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Your stories

Your Stories

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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.

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

Find out what we offer
Care Opinion

Care Opinion

You can also provide feedback or your share your story and journey of therapy within the service on Care Opinion.

The comments below were received in March 2025

'My therapist has been amazing. I felt I was talking to him as a person/friend and my feelings were understood and validated. He ensured I understood what was being said and anything I didn't he'd explain. I can't fault my phonecalls with him and it has helped me more than words can say.'

'I have had a really positive experience with my therapist  ,she has been very patient and understanding. At the end of each session my therapist has always made sure that I'm feeling ok . I have also found any resources used in a session she has sent to me which is really helpful as I have information I can refer to when I need it which I have never had with other therapy in the past. I would recommend this service.  Thank you .'

'Very helpful lots of information to help me with my over worrying '

'The person I have had has been brilliant and  very understanding thank you. '

'It was better than I expected. As challenging as the sessions were, I did find them to be helpful and necessary. It has provided me with more tools and insight into other avenues I can take when it comes to treating my condition. My therapist was warm and caring with his approach. I found him both easy to understand and very understanding of our situations in the group.'

'My therapist was thorough and talked me through all the aspects to deal with my problems,easy to talk to and always listened to what I had to say'

'Having these sessions has very much helped to improve my mental health and my ability to see various issues in a new light and given me tools to start dealing with these healthily.'

'Would highly recommend, has made a big difference in my life '

'My therapist was professional and kind'

'My therapist was very understanding and explained herself clearly. This is the first therapy I have had that was based on facts rather than thoughts or beliefs which helped me to learn more about myself and the struggles I face. I will miss her but I know that saying goodbye was a health decision and my therapy had helped me on my road to recovery. Thank you'

'I felt like I was listened to and helped '

'Friendly and professional service that has armed me with tools to manage my fears. Thank you for your kindness and patience.'

'I have had a good therapist who has helped me with anxiety.'

'It was a hugely beneficial experience for me. It allowed me time & space to breath, think, recover and share experiences! I have confidently returned to work after 4 weeks off and feel confident that I have a better understanding of stress management going forward! My group were all brave and we bonded so well and the therapists were simply amazing. Thank you.'

'Had a good experience. My therapist was lovely to talk to and help me to see things in a different way. '

'My experience was amazing I couldn't have asked for a more understanding person she was professional,kind ,patient and I felt very understood'

'I have found the CBT therapy extremely helpful. My therapist showed me empathy and was relatable. She gave good advice and listened.
Going through this therapy, it's Identified to me that I still have some work to do on the past trauma that's not been dealt with. '

'Incredibly helpful and made me understand a lot of the patterns I have and ways to counteract them. '

'My therapist was absolutely wonderful. I feel we had a really good connection. I was typically jokey and bubbly and she could tell when something bothered me because of the change in my behaviour. She took an approach which was very specific to my needs and I actually looked forward to the sessions. If I could've kept talking to her weekly with no limitation on appointment numbers I would've. Such a shame that we'd barely scratched the surface when the sessions came to an end. This was simply because I struggled with opening up and my mental health had so many layers to it. I'm very grateful and will be coming back in a few months for more therapy! Thank you for giving me the courage to talk about my mental health! '

'I am really pleased I self referred as the support I gained was invaluable. I felt listened to and cared for. Thank you for all your support. '

'I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience and I feel my life has changed for the better. I am ever so grateful!'

'My therapist has been absolutely amazing. She is patient, caring, and always listens to me. Her approach has helped me cope with my PTSD in the best way possible, and I've made significant progress. She creates a safe, non-judgmental space, and I truly feel supported in my healing. I highly recommend her to anyone seeking help.'

'Very grateful to have been able to have access to this service'

'My therapist has been one of the best people I have had the pleasure of dealing with and so far the only one who has been able to help me. I can't thank you enough. Very professional, courteous and just took his time and let me do what I needed when I was ready.'

'I started my therapy shortly after completing a group PTSD course. My therapist had recognised from my symptoms that I displayed signs of chronic post traumatic stress disorder which was having a negative impact on my quality of life. He went through regular EMDR Therapy with me to enable me to process past trauma, through this therapy I was able to process my trauma which allowed me to experience life as it is today instead of living life through my past trauma. This allowed me to start enjoying the things I used to enjoy such as going out and socialising, exercising and spending time with my family.'

I would highly recommend this therapy it's had such an impact on my life and Christopher was so supportive and did things at a pace that suited me. He was so understanding of my needs and ensured to check in with me throughout the process'

'Very good service! My therapist managed to help me focus on my goals and work out ways of helping me to feel like myself again! '

'I am glad that I took the big step to contact your services, this is the first time of ever using your services or having any therapy myself, the hardest thing I have done. I am happy that I did as I feel that talking to someone has made me open up about my difficulties and helped me through my depression to feel good about myself again. My therapist has been amazing and I wouldn't of wanted anyone else, she was very understanding listened to me, watched me cry and helped me through it all, has been my rock through the last through months, helped me understand and how too deal with my difficulties. I would like to thank you for your services. I would recommend your services to anyone who needs to talk about there problems.'

'My therapist has been extremely helpful and understanding in my health anxiety. She has given me tools and ways to think about my health anxiety episodes and fears. I really appreciate everything she has helped me unpick and feel calmer, clearer about it.'

'I really appreciate the time spent with my therapist and I feel that he has helped me significantly and I felt comfortable opening up to him about a range of topics and we worked through them together.  I feel better placed to continue to move forward.'

'I couldn't speak more highly of my experience with my therapist. He had a great ability to connect with myself as a young person whilst maintaining a very confident, professional outlook on my treatment. I was unsure going into my therapy sessions whether or not I would benefit from them as I would typically not have spoken about issues with my mental health in the past but my therapist made the experience very comfortable and brought out in me the ability to recognise what I was going through and manage it effectively. Since my treatment started I think I have made noticeable improvements week on week, finally now at a point where I feel ready to tackle the rest of my life with skills I've developed through my sessions. I wish my therapist the very best in his career and I hope he's able to connect with many more young people, bringing out the very best in them.'

'My therapist  was lovely and very attentive to what I was saying, ensuring he was providing the best help given. My answers are nothing to reflect him or his methods, this is down to this form of therapy not being specific enough to help me navigate my troubles .'

'In all honesty, I was sceptical about Mindfulness and the associated treatments, but having gone through the CBT course, with the support provided, I am now an advocate of the process and it has helped me completely. The support given by my Supporter has been awesome and whilst I know I still have to work to keep myself on track, I have been given the tools to attempt to do this.  '

'My therapist was very understanding, helpful and encouraging.I really enjoyed working with her, thank you so much for your help and support.'

'My therapists were polite, professional and considerate to all on the course (not just myself). My one to one  today showed me how amazing she is at her role, her understanding and ability to grasp which tools were needed at the right time shows how knowledgable she is within this role. A big thank you goes to both of them for all the help and support they have provided.'

'Many thanks and appreciation to my practitioner  -very helpful, engaging and attentive. Overall the CBT for my insomnia has been positive and has improved things even if it wasn't a magic bullet cure-all! I have learned several techniques that i will continue to apply so a useful service. '

'My therapist was very well spoken, showed understanding and compassion, and the process used were fully explained in an easy to follow format. '

 

 

 

The comments below were received in February 2025

'My therapist was fantastic, thank you so much'

'On the whole it's been very helpful finding new places for me to join'

'I have spent the last 11 sessions working with my therapist to learn about and learn how to deal with my struggle with anxiety. She has been incredible and during every session, despite my rambling and brain storming has clearly listened, understood and supported me with my struggles. I started this journey feeling hopeless and mentally drained by my anxiety, I couldn't get through a conversation about my struggles without being emotional however, I have seen improvements in myself and can now confidently express how I feel and be okay with it! Learning about safety behaviours and the management/removal of them has allowed me to break the continuous cycle and not allow anxiety to control me. It has been nice to openly speak in confidence and have someone listen, and I will forever be thankful for her kind nature and professionalism. Thank you so much.'

'Excellent, authentic and real counselling felt like my therapist really cared and wasn't just going through the motions with me'   

'I was very impressed with the service and how well the therapist listened and supported me, My therapist was able to see what my main issues were and give me tools and things to work on.  I decided to decline career support for now as I will focus on my mental health first.'

'Really helpful towards my problem'

'The support has been invaluable, I have only had a few sessions and have seen a significant reduction in my anxiety. I am confident I can continue to utilise the tools that have been provided to me through this therapy and live life with minimal anxiety. Thank you very much for all your help and support . '

'It's helped me in the interim while I'm waiting for bereavement counselling so I'm very grateful '

'Excellent service . Has really helped reduce my depression and anxiety '

'I have found that the help I have received so far has given me some techniques I can use now and in the long term to get me through the coming days/months.  It has helped me to understand why I am feeling this way. I am feeling the benefits of the therapy and I'm satisfied that I can continue to improve my moods and way of thinking. On my initial telephone assessment, we discussed that starting with the CBT sessions first would give me a firm base to begin with. Then I would benefit more from Bereavement Counselling. I hope that I will be given the opportunity to do this.'

'My therapy has been extremely beneficial. I have learnt so much regarding how my past/present events impact my emotions and behaviour. Through these learnings I am now able to manage difficult situations and emotions 10 x better. I never thought I would get out of self destructive behaviours and vicious circles of depression and feelings of worthlessness. My therapist couldn't of done a better job and she deserves all praise. We built a strong relationship through her patience and understanding of what i am going through. I hope others that feel how I felt can experience the transformation I have.'

'I cannot thank you enough for all your help! And giving me the tools to keep everything on track! Thank you'

'Very helpful and caring'

In my time using this programme I have connected with 3 therapists. All three have been amazing, patient, knowledgeable and kind.
2 therapists both worked with me on understanding my mental health, teaching me techniques and taking the time to answer any questions or queries I had. They felt approachable and relatable, which for me was a huge comfort and helped reduce my anxiety greatly regarding sharing my troubles.
The 3rd therapist has helped me through my employment worries, supporting me, issuing follow up sessions and again, a kind, down to earth person who takes the time to engage with you. She went through my CV, cover letter and numerous jobs in our first session alone and this felt like a great starting point. Currently at this moment in time, we have some more sessions moving forward and I have begun to feel more inspired than I have for a long time. I'm very grateful for the help I have received and the kindness and understanding I have been shown. A huge thank you to all three of these amazing individuals.

'My therapist was wonderful and helpful , understood had empathy but encouraged me to try things'

'I feel I have been listened to by my therapist, it's the first time for me I've been able to convey to an individual my  true feelings which I believe led to my difficulties developing initially. My therapist was very understanding as to my issues and attempted to identify the triggers for my behaviours. Overall I have been satisfied with the treatment I was given and my therapist.'

'My therapist was absolutely brilliant in trying to help me deal with my anxiety. Couldn't have asked for a better therapist. As my situation is complex I felt listened to at all times and she always had an idea of what to try next.  Unfortunately as my condition becomes more challenging we were unable to get to where I was hoping to be.  But not through want of trying. She is a credit to your services. Thank you'

'Feel I can talk openly to my therapist'

'My therapist has been amazing and so understanding which made me feel very comfortable speaking to her. She gave me plenty of techniques to help me! '

'My therapist was outstanding and I would recommend her to anyone who is finding coping with life challenging.  Without her help I would not be in as good a mental state of health right now.  The service must save countless people from falling into the abyss and I hope that you continue to receive the funding that you so richly deserve.  My thanks to my therapist and the service for everything that you have provided in support and understanding over the sessions. Best wishes,  David. '

'I really enjoyed my sessions. I feel my therapist has helped me a lot. Thank you  '

'I want to thank my therapist, she's been amazing and people around me have noticed a significant difference in me'

'Hi I'm very thankful For your support, it's  Very helpful for me And I learn how to calm down myself and How to handle the situations? How to think about a positive way?  I really appreciate that.  My therapist very nice and kind Lady. She understand my situations and she Treat me very well.'

'My outlook on life and how to deal with different situations has completely changed. Within these sessions, I have felt all different range of emotions, lots has happened and not once did I ever feel judged. I always felt very safe and was able to talk openly which I now struggle with the idea of not being able to every week!! My therapist has become my safe space I've had for the last 12 weeks and I'm truly grateful for everything she has done for me. She has shown me how to protect myself from hurt and how to manage difficult feelings. I felt incredibly lost at that start of this process and my therapist has helped, supported and guided me through these feelings and start to understand myself and my emotions. I will actually really miss our sessions.She is an excellent, kind and caring therapist and I have recommended this service to friends and family. Thank you for helping me find myself. I cannot thank you enough.  ' 

'Had a very good experience and feel like I know more strategies how to manage my anxieties. '

'Speaking with my therapist has made me feel more comfortable with sharing. It has enabled me to see things from a difference perspective. Thank you. '

'Service was excellent, my therapist was very friendly and supportive. She had a in depth knowledge of my needs. I felt very supported and she helped me identify and face my issues. Thank you '

'My therapist  was an amazing therapist and really helped me to work through my struggles '

'I has been really helpful'

'My therapist was incredibly professional at all times and she was extremely good at thinking on her feet when I asked random questions.
She was also very patient when I couldn't provide answers and in these cases she supported me by asking prompting questions or helped by repeating the question in a slightly different way. Her work with me has made a very noticeable difference to my anxiety levels and I'll always be grateful for that. I feel prepared to 'go it alone' but I will miss the sessions as I looked forward to them and all the value that they gave me. Thank you very much for this service.'

'Everyone I spoke to was considerate and professional in their approach. They listened to me and helped me understand and work through the programme. '

'Very good'

'My therapist has been really helpful and really helped me to learn techniques to deal with my anxiety and see things in a different perspective, these techniques I will continue to use within my life going forward.'

'Although I wasn't sure about a talking therapy before I started, I have been really pleased with the service I have received. The suggestions of activities were positive and gave good insights to my mood and feelings. I have used and appreciated the vast majority of them and anticipate remembering and using the methods in the future. I have always felt listened to, and encouraged by the team supporting me. My therapist has been so helpful and insightful. '

'It has changed my life and wellbeing'

'My therapist is  great. She really listened to my problems and really encouraged me to look out for myself and helped me realise that I needed to make time for myself '

'I can only express my sincere gratitude to my therapist and the team who have guided me through all my issues. My therapist has been a source of inspiration in dealing with my issues and has been instrumental in my recovery from the seemingly impossible situation that I found myself in. The whole team have been both caring and professional from day one and I will be forever grateful. '

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The comments below were received in January 2025

'Having tried counselling in the past, I was hesitant about reaching out. I realise now that I just needed the right counsellor. My therapist gave me a safe space which in turn made me able to communicate even on my very low days. When all other support services turned me away (and there were many), she listened to me, and that's all i really needed, just someone to listen. I cannot express my gratitude enough. With the help of talking therapies I am ready to move onto the next chapter of my life. I will forever be grateful. Thank you'

 

'I feel my mind is much clearer. I am able to take charge of needs to be done and not feel so worried about the little things in life. Thank you so much for giving me the confidence to take control of my priorities and not stress or worry about things happening around me.'

 

'Overall was a good experience. I felt like he really cared and was diligent in his efforts to help me.'

 

'I really enjoy talking with my therapist and listen her advices. Thank you so much for sharing with me your talent and experience and offer me help. Really appreciate that :)'

 

'My therapist was amazing. I cannot thank her enough for all of her help. She tailored the support to my needs and took the time to listen to all my concerns. '

 

'My therapist is an asset to your service and he has helped me without judgement. I will miss the sessions especially my therapist'

 

'I would first like to thank my therapist for helping me overcome my fears and anxieties. I now have a better understanding of what worries me and how to deal with situations.  I will continue to keep challenging myself, all I keep saying to myself is what's the worst that can happen?  and if the worst happens, I'll deal with it then.  Thanks again to my therapist for helping me change my mindset.'

 

'My therapist was very good! She was very easy to speak to and did a great job during every one of our sessions.    I enjoyed the behavioural activation approach. It helps to organise your life and to slowly try to strike the right balance so you can improve your mental and physical health.    I guess one bit of critical feedback would be that it is guided self help so the aim of this form of therapy isn't to address the underlying cause of someone's mental health problems.    I have come out of it feeling like I can use the 'outside-in' approach to get necessary and routine things done which will absolutely improve my mental health. There are just some days where it is difficult for me, but I wouldn't expect my whole life experience/brain to change after just a few sessions.     Thank you so much for your support!'

 

'I loved my therapist! She was so lovely and I would recommend her to anyone! She was thoughtful and pushed you to be better. I will miss having therapy with her! Thank you for the help! '

 

'My therapist was amazing. I'm sad our sessions have come to an end.  My sessions with her definitely helped the most.'

 

'The sessions I had were really useful in helping me to process what has happened to me in the past and more recently. Special thanks to my therapist who was absolutely brilliant, he is a very intuitive person. He can never fully know the impact our sessions have had on my life. I will always be grateful for the therapy I've had and to my therapist. Thank you. '

 

'I was accepted onto the service very promptly, and was seen by a CBT therapist. We met each week and discussed anything I needed to say, as well as the home tasks. I was very happy with my therapist. She was eager, a great listener and very calm. I really felt that I made progress with her, and valued our time together greatly. I greatly appreciate the tools and worksheets provided, as I can continue to use them in the future on my own. They give me a good foundation to work with. '

 

'It has been helpful to speak to someone outside family who listened. Helped me to understand and deal with things in a different way.'

 

'Thank you for all the help. You have been amazing and I feel confident about the future. I don't know where I would be without you!'

 

'I am happy to have the opportunity to receive support from my therapist, she knows how to listen to you and win your confidence. Also, she chose the "professional" translator. And I want to thank my interpreter also for making me comfortable to be able to describe exactly the depth of my feelings. For those of us going through such unpleasant moments, it is very important to ask for and find a qualified person who knows how can to help you.  One big thank you for your support.  '

 

'My interpreter has been great.  Made me feel comfortable with opening up and sharing everything. Thank you.'

 

'The group counselling session provided a valuable experience, beginning with a short video on empathy and listening which, upon reflection, aligned with one of the intentions of group therapy, relating to others with similar reasons for attending. After the check-in, people sharing a topic was a good starting point for identifying common themes to process; however, not everyone's topic was discussed due to time constraints. Efforts were made to address these in the following session. I began to challenge my anxiety by tackling worries about things beyond my control, practising patience, and accepting the uncertainty of the future.    In hindsight, there were moments where I should have challenged behaviours within the group, such as the assumption that someone older automatically has more life experience. Our therapist facilitated a meaningful discussion about supporting someone who had shared personal experiences, emphasising the importance of truly listening and understanding within the group dynamic. A quieter participant's limited contributions made it harder to build a connection, but recognising their attendance as an achievement highlighted their progress. Reflecting after the session reinforced the importance of counselling and has led me to consider one-to-one therapy for more tailored support.'

 

'My experience with my therapist has been great i believe he has helped me a lot getting through these sessions made me feel comfortable and the tasks and the things we spoke about were very helpful, i appreciate the help given it was my first experience and it was amazing help thank you very much '

 

'Really good and helpful especially the online content and worksheets'

 

'My therapist was amazing. She is a good listener and effective commutator.  She guided me well through the therapy. She explained all processes clearly and sought feedback to ensure understanding. She was kind, caring and empathetic.  Thank you. '

 

'Firstly, I've recommended your service to a few due to it's sufficiency.   Meaning when I initially self referred, it was only a short could of days to I received a call back to arrange a telephone consultation. The consultation wait time was only days and within two weeks was put upon your CBT programme.     Despite my own personal issues, was also able to restart the course as had missed one session and was due to miss another.     The team are extremely understanding in regards to my circumstance at the time.     Both teams I attended on the programme, were kind, respectful, listened, and informative to the topic as well as further information.     The time spent was week appreciated and those within the groups won were patients were also kind and patient and interacted very well within the sessions.     I learnt  a lot and it helped being with others whom were experiencing similar of not the same things as myself. '

 

'Some helpful ideas to use and practice going forwards. '