Irene was able to transform her life due to help from NHS Bexley Talking Therapies

Irene was born in East London, but has lived in Bexley borough for more than 20 years. She is in her early 60s and qualified as a yoga teacher during the Covid pandemic.

Irene first contacted Mind in Bexley because her OCD symptoms and anxiety were getting worse and she asked her GP to refer her for one-to-one counselling.

Initially, she started in a group therapy – but requested to have face-to-face therapy for which she received another assessment. These one-to-one sessions started before Christmas in 2022 and Irene immediately felt the benefits of the sessions.

Irene said: “My counsellor was very professional, non-judgmental and he really listened to what I said, heard me and allowed me time to reflect back to make sense of my own thoughts.

“I kept a record of my worries which was very helpful; we discussed and identified that most of the them were hypothetical. Practical worries I would make a note of, and also put them in my diary so I knew they would be dealt with. Learning this way of storing the worries keeps my mind clear and enabled me to get on with my day.”

Irene had two forms of therapy, these included 12 weeks of group therapy for her OCD and five months of one-to-one session of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for her anxiety.

After the therapy finished, Irene said: “I felt stronger emotionally and more in control of understanding and managing my feelings”

Irene also took on the some of the advice she received and tried belly breathing and meditation techniques that she was taught and she is trying to live more “in the present”, nipping ruminating in the bud.

Talking about her time with Mind in Bexley, Irene said: “I felt safe, comfortable and welcomed by my therapist and, indeed, all of the staff at Mind in Bexley. I was reassured and supported throughout the process and, would not hesitate to recommend MIB services to anyone struggling to cope.”

If you would like to find out more about our NHS Bexley Talking Therapies service, please visit the webpage: mindinbexley.org.uk/talking-therapies