Therapy Service
Our therapy is different
Get referred
Refer yourself
You can request therapy with this online form.
Or visit your GP
Tell the doctor how you have been thinking and feeling. Be honest. Remember your doctor is there to help. Your doctor might not know about SignHealth. Research shows that therapy in BSL is more successful for BSL users. Ask your doctor to contact SignHealth for more information.
See our FAQs below for more information
Therapy is for if you are feeling low, anxious or worried. Maybe you are having trouble sleeping, or you can’t concentrate, or are unable to enjoy activities that you used to love. GPs often prescribe therapy for these feelings and symptoms, because therapy is the most effective treatment.
There are different types of psychological therapies and we can discuss together which one suits you best with your specific needs and situation in mind.
SignHealth’s Psychological Therapy service was previously known as ‘BSL Healthy Minds’.
You do not pay for any of our services.
Our services are contracted with the NHS through a number of different routes.
We offer services to deaf people who may be experiencing one or more of the following conditions:
- Mild to moderate depression or anxiety
- OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)
- PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)
- Generalised Anxiety Disorder
- Phobias
- Social anxiety
- Health anxiety
- Loss or bereavement
- Confidence problems
- Low self-esteem
- Family or work stresses
- Identity issues
- Abuse
- Couples Therapy
If you do not see your condition (or you are not sure) but you think meeting with a therapist could help, please contact us.
You must be aged over 18 and living in England or Wales.
Anywhere in England. We still provide therapy for deaf people in Wales but the funding process has not changed and will still be through Individual Funding Requests (IFR). This NHS contract will not impact the services available in Scotland and Northern Ireland. If you might benefit from therapy and live in Scotland or Northern Ireland, we suggest that you discuss your options with your GP.
Our therapy sessions are primarily delivered online but face-to-face can sometimes be arranged.
If you have any questions about the service or you need help with referrals please contact us.
Research suggests that the best treatment for people with mental health such as depression and anxiety is ‘talking therapy’. This therapy method relies on 1-1 communication, but for deaf people who use sign language, this is problematic. The moment an interpreter is involved, the conversation becomes less intimate and has been shown to be less effective for the patient.
All our therapists are either deaf or hearing and fluent in British Sign Language (BSL) and some can also support deaf people who do not sign.
Please contact your GP to discuss your options. We also have self-help guides on SignHealth’s website for a range of mental health and advice for small steps you can take to improve your wellbeing through getting better sleep, mindfulness and other exercises.
Before 2022, therapy in sign language was funded through Individual Funding Requests (IFR) submitted to Integrated Care Boards (ICBs, which were previously known as Clinical Commissioning Groups CCGs) for each patient. Not all ICBs would approve funding, instead requiring a deaf patient to go to a mainstream hearing service first. Or the patient might need to wait a long time for funding to eventually be approved.
This NHS England contract streamlines the process by automatically approving funding for deaf people to access our NHS therapies for deaf people with anxiety and depression in sign language.
This contract covers NHS therapies for deaf people with anxiety and depression. If you are in need of grief and bereavement therapy and other types of counselling, funding will continue to be approved through the Individual Funding Requests (IFR) route.
We are a mental health service for those with mild to moderate depression and anxiety only. We are not a crisis service and are not able to support those who are suicidal. It can be an upsetting and distressing time. Please contact your close friends and family to let them know you are feeling suicidal. Then please see your GP, who will refer you to your local community mental health team. You can also use NHS 111 or 999 BSL if your life is at risk.
During assessment, we will ask questions about how your mental health is impacting your life and what you would like to change (your goals for therapy). After the assessment, we will let you know which therapy is suitable for you. It will depend on your symptoms and needs. You may be offered a choice of therapist, such as communication preference, gender, race, and a choice of appropriate therapy. This will be explained at the end of the assessment.
You will need to wait before you will be able to meet with a therapist. The amount of time varies depending on the assessment of your needs and the availability of suitable therapists. Some people will only need to wait 2 months and most people are seen within 18 months. Clients can contact the therapy team directly to find out how long as it will depend on the type of therapy you are waiting for.
We try to see everyone as soon as we can and our team delivers hundreds of sessions every month. Every NHS therapy service has a long waiting list, for hearing people too. This is due to so many people being referred and not enough therapists and services ready to support. We are recruiting and training more staff and providing group sessions too so that we can offer more support quicker.
There are self-help videos on our website. We hope you will watch these videos to help you manage your symptoms and support your wellbeing while you wait.