NHS West Sussex Talking Therapies, for anxiety and depression in long-term health conditions

Our services are available as usual during the Covid-19 pandemic. We are following Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust guidelines and measures to ensure you are safe when receiving treatment. If you have any concerns about how Covid-19 may affect your treatment, get in touch.

Do you live with a long-term health condition? NHS West Sussex Talking Therapies for long-term health conditions (formally Time to Talk Health) is a free talking therapies service that could help. 

NHS West Sussex Talking Therapies is not a crisis service and we are not able to provide crisis support. If you are in crisis and need urgent support please contact one of the following services:

• Sussex Mental Healthline: 0800 0309 500 (24hrs)
• The Samaritans: 116 123 (24hrs)
• 111 and ask for crisis support
• Your local A&E department
• Stay Alive App
• Your GP and request an urgent appointment

We support adults in West Sussex to cope with one or more of the following diagnosed long-term health conditions:

• A cardiac (heart) condition
• Asthma
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary (lung) Disease (COPD)
• Diabetes - Type 1 Type 2 or gestational
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
• Long Covid - ongoing symptoms for 12+ weeks
• Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions

At NHS West Sussex Talking Therapies for long-term health conditions, we know living with any of these conditions can be really difficult - you may become worried, anxious or low in mood, which can lead to even worsening health. Our friendly, qualified team of clinicians work with your physical health clinicians to help you if you’re struggling to adjust to a new diagnosis or experience problems coping as your condition progresses.

How will it benefit me?

Our clinicians can support you to:

• Help you understand the impact of low mood or worries on your health and vice versa
• Overcome your fears, anxieties or low mood related to living with a long-term health condition
• Reduce the impact of your long-term condition on your day-to-day life and relationships
• Make and sustain healthier lifestyle changes, no matter how big or small
• Reduce the impact of your condition on your work life, including support from our specialist Employment Advisor

What therapy is available?

After your assessment, we will recommend next steps for you, either from the range of treatments we offer or another service.

We offer:

• An online self-help programme supported by one of our clinicians
• Group sessions by video including:
• Building emotional resilience
• Living with long Covid
• Mindfulness-based stress reduction
• One-to-one weekly sessions by telephone, video or in person, at venues across West Sussex.

Our partners

We partner with IESO, an online therapy provider. You may be referred to IESO after your initial assessment with NHS West Sussex Talking Therapies. IESO works via an easy to use platform which can be accessed using a computer, tablet or smartphone. Find out more in the video below.

Watch the animated video below which explains self-referral to talking therapies services for anxiety and depression.

What our patients are saying

“NHS West Sussex Talking Therapies and my allocated therapist was a life saver for me. My therapist was kind and supportive throughout. She helped me to recognise warning signs, not use avoidance and to work through my fear and panic.” – NHS West Sussex Talking Therapies patient

 “My therapist was great, I could not have picked a better match for me. My therapist made me feel like me again and I have not felt like that for such a long time. I now have the skills to live a better life. Thank you so much”. – NHS West Sussex Talking Therapies patient