Imagine Therapy 
Adults
SENSE I CONNECT I CREATE I GROW
Mental health problems in adults may be diagnosed or undiagnosed. If your mental health problem started when you were younger and it was not treated or you did not find treatment helpful, you have probably adapted to live with it. Sometimes it takes a dip, a big life event, or another person in our life, to give us the confidence to seek help. We don’t claim to have some magic up our sleeves that can take the problem away. It might take time and it might take hard work. What we do believe is that things can be different and you do have the capacity to change.
Adults at Imagine…
We know that stories matter. We all have our own experiences and we see you as the expert of your own life. We aim to listen to your voice. This means hearing your story and understanding what you want to be different. We will work on what is meaningful to you.
We know that there can be lots of barriers to accessing mental health support. You might have physical mobility or other health issues. You might have a learning disability or struggles around communication. You might live in residential care and cannot drive. We aim to make our services as accessible as possible. This means we will adapt means of communication, location and therapy as needed if there are barriers to you accessing services.
We know that in therapy one size doesn’t fit all and you will come with preferences about how you work. We aim to offer flexible and adaptive services. This means understanding your personal preferences and offering choice wherever it is possible. It means offering different therapy approaches and methods of communication. It means we will ask you for feedback a lot. It does not mean watering down or changing the essence of therapy.
We know that we don’t have all the answers. You might come with a problem that we can’t help you with because we don’t specialise in that area or you might need a therapy we don’t offer. We aim to offer services that are effective.This means that if we can’t help you we will do our best to suggest someone who can. And if we can help, we will only offer you services that are shown to work.
Common themes that affect adults
We are made to be in relationships. So when something goes wrong in our relationships with our spouse, family or close friend it can be stressful and may affect our own mental health. Conflicts in relationships can be sudden or can build up over time. There might be a problem around communication, trust or resentment. For some, managing anger is a problem. We don’t provide couples therapy but can work with you on your own mental health.
Relational conflicts are part of everyday life but relationships that involve violence or emotional abuse go beyond this and you might need more support. Please see resources for more information.
When there are difficulties in relationships loneliness is a common and understandable response. We all feel lonely at times in our lives but when it doesn’t pass it can have a big impact on our mood. You might feel lonely because you are going through a difficult and unique situation or it might be something that you don’t feel able to share. We can’t know exactly how it feels to be in your shoes, but we can certainly walk with you.
You might struggle with loneliness because you lack confidence interacting with others or find you feel awkward or lost. This might be due to Autism or ADHD which is often missed in adults or it might just be an area you struggle in. We can help you work on social skills and build confidence in this area.
Loss is something that we all experience in a broad range of ways throughout life. Loss could include redundancy, relationship breakdown or loss of skills or ability due to physical health changes. Loss could include death of a loved one, stillbirth or miscarriage. Some people will have experienced intense loss and others may not. We all have our own stories. Loss can affect us for a long time and can impact our mental health and the ways we relate to others.
Trying for a baby can be an exciting time, but when things don’t go as planned it can be intensely difficult. You might have experienced miscarriage. You might have been trying to conceive for a long time with or without intervention. You might have been told that you cannot have a child. These scenarios all involve loneliness, loss and a unique kind of grief.
New mothers often find their mental health is affected after having a baby. The ‘baby blues‘ refers to the normal dip in mood caused by this massive transition, changes in hormones and lack of sleep. Some women will experience more severe problems such post-partum depression, anxiety or psychosis.
Some people struggle with addictions. There are many things people can become addicted to, including drugs and alcohol, gambling and other behaviours such as phone use. Addictions can often overlap with mental health problems such as depression and anxiety. At Imagine we do not specialise in working with addictions to drugs or alcohol and would recommend seeking help for this first before addressing any underlying mental health problems. Please see resources for more information.
Eating disorders involve addictive cycles around food which can become difficult to change. If you are struggling with an eating disorder and want help we are here for you.
The years we describe as adulthood include some huge life transitions. Life transitions might include finding a partner, getting married, moving house, having children, changing job roles, our children leaving home, loss of parents, retirement, old age. All life transitions, even positive, can have an effect on mental health. Of course we all do life differently. And it doesn’t always happen as expected. You might find yourself experiencing transitions such as chronic or acute illness, disability or becoming a carer. The effects of these transitions might involve significant loss and the need to adapt or change mentally as well as physically.
Older Adults
A particularly significant life transition is moving into old age. Whilst this can be a time of enjoyment and changing pace it can also bring a number of challenges that can effect mental health. You may be struggling with reduced mobility or other physical health problems that might limit your independence. Giving up activities such as driving and having to move into residential care or with family can also impact on independence. You might find yourself struggling with grief and loneliness. Mental health conditions in older adults are common, affecting 15% worldwide. However, mental health problems are often missed by individuals and professionals.
At Imagine we recognise the importance of your own mental health, at all times of life.
Covid-19
The pandemic has brought many challenges including worries about work, health, safety. There has been a huge disruption to daily life and change to routines. If you need more support please get in touch. We can help.
Mental health problems in adults
Anxiety disorders
Anxiety is a normal part of life. A lot of people might describe themselves as a ‘worrier’. However anxiety becomes a problem when its effecting what you want to be doing in your daily life.
Anxiety disorders include:
- Social Anxiety Disorder
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
- Panic Disorder
- Generalised Anxiety Disorder
- Specific Phobias
- Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Anxiety disorders are often kept going by cycles of behaviour which become habitual. Often anxiety can start to feel like part of who you are. We would challenge this. If anxiety is getting in the way of every day life then it’s a problem. And it’s certainly a problem that can be changed. Cognitive-behavioural therapy is a particularly effective treatment for anxiety.
Depression
Depression is more than feeling sad. Sadness is a very normal emotion and one that we all feel at times, especially in response to life events such as loss and relationship conflicts. Depression refers to a cluster of different symptoms. This may include:
- Difficulty with sleep
- Difficulty with decision making or concentration
- Feelings of guilt, worthlessness or helplessness
- Fatigue
- Hoplessness
- Irritability
- Restlessness
- Loss of interest in things previously enjoyed
- Appetite changes
- Persistent low mood
- Suicidal thoughts
Depression can have a significant effect on your thoughts which can often make engaging in treatment difficult. Depression can make you feel like you’re not worth it, or that treatment won’t work. It can feel like you’re stuck in a black hole and there’s no way out. It’s understandable that change might feel impossible if you are experiencing these depression thoughts. But there is hope. Depression can be treated and life can be different. We can throw you a rope and we believe that you can climb out of that hole.
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can affect anyone who has experienced a highly distressing traumatic event or events. PTSD can cause severe anxiety, flashbacks and nightmares. This mental health condition is difficult to live with, and can cause people to struggle to maintain everyday roles and relationships. PTSD is not something you have to live with. There are effective treatments which we can offer. These include Cognitive-behavioural therapy and narrative exposure therapy.
Other mental health problems
There are lots of other mental health problems that are not described here. If you are struggling and are unsure if we can help please do contact us.
If you want more information or are in crisis please visit the resources page. Please get in touch if you have any questions or to get started. Alternatively you can arrange your free thirty minute consultation through our secure online booking system.
Imagine Therapy 