Anxiety
Most people experience feelings of anxiety at some points in their life and is not uncommon. This page provides information about anxiety and where you can find support.
Are you struggling and need someone to talk to?
For some people, it can be much easier to speak to somebody outside of friends and family about issues such as anxiety, stress and depression. We offer a confidential counselling service for pharmacists and their families, former pharmacists, trainee pharmacists and pharmacy students.
I cannot put into words how much the weekly sessions have helped me. I am more positive, I am prioritising myself, I am making a conscious effort to look after my mental health and to assess my emotions instead of ignoring them and letting them build up as I used to before.Counselling service beneficiary
When to use the counselling service
The counselling service is appropriate for those who are suffering from a range of mental and emotional difficulties, such as:
- anxiety
- depression
- a change in family circumstances that causes distress
- bereavement
- challenging life situations that are affecting your mental health
- other psychological issues.
Below are examples of instances where a counsellor may be able to help:
Example one
Abebe lost his mother during the pandemic and feels he may be struggling with depression. He thinks about his mother most days and goes over and over in his mind what he could have done differently. Abebe isn’t sleeping well and is becoming short-tempered. He is concerned that his work will be affected if he doesn’t get help.
Example two
Suzanne is part of a hospice team providing palliative care. She is increasingly concerned about her lack of resilience. Suzanne is also worried about her children at home and the impact of her divorce on them. As a result, she has lately started experiencing panic attacks and wonders if she might be experiencing some depression.
Remember, everyone is different and can experience mental and emotional difficulties in different ways. If you feel that you would benefit from counselling, please complete the self-referral form below.
The counselling service is available via telephone, video call or face-to-face (within travelling distance of Altrincham)
If you would benefit from professional psychological support, we offer a confidential counselling service. You can access counselling sessions via phone, Zoom or for those within travelling distance to Altrincham, face to face.
How to access the counselling service
It is important to us as a charity that everyone has access to our support services when they need it, however, at the same time we must be mindful of our resources. With grant funding of this service having ended in December 2022, and with demand for direct psychological support remaining high, we have had to review and adjust some of our eligibility criteria. Whilst the charity will continue to fund sessions for pharmacists earning below £37,000, those earning above that threshold will be expected to self-fund. We also encourage those in a position to do so to pay it forward and help others on a lower salary to continue to access this service by contributing to their support.
Trainee pharmacists, MPharm students and those earning under £37,000 will be able to access eight counselling sessions fully funded by the charity. If additional sessions are needed following this, individuals will be given the option to self-fund. Please note that MPharm students are encouraged to also register with their university counselling service. We understand that there may be long waiting times at some universities, so urge students to register as soon as possible to ensure counselling may continue where it is needed.
Those earning over £37,000, will still benefit from reduced wait times (typically under two weeks) and from the expertise our counselling provider has developed in working with pharmacists. Pharmacists earning at this level would be expected to self-fund, with payments made directly to our counselling partner. Sessions are charged at a rate of £45 a session for those earning under £50,000 and £60 for those earning over £50,000.
Accessing counselling through Pharmacist Support is easy. All you need to do is complete the self-referral form and send it back to us at: counselling@pharmacistsupport.org along with any supporting documentation (where relevant). If eligible, you will receive a code and details for our provider which will allow you to access the counselling service.
Download the self-referral form for counselling
Please note
Attached to the self referral is the charity’s equal opportunities form. It is important to us that our services reflect the diverse needs of and are useful and accessible to all in our pharmacy family. To help us build a picture of and better understand the make up of our service use, we would very much appreciate it if you could provide us with a few details. Please note completion of this form is optional, but rest assured that any information provided will remain anonymous and will not be linked to you personally.
Counselling language options
The counselling service is also available in Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu. You will need someone to assist you with the application and booking in English.
ھم اُردو اورپنجابی میں مشاورت کرتے ہیں. آپ اگر انگریزی میں بات نہیں کرسکتے تو کسی پرو فشنل، دوست یا رشتدار کی مد د سے ہمیں کال کریں. ہم آپ کی مشاورت کیلے کوالیفائڈ کونسلر موہیا کرںگے جو آپکی زبان میں آپکی زہنی تکلیفوں، پریشانیوں اُور مشکلات سمجھنے اور اُنکوسُلجھانے میں آپکی مد د کرینگے
Emergency mental health support
Please note that this is not an emergency service. Should you require urgent assistance, we recommend you contact the Samaritans, your GP or visit your local A&E department.
We are able to provide this counselling service thanks to a grant from the Covid-19 Healthcare Support Appeal (CHSA).
