The Camden Psychotherapy Unit is a charity providing free and low fee psychoanalytic psychotherapy. We are a busy service which is very much in demand, particularly amongst people on low incomes, as the kind of long term help which we offer can otherwise be very hard to access. The people we see are suffering from a multitude of difficulties, usually throughout their lives. These include severe depression, social isolation, acute anxiety, family breakups, addiction, self-harm, suicidality and the consequences of sexual and other forms of abuse.
Our service consists of an initial assessment process and discussion of treatment options with a senior psychotherapist. This can last for between one and four meetings. Treatment may consist of short-term therapy (up to six months); long-term therapy (up to two years) or group therapy. All meetings take place on a weekly basis. Our clinical commitment to each client who approaches us for help is to find the most suitable treatment for them. We work in close collaboration with local health services, both within the NHS and the voluntary sector.
Some of the people we see need more urgent help than others and waiting times can be a serious problem for them. The Pixel Fund has generously provided a grant to enable us to develop a pilot Triage service, in order to ensure that clinical needs are effectively evaluated as soon as a referral is received. This will hopefully prevent a further decline in a client’s mental health through delays to treatment and allow quicker assessment of treatment options and signposting to other services as appropriate. We are really grateful for the chance to put this much needed initiative in place.
On behalf of The Camden Psychotherapy Unit