What happens when my therapy starts?

You will meet a therapist in your local area, normally at your GP surgery. The first time you meet, the therapist will ask questions to help understand how you are feeling and to make sure the therapy you receive matches your needs.

Questions will cover:

– Your thoughts and feelings

– Your physical health

– Any medication you may be taking

– Your hopes and aspirations for the future

After the initial assessment, together with your therapist you will decide what type of therapy would be better for you. You will usually meet every week on a 1-1 basis for an hour. Most people have a block of 10 therapy sessions although this can change from person to person.

What happens at the end of therapy?

When you have finished seeing your therapist you will be asked to fill in a questionnaire. This will help us think about how we can improve our service. We want to make sure that the service we provide is right and if changes need to be made to suit different people, we will try and make them.

If after a few months or a few years you begin to feel unwell again you can re-refer yourself to see someone. It’s best that you see your doctor or refer yourself as soon as possible because the longer a problem is left the more difficult it is to get well again.

Why Relationships Matter: Mental Health Awareness Week 2016

May 17, 2016

Mental Health Awareness Week (16-20 May) is focusing this year on good relationships. Positive relationships with others are fundamental to our health and wellbeing. In fact, they are as important as other factors we know are good for us like stopping smoking, healthy eating and exercise.

People who have good, strong relationships feel less stressed. They are less likely to become unwell and if they are unwell, recover more quickly and feel more supported.

The Mental Health Foundation is challenging everyone to prioritise relationships during Mental Health Awareness Week and commit to making a relationship resolution. The resolution looks at how much time we spend on our relationships and how we can build on them and improve them.

So how can we look after the relationships we have?

Make time to nurture important relationships. We can be so busy with work and daily tasks that we forget to do this.
Be present: When you’re with friends and family, don’t check your phone all the time. Be present in the moment and there for your loved ones. This week is also Walk to School week. Why not spend some time walking your children to school and talking to them?
Listen: Actively listen to what others have to say in a non-judgmental way. Concentrate on what they are saying and their needs.
Be listened to: Talk honestly about how you are feeling. Allow others to listen to and support you.
Recognise unhealthy relationships: Are certain relationships making you unhappy? Recognising these can help you move forward and find solutions to issues that are affecting you badly.
Join in: Be part of your community. Why not volunteer or join a group such as a choir.

If you are worried about your mental health or someone you know, contact BSL Healthy Minds. BSL Healthy Minds is a therapy and counselling service delivered in British Sign Language which helps Deaf people who are struggling to live with anxiety, depression and similar problems. You can also check out our Facebook page, where we share videos in BSL on mental health issues and how you can get support.

Image Credit: Federico Feroldi

BSL Healthy Minds call for two deaf service users

April 5, 2016

SignHealth’s BSL Healthy Minds is partnering with the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCP) to write guidelines on commissioning mental health services for Deaf people in primary care.

BSL Healthy Minds and the RCP are setting up an Expert Reference Group (ERG) which includes academics, service providers, therapists and commissioners. The group will help develop the guidelines and we are looking for Deaf services users who could also help with this exciting work.
We are seeking two Deaf service users who have been through primary care (both Deaf and hearing services) to join the ERG. They will give their views and feedback on what they would like commissioners to know about mental health services for Deaf people.

If you’re interested in taking part, what should you expect? You would need to come to two meetings. The next meeting is in London on Thursday 14th April and will be three hours long. We will pay for your travel and you will also be paid £50 for attending the meeting.
If you are interested please get in touch with Celia Hulme via the BSL Healthy Minds or SignHealth Facebook pages or email:

Image Credit: Alan Levine

Claire’s Story

When Claire became depressed she was referred to a hearing therapist – a person who didn’t understand her culture or background as a deaf woman. Claire’s story demonstrates why therapy delivered directly to deaf people in British Sign Language is vital.

Claire first became depressed following the births of her two children. After the birth of her second child her depression became worse and she struggled to cope. Yet she knew that she needed to control her life for the sake of herself and her family:

“I tried to switch off, I tried to move on. I had to for my two children, I had to focus on them,’ she says.

Claire hid her depression from the rest of the world; only she and her partner knew how desperate she was. She was becoming more and more isolated, spending time alone at home with the children and hiding from the outside world.

“I felt uncomfortable going out. I felt people were looking at me and I became paranoid that they knew something was wrong.”

Claire knew she needed to solve her problems so that she could return to her normal self and enjoy life again. She was referred to a hearing therapist and was pleased that an interpreter had been organized. However, when the therapy started she didn’t find it easy. Her therapist had never delivered therapy via an interpreter and communication broke down. To make things worse, Claire felt uncomfortable as she knew her interpreter from college.

“The doctor would listen to me and then respond by asking questions using really complex English. It made no sense to me. He wasn’t matching my needs as a deaf person at all.”

Claire feels she would benefit from seeing a deaf therapist who could communicate with her in her own language and understand her culture and concerns.

“If I had the opportunity to see a deaf therapist, it’s a real possibility that my symptoms would improve. I’d be able to express all my worries and problems in my own language… it would be so much easier to answer questions and talk,” she says.

Sadly for many people like Claire, accessing therapy in BSL can be difficult. Many have to wait months to get an appointment and in some areas funding is not available.

“We need to see deaf therapists faster so that our lives can get back on track sooner,’ says Claire. “Having the chance to talk about how I’m feeling will help me so much. I’ll get my identity back.”

Join SignHealth’s campaign for Deaf people to receive Therapy the Deaf Way.

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Here’s how you can help

1) Write ‘I Support ‪#‎TherapyTheDeafWay‬‘ on a piece of paper.

2) Take a photo of yourself holding the paper.

3) Post your photo on Facebook or Twitter and add the hasthtag #TherapyTheDeafWay

4) Sign the petition

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I Support #TherapyTheDeafWay

February 24, 2016

Deaf people are twice as likely as hearing people to experience mental health problems, yet they do not have equal access to psychological services.

Hearing people with mental health problems get to see a hearing therapist who can communicate in their language. But do deaf people get to see a deaf therapist who can sign? NO.

Deaf people do not have the same access to appropriate mental health services as hearing people. We want that to change.

Please help us with our campaign by taking a photograph of yourself with ‘I Support #TherapyTheDeafWay’ written on a piece of paper. Upload your photo to Facebook or Twitter, tag either BSL Healthy Minds or SignHealth (or both!) and add the hashtag #TherapyTheDeafWay.

Share it with as many people as possible! We need to get Jeremy Hunt to listen.

The power of Facebook within the Deaf community

February 19, 2016

Sarah Powell is a Clinical Psychologist working for BSL Healthy Minds, the deaf psychological therapy service from SignHealth. Here she explains the power of social media within the Deaf community.

A recent article published by BBC journalist Charlie Swinbourne highlights the power of Facebook within the sign language community. It echoes the usefulness of social media within our service, BSL Healthy Minds.

As you may or may not know, we have an active presence online. Twitter and Facebook give us a platform to promote our service and engage with our core service users. It also helps us to educate Deaf people about mental health and wellbeing.

Historically there has been a lack of information about mental health and wellbeing in British Sign Language (BSL). Although some videos have been produced, they’re often limited to video and DVD copies, reducing their reach and proving a costly exercise to send out.

Every day, hearing people pick up key messages about mental health by flicking through magazines, seeing posters or overhearing other people’s conversations. But deaf people don’t have that level of access. If you’re deaf, you can’t listen to the radio or conversations happening around you. You acquire information much later than your hearing peers, if at all.

In 2015 BSL Healthy Minds made the decision to share more BSL content online, posting two minute long BSL videos on our Facebook page. Examples included the benefits of walking, how to practice mindfulness and giving tips about recognising symptoms of depression. The videos have been incredibly well received. One clip in particular, which explained the benefit of reaching out to friends and family to check on their wellbeing, has received over 30,000 views.

Facebook has given Deaf people the opportunity to talk openly about mental health. The BSL Healthy Minds page gives people a place to share their experiences, ask for advice and seek support. Deaf people are so often subject to isolation and many will tell you about the barriers they face when trying to access help, but with the encouragement they find through Facebook, early intervention has become so much more achievable.

A great example of this success can be seen with one of our recent videos explaining the benefits of keeping busy. After posting the video online, numerous conversations evolved, with members of the deaf community actively sharing tips and advice to help their peers. Some suggested starting a new hobby, trying out a new recipe or visiting new places.

Another video explained the importance of taking medication properly, it also touched upon possible side effects and how to deal with them. Since posting that video, some Deaf who have been unsure about the medication they take have visited their GP for clarification. Albeit small, these are important steps to improve to the wellbeing of Deaf people.

Aims for the future

The BSL Healthy Minds team will continue to upload clips in BSL, subtitling them to maximise accessibility. We are aware that Facebook isn’t for everyone and therefore some people will not be able to view our clips, so we are also working on new and alternative ways to reach other people from the deaf community.

If you would like to talk a look at the videos we have made, please like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter. Your support will help us improve the health and wellbeing of deaf people.

Image Credit: Bhupinder Nayyar

Deaf people start fight back after mental health services are attacked

February 15, 2016

Two bitter blows have been dealt to the Deaf community this week. The Deaf Health Charity SignHealth says enough is enough.

On Tuesday, NHS England said it wanted to scrap the Clinical Reference Group on Deaf Mental Health. The following day the charity was told their bid to the Department of Health to provide online psychological therapies had been turned down.

Celia Hulme, Campaigns Officer, said:

‘Mental health services for Deaf people are already shockingly poor. These announcements make a bad situation worse. Most Deaf people do not have access to psychological therapies on the same basis as hearing people. There is no equality. That cannot be right in 2016.’

“Today we are launching a campaign, ‘Therapy, the Deaf Way‘ to demand the Government acts. We want to see a nationally commissioned psychological therapy service, which all Deaf people in England can access. We want Deaf people to have access to therapists who can sign fluently. Some ‘lucky’ Deaf people are offered a BSL/English interpreter but it is not the same. Would a hearing person really want therapy via an interpreter?”

The charity will be putting forward a proposal of its own to Jeremy Hunt, the Secretary of State for Health.

Click here to sign the petition!

Celia added:

“Jeremy Hunt can no longer ignore Deaf people. He has a legal responsibility to make sure health services are delivered equitably. He is failing in his duty. He is failing Deaf people. He should know that Deaf people are twice as likely to experience depression as hearing people. And yet he and the NHS do nothing. The precious few services that do exist for Deaf people now appear to be under further attack. Enough is enough.”

SignHealth is calling on Deaf people to take a stand now, before it is too late. More information can be found on the website: www.signhealth.org.uk/campaigns/.

British Sign Language self-help guides launched for World Mental Health Day (BSL)

October 7, 2015

Mental Health and wellbeing groups, charities and organisations are joining together on Saturday 10th October to celebrate World Mental Health day.

The Deaf Health Charity SignHealth, in partnership with Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (NTW), is marking the day with the launch of a series of mental health self-help guides in British Sign Language (BSL).

Providing information in BSL on common mental health problems – such as depression and anxiety – is an important step in improving deaf mental health.

SignHealth’s Sick of It Report revealed that Deaf people have worse health than hearing people because communication difficulties mean it is harder for them to access information and advice. 8 out of 10 Deaf people want to communicate in BSL but only 3 in 10 get the chance.

Commenting, Hazel Flynn Clinic Strategic Management Lead for SignHealth’s BSL Healthy Minds said:

“The theme of this year’s World Mental Health Day is ‘Dignity in Mental Health’. Having the information you need to manage your own mental health is part of that. In the past, Deaf people have not had equal access to this information. Providing information in BSL makes it more accessible, giving Deaf people greater control and autonomy over their own health.”

Joyce Pennington, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Mental Health and Deafness Service at NTW said: “I am delighted that NTW are working in partnership with SignHealth. We are striving towards providing equal access to information in BSL for Deaf people. The BSL self-help guides are a valuable resource that I can use when working with Deaf people with mental health issues.”

The self-help guides, which are supported by NHS England’s Regional Innovation Fund, are available to view on SignHealth’s website www.signhealth.org.uk and also at www.ntw.nhs.uk/pic/selfhelp and via YouTube.

(Photo Credit: Josep Ma. Rosell)

Better support needed for vulnerable adults in custody

August 26, 2015

A report commissioned by the Home Office says that about a quarter of vulnerable people do not get the support of an ‘appropriate adult’ while in police custody.

The report, called There to Help, was researched and written by the National Appropriate Adult Network. Their research revealed that are ‘significant shortcomings’ in the system which mean that vulnerable people sometimes do not have access to an appropriate adult.

An appropriate adult must be provided when a child or vulnerable adult is in contact with the police. They ensure that the police are communicating effectively with the vulnerable person, that they are being treated fairly and that their welfare is being safeguarded.

The rules were introduced in the 1980s after a series of miscarriages of justice involving vulnerable people, particularly those with mental health problems. Appropriate Adults do not provide legal advice.

When Emma was arrested and wrongly accused of accused of assault, she didn’t understand what was happening. Her solicitors didn’t know BSL and Emma struggled to understand letters written in formal English. SignHealth Advocacy helped Emma, using BSL to explain the legal process and letters from her solicitors.. Her advocate explained how to behave in court and how to ask for an interpreter.

Chris Bath FRSA, chief executive of the National Appropriate Adult Network, said:

“People with learning disabilities, mental ill health, traumatic brain injuries or autistic spectrum disorders are some of the most vulnerable citizens, and state detention is perhaps the most vulnerable situation. We have a moral and a legal duty to ensure appropriate adults are available wherever people live.”

Home Secretary Theresa May welcomed the report saying:

“Appropriate adults provide vital support and help to de-mystify what can be a confusing, sometimes frightening, experience in police custody.

“Evidence suggests there is a lack of appropriate adults to safeguard the welfare and rights of mentally vulnerable adults in police custody. That is why I commissioned this review to determine where the problems lie.

“The status quo is not acceptable and I am concerned that vulnerable adults are not always receiving the support of an appropriate adult. We are currently examining the recommendations and implementation options to ensure that vulnerable people are provided with the support they are entitled to.”

What is SignHealth Advocacy?

Signhealth Advocacy from the Deaf Health Charity SignHealth offers specialist, confidential advocacy services in British Sign Language, delivered by trained advocacy workers.

Independent Mental Health Advocates work with Deaf people to ensure they have equal access to the criminal justice system and official proceedings. Clients are helped to understand difficult situations and choices. Independent Mental Health Advocates work with individuals detained under the Mental Health Act.

(Photo credit: West Midlands Police)