer and the sessions were much more helpful than I expected. I thought I was beyond help but I’ve been really pleased with the whole service

I have just managed to locate the online feedback form and wanted to provide some feedback on the support we received from xxxx. xxxx was the most gifted therapist we could have wished for. Despite my wife and I coming from very different cultural backgrounds, xxxx was able to connect and understand both of us. She provided incredible support, understanding and encouragement as well as practical exercises to improve communication skills. The issues in our marriage were very deep seated and while they are not fully resolved we made a great deal of progress. I am certain we would not be together today were it not for her intervention. Both of us and our two children can never repay xxx and Richmond Well-being Service for the support we received. We shall remain forever grateful.

“The techniques made sense although sometimes difficult to follow at the time (in such a short space of time). Liked the recap at the beginning of each session. Setting homework is a good way to engage with the techniques.”

“The course was really informative and I have found it very useful. I have found it hard to find time to act on everything so far but will do. The course leaders were very well informed and very helpful.”

“Everything covered was very helpful and relevant, and there is a good atmosphere within the group – it’s welcoming and non-pressured. It’s been very helpful for me, and I’m so grateful that opportunities like this exist.”

“I liked the size of the group, it wasn’t too big making it feel less intimidating. I liked the delivery of the course and information. The staff are kind and approachable.”

“They are really lovely. I found that I could relate to most of the models, especially the negative thinking behaviours. The idea of having to do homework each week was very helpful and made me really reflect on what I had learned and how I behaved. It helps me to understand that it is not a quick fix and it takes time to get better. Would like to thank my two helpers very much, they have help me understand so much about my depression.”

“Low key and peaceful delivery meant that I could reflect on it during the class. Also open door policy was reassuring. Low pressure is good. Written materials are well laid out and structured. Excellent and amazing that there is no charge.”

“The facilitators were excellent and very knowledgeable. Good resources and many great practical ideas and useful tips.”

“Sharing of experience and tips to help manage the side effects of worry. Reassurance that there are others who feel the same and that there are techniques that will help.”

“…the therapists were brilliant; you helped to create a calm environment. You were both very skilful and emphasised techniques, whilst allowing the opportunity for feedback and questions. I was initially unsure about group work but the treatment was delivered in a safe encouraging environment, and I felt I received personalised care, and that you genuinely cared how I was doing. You both worked well together, and I am very impressed by the service and the care I received. There was a lot covered in the course that this was covered well, and it never felt rushed.”

“…Just wanted to say a HUGE thank you for making the course so successful for me. It’s been a brilliant course, as it’s all been so manageable and helped me on the road to recovery through a greater understanding of my symptoms and behaviours and some excellent strategies to overcome them.”

“…I was so reluctant to come on the course, but you were so welcoming, friendly, encouraging and supportive that Ive actually looked forward to coming each week. You are truly inspiring and caring…I will miss you!”

“I have found the CBT to be extremely useful for me on my journey with PND (Post Natal Depression). My therapist has been very patient and has tailored the course to suit what I needed as an individual. I have found that the discussions that we have had and the solution focused activities have helped me to develop an amazing bond with my child, access everyday life and develop relationships with those around me.”