Your stories

Your Stories

Here is your feedback

Bedfordshire Talking Therapies has helped many people improve their quality of life by supporting them through their journey to feeling better.

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

The comments below were received in October 2024.

'My therapist was so helpful and understanding. I didn’t feel judged whatsoever. He is lovely and definitely in the right job. He listened and offered me different options to match what suited me, I didn’t feel pressured to pick a certain option, I felt comfortable to choose what I wanted. He contacted me so quickly and put my case through so quick too, that I’ve already got my first call for ccbt scheduled.'

'This has been my best experience out of all of the different therapies I have done over the years. Although I believe I still have a long way to go, I feel immensely stronger than when I began this journey. I'm very grateful to my therapist for all of her help and support over these last few months.'

'Very supportive service, my therapist really listened and helped me explore how I was feeling. I also suffered a significant bereavement halfway through my sessions and my therapist was able to be there for that pain and understand when the sessions went off on a curveball. It's so reassuring to know I can come back to the service when I need to too.'

'My therapist has provided me with some excellent EMDR therapy which has helped me finally turn a corner with my mental health after 30 years. CBT alone is not enough for many complex mental health problems '

'I felt the therapist understood my issues, took time to explain the process, was empathetic and knowledgeable. The initial application was a bit long and drawn out but once that was completed the process was better than I expected. I will miss our sessions but I do understand that I have to practice the techniques which will help my recovery, I also know it will take time.'

'My therapist was excellent and I am very happy with the progress we made during our sessions. '

'My therapist has been fantastic and it's the third time I have had EMDR. I have come a long way with our weekly sessions and hopefully, things will improve going forward. He has always listened and made special adjustments as I'm bed-bound but he made the treatment work and I can't thank him enough.'

'I just loved the way my therapist was so patient and allowed me to speak about different things and he knew exactly what to say to help me for that particular thing. He did this for everything I wanted help with, each session, each problem. He spoke so gently and the feeling of calm would come through the screen. I really admired his way of handling my issues. His knowledge and expertise was clearly evident and I felt in good hands. It made me want to do the homework because I thought I had been given the most excellent therapist and I must take his advice and learn and put into practise the techniques he had shown me. I saw results very quickly which made me want to learn more self help techniques and pay attention carefully to all of his advice and teachings. I am motivated to continue practising the techniques to keep myself in the good position I find myself in following the therapy. Thank-you for pairing me with my therapist. He is amazing at his job!!!'

'It was a good experience and has helped and my therapist has been really good. I am glad I still have access to the program for up to a year and the program has helped me to chill out and not take like to seriously and also if there was a relapse in the future I would not take so long ins seeking medical help'

'I found the therapist to be really understanding and felt at ease talking with her. '

'I am very grateful to my therapist for her active listening skills, great empathy and exceptionally helpful advice and links she provided. I have learned a lot new useful things during the sessions. Thank you!'

'Helped me understand better what happened'

'My therapist is an exceptional therapist and has really helped me to understand what I am feeling when my anxiety arises. She seemed to understand exactly what it was that I was going through and I could not recommend her enough. I felt comfortable and at ease taking with her at all times, even with subjects that I have struggled to speak about with some of my closest family and friends. The sessions couldn't have gone better and I feel as though a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Thank you again for all your help and support.'

'My therapist shown great care with my situation and has help understand and acknowledge so much during our session. As much as I am not better as i would want to be but each session has given me a a bit more to work with and has helped me make progress. The therapist has help me a lot and find peace with some parts of my life that i thought I'd never be able to accept and because of how great i felt my therapist was with me i believed this has showcased how great of a therapist she is thank you'

'Love the service. My therapist changed my perspective of life. Thank you.'

'My therapist was absolutely fantastic and the therapy I received (EMDR) was life changing'

'My therapist was very helpful, i was given multiple different ways to help identify and prevent any issues i had'

'My therapist was very patient and understanding. As someone who likes to be in control of most things he enabled me to look at things from a different aspect which had helped considerably. '

'I was skeptical because I'm highly analytical and a total snob. But I tried my best to be open to the process, and it worked! I'm very grateful for the help and guidance. '

'I was sceptical about the service initially as I was unsure how I would stay motivated throughout without a group of people to bounce off and share ideas. I didn't see how an online course would help me too much. However the content of the course was really useful and my supporter was great at checking in and giving me ideas to push my learning further. I feel I now have a better understanding of my anxiety and strategies to help reduce it. The content of the course was very relevant to me and I have enjoyed working through the modules each week. '

'I have really enjoyed speaking to my therapist. Every single thing I wanted to discuss was broken down fully and come to find out the best ways to tackle them. I'm truly grateful for this and feel I've extremely come a long way. Thank you '

The comments below were received in September 2024

'My therapist gave exceptional advice and dealt with my worries and concerns really well. I felt she fully understood how I felt and did her upmost to help me. Very successful session! Anyone in the future who has her as their therapist is very lucky! A big thank you from me x'

'Before my therapy I was skeptical that it would help me however it did help me very much. My therapist was always ready to listen and always with much empathy she really helped me to realistically look at the things I needed to do and prioritise and being able to cope with all things going on in my life too. Thank you '

'My therapist has been an integral part of my recovery. She has been so supportive and understanding, trying different ways to help support me and help me to change and address my damaging thoughts. I feel lucky that I was allocated with her and will take a lot away from our sessions.'

'My therapist was very positive, non judgemental, and took time to listen, and proved me with a better understanding of my situation, and helped me develop coping strategies. Thank you so much'

'Really connected with my therapist which meant that I could really open up and be completely honest. Therapist was clear about the structure of the sessions and the course of treatment. Bitesized 'homework' and not feeling pressured too much out of my comfort zone. Ability to feed back/admit when things hadn't gone to plan/relapse. '

'The therapist made me feel comfortable at all times I don't trust anyone else very well and even don't have any friends because they start off friendly and caring like normal friends then they use me for what they can get this also applied for past therapy but she listened to everything I had to say and she never once spoke down to me once the strategies were good I have a better understanding of my complex PTSD and coping strategies but I have expressed my needs for future support and the reasons given because I have started to feel like I'm getting somewhere with my mental health and understand that I need a break but keeping on top of what I started will be appreciated. '

'The service I received was excellent. Made a real difference to my mental wellbeing. I'm very grateful. '

'It was very good. I managed to get to the root of my problems. Talking things through was extremely helpful to me.'

'I feel I progressed very well and got to the root of a lot of different problems that have caused me to battle depression, anxiety for quite some time. '

'Talking to someone outside of your family is very helpful.i will use the practical suggestions to deal with my anxiety. My therapist was a huge help and he has left me with many positive thoughts.'

'My therapist has been so calm, kind and helpful. Has helped me think differently about my time and suggested useful, practical ideas. '

'I have tried to engage with therapy before and looking back it wasn't the right time and I wasn't fully invested. I am so glad I came to Talking Therapies for support because I was at a time I was prepared to put in the work. My therapist helped me realise it's not just about unpacking the issues but also processing and giving me back the skills to not fall back into old habits of not taking care of myself. There was so much deep rooted trauma that came to the surface and I was so scared at first but my therapist was so reassuring and not judgemental. There is a huge part of me that wishes I could keep having sessions but sometimes stepping back and using the skills you've learnt is needed. I have a much better understanding of my mental health and tools to take care of my wellbeing but I still have a long way to go and that's ok because I've started the work and this is life long effort. My depression and anxiety now live with me as opposed to me living with it. '

'I was initially very impressed with the speed at which therapy was offered to me My therapist has been amazing. She listened, helped and challenged me with care and understanding. I liked the way she always asked me what I wanted to add to our agendas, and she always delivered on any promises of follow up emails etc. She was always on time for our meetings and clearly remembered what we had spoken about before. I always felt like I was in the hands of an expert who really knows her stuff and is passionate about what she does. Put simply, her help has changed my life, far more than i expected. My challenge now is to continue to put in practice what I have learnt and, although this is a little daunting, i do feel now that i have the toolkit and skills to do this. Thank you, I wish you all the best with your career, the NHS are very lucky to have you! '

'The service as been really helpful and supportive with my mental health and long covid.'

'I had a positive experience of the service from referral right through to the termination of my therapy and wouldn't hesitate to revisit the service if/when required in the future. My therapist is awesome and made me feel comfortable to open up and share my thoughts/feelings when at my most vulnerable. I'm very grateful to my therapist and for the support I received throughout my therapy :) '

'I have received superb support from this service, and I am a much more robust person now thanks to it. '

'My therapist is very patient and understanding. She listens when I need to vent, and helps me to understand my feelings. I often go off on a tangent but my therapist will listen and then pick up on things that need to be explored further. She has encouraged me to push my boundaries and overcome my anxieties '

'Shay has been an excellent therapist. Professional, sincere and encouraging. '

'My therapist understood my problems and what to tackle first. I found her very helpful she listened to my issues and pointed me in the right direction to which I thoroughly appreciated. I can now go forward slowly and achieve what I have wanted to do most of my life thanks to my therapist. I am so pleased I spoke to her. '

'My therapist has been great - listened to me each session and helped me through a really difficult time.'

'Very valuable, given me the skills I need. thank you'

'I had a brilliant experience with my therapist. He was friendly, welcoming and really listened. He has provided me with the tools I can use when life does get a little tough and the techniques to remain present in all circumstances, good or bad. The overall experience with talking therapies was also great! The staff were helpful .'

'I felt that it helped me quite a lot and if i feel down or low i would use the experience i had here for the future '

'An excellent introduction to ACT. My therapist was helpful, informative and professional, yet the whole experience was informal and well structured. I shall be returning to the slides as required. Thank you. '

'Going through this 5 wk process has helped me focus on the things I need to , let go of what I cannot influence and appreciate what I still have. All is not perfect and I know I will have challenges ahead but I feel I have some of the tools to guide me now.'

'Got me through the black hole I was in. With care..compassion and easy steps to a recovery I could not imagine. Thank you.'

'100 % pleased in the Service I received with Care and confidence by the therapists'

'I was able to access a therapy group almost straight after referral, and choose which treatment path to follow. The groups was incredibly well managed by the therapists, who were confident, enthusiastic and able to involve all of us during the sessions. That attitude meant that I was comfortable sharing, because everyone else did, and also confident myself that what we were being shown and discussing would be beneficial. Believing in the therapists meant that I believe in the therapy, and I am sure it added value. Sessions have run to time and allowed for breaks at sensible points when information can need quite a lot of concentration. I've really enjoyed the experience.'

The comments below were received in August 2024.

'It's been great and easy to understand. My therapist has been supportive and explained everything so well'

'Excellent therapist who adapted the sessions as I needed them to'

'I think my therapist was amazing and has given me tools to work on that will help me improve my life. Thank you very much.'

'I am very grateful for the service and the therapists time and help. I have been given some new tools to use to help me going forward. I now can see a bit clearer I know i will have bad days and good days but I know it will always get better. I did have a lot going on whilst having my sessions but I do find them useful and really relatable. My therapist always made me feel more motivated after our calls even on my worst day where I was really battling to find motivation. It has made me realise a lot of things and a lot of things i need to work on to change for myself. '

'My CBT therapy with Leanne was the first time I have felt appreciable benefits from talking therapy and I am beyond grateful to her for her help. The MBCT for Chronic Pain was also helpful and I am continuing to use some of the tools learned and guided meditations provided. I'm very grateful for the service's help during this referral. '

'I have learnt to understand why I feel like I do and I have been made to feel more confident in myself and able to try to challenge my thought processes. My therapist has been very supportive, kind, understanding and helpful.'

'I cannot thank my therapist enough for his support. He has not only changed my life but saved it too. His belief in me and support throughout my entire time with the service was incredible. He has taught me so much and given me so many tools to use to combat my OCD. I've been discharged for 3 months now from the service and even with days where i've struggled and wanted to go back to bad negative habits the tools and skills my therapist taught me have been invaluable and helped me to overcome it. The ability to work with my therapist 1:1 was a privilege and he's style of not just been supportive but challenging me was the key to helping overcome my OCD. I will never forget my first session with him where i said i would never overcome my OCD and i will live with it everyday for the rest of my life and he challenged this belief and said i could overcome my OCD that i don't have to live with this everyday being miserable changed my entire outlook. His ability to get to the 'Why' of my OCD and use of the theories was perfect for me and really addressed my needs of learning and how my brain works. I really hope my therapist's line manager and service manager can see this feedback because he deserves not just praise but true gratitude for his work. He has saved my life and i will be forever grateful.'

'My therapist has been such a brilliant support through my sessions. She has demonstrated a clear understanding of the situation that has caused my depression and has offered an objective perspective on things which has been so helpful. I have always been impressed by how my therapist remembers everything that we've spoken about across the weeks and these therapy sessions have felt like a safe space to discuss things that I haven't necessarily been able to talk about in other settings. The different strategies that she has used across the sessions have been really valuable in helping me to see things differently. I can feel that I'm in a better place now compared to when I began therapy and I am so grateful for her support and professionalism throughout the process. Thank you so much for helping me, it really has made such a difference to my daily life. '

'My therapist has given me the support and strength to get back on track. I really appreciate this.'

'I found my therapist to be very compassionate, professional and supportive throughout my experience. He was patient with me and allowed me to steer the ship whilst keeping structure and boundaries to our sessions. We set realistic goals which I felt able to achieve with his expertise and guidance. My therapist has provided me with lifelong tools to help me continue to work on myself and helped me build the confidence to stick with it. I have made positive changes in myself and to my life and feel fortunate to have left therapy having achieved what I set out to. I cannot thank my therapist and the service enough for the support. I would recommend the service to those who may benefit from it.'

'Thank you very much for your help. I found the sessions with my therapist really useful in trying to address the mental difficulties I am experiencing. I am grateful to have developed a number of strategies which I will continue to employ on a daily basis to combat these difficulties.'

'This has been the most effective bout of therapy I have ever had. My therapist made me feel seen and listened to and I became an active part in creating much needed change to my life and thought processes. It has been a tough but incredible journey and I am so very thankful. '

'A good service with helpful courteous and well trained staff. I would have liked to have started the therapy sooner but appreciated that there was a waiting list.'

'The therapist was very helpful and I felt like I was being listened to. It was difficult to share certain things about me but she remained professional and patient with me. I know I'm not healed but I have hope that techniques I have learned with help with my symptoms.'

'Extremely grateful for the help I received. I can't put into words how thankful I am. I just really appreciate the time, care and support that my therapist gave me, it really means a lot. Thank you so much!'

'I have gained confidence in being able to recognise how to deal with my worries and what to do about them. I can see that it is OK to feel down at times as I understand not all problems are the end of the world, and I can sort out ones I can change and accept the ones I can't and know how to respond to them. I needed coping mechanisms and have found those.'

'The therapy sessions have really helped me to cope better with the trauma of the birth of my daughter. I still have some way to go in managing some of them feelings and emotions but I'm on the right track'

'I found the service to be very helpful. My therapist was very good. I feel I have met my goals with her support. I am feeling much more positive and have take a lot away from our sessions. It was hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel at the beginning, I was involved throughout and always asked for my input, I was asked if I was comfortable with the homework tasks and experiments during the sessions and not made to feel that I didn't have a choice which made it easier to try them. The session plan was always discussed at the beginning and I was asked if I was happy with the order or did I want to move it around and also always given the opportunity to add anything else in. My therapist gave me the time to talk and she would listen which was also very helpful. Thank you so much again.'

'Thanks so much for listening to me and supporting me'

'I was skeptical at the start, but set 2 main goals and saw steady progress using the service. Has been very helpful overall.'