Link Work at Sunderland Counselling Service
What do we offer?
Community Link Work
Maternal Mental Health Link Work
Listening Ear
Children and Young People Link Work
Psychiatric Liaison Team Link Work
Community Link Work
The Community Link Work Service offer support to adults living in Sunderland who are struggling with their mental health and wellbeing, as well as practical life issues such as housing, debt or social isolation. The service provides non-clinical, holistic, goal focused practical and emotional support to those who are on a waiting list, accessing or being discharged from mental health support in Sunderland and who may need additional assistance to get their lives back on track.
We understand that additional needs affect our mental health and that this can affect our ability to engage in support. Things such as housing, finance or addiction can have a huge impact on our mental wellbeing and hinder our abilities to regain stability in our lives.
What do we offer?
By building a relationship with you and using a person centred approach, the service will provide tailored support to help you identify, set and achieve “what matters to me” goals to tackle issues in your life that are having a negative impact on your wellbeing.
You may be struggling with anxiety, isolation, debt, housing issues, homelessness, a new mental health diagnosis, self-esteem, depression and more.
Our Community Link Workers will offer you an assessment to understand your specific needs and then provide:
- Mental and emotional health and wellbeing support
- Coping, grounding and distraction techniques such as recognising early warning signs, developing insight, breathing techniques etc
- A listening ear
- Advice/signposting or advocacy for practical issues such as housing, finances, employment, education etc
- Signposting/referrals into or advocacy with, specialist services such as Adult Social Care, GPs, Housing providers etc.
- Information and guidance on self-help documents/resources
- Identifying social and leisure activities and connecting with local community assets
You may be engaging in support for your mental health but other issues in your life are getting in the way of making positive change. We can support you to identify what you’d like support with and work together to create manageable, achievable goals to work towards personal growth and recovery.
Who is this service for?
This service is for anyone who is:
- Are 18 or older
- Living in Sunderland
- Has or currently is, being supported by a mental health service where there are additional practical needs have been identified
This service accepts referrals from Sunderland Talking Therapies and Primary Care Teams. If you feel you would benefit from this support, please discuss this with your worker.
Where is this service located?
Depending on your needs, we can offer support to you remotely via online video or telephone sessions. We can also offer face to face support at our main building in the centre of Sunderland, your GP surgery and the Mental Health Hubs or, from a selection of community centres or public spaces across Sunderland.
Maternal Mental Health Link Work
Who are we?
The Maternal Mental Health Link Work Service supports new and expectant mothers in Sunderland and South Tyneside who are struggling with their mental health and emotional wellbeing with a ‘what matters to me’ approach. By offering non-clinical support to build resilience and confidence, as well as enabling mothers to connect into local organisations and services, the link workers aim to offer tailored support to women struggling in the perinatal period.
We provide person centred, holistic, goal focused support to mothers who are suffering with mental health distress who, in addition, also have complex family, home or practical issues and need assistance to get their lives back on track.
We understand that life's up and downs affect our mental health and that this can affect our ability to cope. Alongside the everyday challenges of motherhood, additional issues such as housing, finances, or social isolation can significantly affect our mental wellbeing and impact the wider family.
What do we offer?
By building a relationship with you and using a person centred approach, the service will provide tailored support to help you identify, set and achieve “what matters to me” goals to tackle issues in your life that are having a negative impact on your wellbeing.
You may be struggling with anxiety around caring for your baby, isolation from peers, debt, financial issues such as not being able to afford baby essentials, housing related issues, poor self-esteem, depression and more.
We will offer you an assessment to understand your specific needs and then provide:
- Direct mental and emotional health and wellbeing support such as confidence building
- Practical support for circumstances associated with maternal issues such as accessing baby banks
- Advice/signposting or advocacy for practical issues such as housing, finances, work etc
- Signposting/referrals into or advocacy with specialist services
- Support to participate in group activities and connect to local assets such as Family Hubs
- Education, reassurance and support regarding mental health presentations and treatment options
We can support you to identify what in your life you’d like support with and work together to create manageable, achievable goals to work towards personal growth and recovery.
Who is this service for?
This service is for any mother who is:
- Ages 16 or over
- Living in Sunderland or South Tyneside
- At a stage of preconception, pregnant or postnatal with the child under the age of two years.
- Has or currently is, being supported by a mental health service where there are additional practical needs have been identified
This service accepts referrals from Talking Therapies, Maternal Mental Health Service, Perinatal Mental Health Team, Community Midwives as well as the Primary Care Teams and Family Hubs. If you feel you would benefit from this support, please discuss this with your worker.
Where is this service based?
Depending on your needs, we can offer support to you remotely via online video or telephone sessions. We can also offer face to face support at our main building in the centre of Sunderland, Family Hubs, your GP surgery or from a selection of community centres or public spaces across Sunderland and South Tyneside.