Glasgow residents can now access counselling online as The Mind Map launches UK’s first ‘one stop shop’ for mental health provision.
The platform is the result of a ground-breaking research project carried out between The Mind Map and leading organisations with Mental Health at the centre of the agenda.
The Mind Map’s founder Phil Bridges said: “Our research uncovered that people don’t feel they have access to the support they need, in a format that is accessible and relevant to their everyday lives. This was certainly the case for me personally when trying to find help for my anxiety and OCD.
“With recurring lockdowns restricting people’s ability to receive in person support, we have recruited 20 associate counsellors experienced in delivering therapy online, to deliver across the UK.
“Clients can choose a qualified counsellor by location, gender and specialism.”
A counselling psychologist at The Mind Map, Smita Melling, has been practicing for seventeen years and sees the pandemic as a serious threat to people’s mental health.
She said: “Unfortunately, anxiety has been through the roof since March. It’s like peeling an onion, you start with pandemic-induced anxiety - exacerbated by working from home and loneliness and often find deeper lying issues such as thinking errors.”
On The Mind Map’s new intervention, Smita says: “It can take an awful lot for a client to seek help and if they have to wait, it adds insult to injury. The Mind Map bridges the gap between counselor and client, allowing them to find help immediately.
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“I decided to join The Mind Map as being paired with clients means I get to concentrate on delivery, as opposed to the business side - an achilles heel for many counsellors.”
Phil continued: “People are understandably anxious at the moment and need increased mental health support. They’re dealing with disrupted education, a depleted jobs market and distance from their friends.
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