Counselling support

Our team of professionally trained, qualified and BACP Accredited Counsellors are available 24/7 to offer support for personal or workplace related issues. As well as the headline issues surrounding mental health, our Care first counsellors are also trained in dealing with both work and home grievances, bullying & harassment issues, domestic violence, relationships at both home and at work and much more. No matter how big or small the problem may be, our counsellors are here for you to provide you with unbiased support away from the situation. Everyone has very individual needs for support, Care first provides short term focussed counselling, so the Care first Counsellor will assess your circumstances when you call to establish what the most appropriate form of support will be for you. It might be that you just need a brief conversation with the Counsellor that day, or you may benefit from a few more sessions.

Information Specialists

As control, or the lack of it, can be an influencing factor on the impact of stress. Many individuals identify stress as emotional, however, a lack of control around practical issues can be just as impactful. We have expert advisors that have been trained by Citizens Advice who can provide you with comprehensive answers and assistance on a wide range of practical issues which can affect our daily life, these include but are not limited to; redundancy, advice on funerals and probate, legal information, housing and tenancy issues, childcare, eldercare, health, consumer issues, employment, travel and education. Our Information Specialists are also money trained experts and can provide support with a variety of financial queries such as help with budgeting finances and advice with benefits. You can speak with one of our Information Specialists confidentially Monday-Friday between 8am-8pm.

Management Support

If you are a manager, have leadership responsibilities, or look after a team within your organisation, it is as important as ever that your colleagues are made aware of the range of support available from Care first. As well as supporting you to signpost your colleagues to the Care first service effectively to maintain your managerial boundaries, Care first can also provide you with support within your role as a manager. Care first Counsellors are all management trained and can provide support with issues such as if the organisation is going through a period of redundancy, managing change and difficult conversations, workplace performance, remote working, absence management and disciplinary.

Care first Lifestyle

Through the Care first lifestyle site you can access a wide range of supportive information, read helpful articles published by our team, view Webinars covering a variety of well-being topics and even speak with a Care first Counsellor in real-time via our online counselling facility.

You can log into your account by visiting www.carefirst-lifestyle.co.uk and logging in using your organisation’s unique log in details. If you are unsure what these details are then please contact your line manager or HR department. The Care first Lifestyle website is great place to go to learn more about Care first and the different areas that we can support in.

How all of these above services link together

As you can see from the above table, all the services that we offer complement each other to ultimately encompass an individual’s overall mental and physical wellbeing, which enables individuals to access professional and clinically proven support.

Our counselling support is available 24/7 to help individuals with any emotional issues that they may have. Our Information Specialists can help individuals with practical information and advice. This practical support is so important because if an individual is concerned about a practical issue, then this can cause detrimental effects to their emotional wellbeing. By getting some support from an Information Specialist this will provide the individual with some clarity on that particular issue, which may help them to feel more in control of a situation and relieve some anxiety.

The Care first Lifestyle site can help individuals who are concerned about an issue. The individual may not know where to start and they can have a look at the resources on our Lifestyle website which may be enough to help them. The Lifestyle website is a great starting place to learn about the types of issues that Care first can support with. The individual can also access our online counselling tool through the Lifestyle website which is an alternative way to access support from a counsellor. By an individual looking through all the resources on our Lifestyle website this can help them to get answers about an issue they may be having. Again by getting some clarity on their issue this may have a positive effect on their mental wellbeing.

If you would like to learn more about ‘How Care first can support you’ then please join our webinar on Wednesday 1st March at 12pm using the details below –

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7182938369485716310

If you are unable to join the webinar live, a recording of the session can be accessed using the same link above after the webinar has taken place.

If you wish to contact the Care first telephone counselling and information line then please don’t hesitate to call the Freephone number provided by your organisation and you can speak to a professional in confidence.

In light of the recent tragic events in Turkey and Syria Care first are hosting an additional webinar this week looking at natural disasters.

Thursday March 2nd, 2023  at 12pm – ‘Coping with Natural Disasters’

A conversation starter on managing your emotions when natural disasters occur and
how important self-care can be when faced with these events.

Please use the following link to register: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5687481609722929495

The last 3 years has presented many people with challenges and enormous change in their day to day lives, which in turn can impact our wellbeing. To promote positive wellbeing, Care first provide all staff members in your organisation with access to our Lifestyle website – a comprehensive hub of wellbeing resources including articles, webinar content and interactive tools to help you take control of your own wellbeing. Some of the
helpful content is outlined in this article.

Online Counselling –

Care first’s Lifestyle site includes an online counselling portal. If you’re unable to
find that private quiet space then this tool will assist you if you are in need of
emotional support. The online counselling portal is available Monday to Friday
8am-10pm, Saturday and Sunday 9am-5pm.

Stress Questionnaire –

The Lifestyle Questionnaire Stress test is a quick and easy way of assessing how
well you are currently managing the demands of life and work. The total score
will provide you with a brief analysis and some suggestions about how to manage
your current situation.

Budgeting Calculator –

As well as articles and webinars on topics such as mental health, bereavement and stress, the Lifestyle site also hosts an interactive budgeting calculator. The calculator is very helpful if you are worried about your finances, are planning a new purchase, or simply wish to review your spending to see where you may be able to save money. If you need help using the calculator you can seek the assistance of one of our Telephone Information Specialists, or if you require any emotional support you can speak with a Counsellor in confidence by calling the Care first Freephone number provided by your organisation.

Articles and Information –

The Care first Lifestyle site includes a hub of resources and information on a wide range of topics covering issues at Home, at Work, Health and there is also a Management area providing information for those with leadership responsibilities as part of their role.

The Lifestyle site is a great starting point if you are thinking of contacting Care first to learn a bit more about the support we provide, or to gain some useful information about the topic or issue you may be calling with.

If you’re not sure what your organisation’s unique login details are, please speak with your line manager or HR department.

For more information you can join our live webinar titled ‘Care First Lifestyle – Your Digital Well-being Solution on Monday 27th February 2023 at 12pm. Please use the following link to register your attendance:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/951756385699255645

If you are unable to join the webinar live, a recording of the session can be accessed using the same Link above after the webinar has taken place.

Monday  February 27th, 2023  at 12pm – ‘Care First Lifestyle – Your digial wellbeing solution’

This webinar walks you through the lifestyle website, with details and
demonstrations of the tools on offer and how to access it.

Please use the following link to register: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/951756385699255645

Wednesday March 1st, 2023 at 12pm – How Care First Can Support You

A webinar for awareness and how to access the EAP service provided by Care first.

Please use the following link to register: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7182938369485716310

Friday March 3rd, 2023 at 12pm – ‘Tips to improve your posture’

A session offering some useful tips to improve your posture when desk bond or
working from home.

Please use the following link to register: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5064741313206950232

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a therapy typically used to challenge the way we think and behave. It is most commonly used to treat anxiety and depression, but can be used for other emotional and physical health problems.

Care first has developed a market leading ‘online’ CBT programme, which is video based and therapist supported.

What is cCBT?

cCBT teaches the principles of cognitive behaviour therapy via interactive lessons over the internet. Lessons can be completed over several weeks, and usually one or two lessons are assigned for each week. Clinician assisted cCBT is also available in which the patient can get support from a trained professional, either online, over the phone or in person.

How does it work?

CBT is based on the concept that your thoughts, feelings, physical sensations and actions are interconnected, and that negative thoughts and feelings can trap you in a vicious cycle. CBT aims to help you deal with overwhelming problems in a more positive way by breaking them down into smaller parts.

You’re shown how to change these negative patterns to improve the way you feel. Unlike some other talking treatments, CBT deals with your current problems, rather than focusing on issues from your past. It looks for practical ways to improve your state of mind on a daily basis.

What are the benefits of cCBT rather than traditional CBT?

• You can get treatment in the comfort of your own home – You don’t have to travel to attend an appointment, which can often mean having to book a few hours off work.
• You won’t need to take time off work – Online CBT can be accessed at any time of the day or night, and also at the weekends.
• Nobody needs to know you’re having CBT – You can have treatment discreetly and anonymously, without family, friends or colleagues knowing about it, if you’d rather they didn’t. If you want to, you can tell your GP about your treatment, but this is completely up to you.
• You can ‘relive’ your sessions whenever you like – It can be hard to recall everything that happened in your last therapy session one week later, never mind in three months’ time – particularly if you’re struggling to concentrate or remember things. With online therapy you have a complete written record of all the contact you’ve had with your counsellor at Care first, including every session and any messages in between. You can keep these for as long as you like, and access them whenever you want.

This means you can read back over what you’ve discussed, review your learning points, look for patterns in your behaviour, thoughts and feelings, and check back to see what homework tasks were set.

Care first cCBT Modules and Contents

If you would like to view the Webinar on ‘Care first cCBT’ this is being delivered live on Friday 24th February 2023, please use the following link to register for this session –

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2055229553734370906

If you are unable to join the webinar live, a recording of the session can be accessed using the same link above after the webinar has taken place.

*Disclaimer: This article is for general information only. We cannot be held responsible for any actions you might take as a result of it. Please seek medical advice before making any significant changes to your eating habits or lifestyle.

Counselling support

Our team of professionally trained, qualified and BACP Accredited Counsellors are available 24/7 to offer support for personal or workplace related issues. As well as the headline issues surrounding mental health, our Care first counsellors are also trained in dealing with both work and home grievances, bullying & harassment issues, domestic violence, relationships at both home and at work and much more. No matter how big or small the problem may be, our counsellors are here for you to provide you with unbiased support away from the situation. Everyone has very individual needs for support, Care first provides short term focussed counselling, so the Care first Counsellor will assess your circumstances when you call to establish what the most appropriate form of support will be for you. It might be that you just need a brief conversation with the Counsellor that day, or you may benefit from a few more sessions.

Information Specialists

As control, or the lack of it, can be an influencing factor on the impact of stress. Many individuals identify stress as emotional, however, a lack of control around practical issues can be just as impactful. We have expert advisors that have been trained by Citizens Advice who can provide you with comprehensive answers and assistance on a wide range of practical issues which can affect our daily life, these include but are not limited to; redundancy, advice on funerals and probate, legal information, housing and tenancy issues, childcare, eldercare, health, consumer issues, employment, travel and education. Our Information Specialists are also money trained experts and can provide support with a variety of financial queries such as help with budgeting finances and advice with benefits. You can speak with one of our Information Specialists confidentially Monday-Friday between 8am-8pm.

Management Support

If you are a manager, have leadership responsibilities, or look after a team within your organisation, it is as important as ever that your colleagues are made aware of the range of support available from Care first. As well as supporting you to signpost your colleagues to the Care first service effectively to maintain your managerial boundaries, Care first can also provide you with support within your role as a manager. Care first Counsellors are all management trained and can provide support with issues such as if the organisation is going through a period of redundancy, managing change and difficult conversations, workplace performance, remote working, absence management and disciplinary.

Care first Lifestyle

Through the Care first lifestyle site you can access a wide range of supportive information, read helpful articles published by our team, view Webinars covering a variety of well-being topics and even speak with a Care first Counsellor in real-time via our online counselling facility.

You can log into your account by visiting www.carefirst-lifestyle.co.uk and logging in using your organisation’s unique log in details. If you are unsure what these details are then please contact your line manager or HR department. The Care first Lifestyle website is great place to go to learn more about Care first and the different areas that we can support in.

How all of these above services link together

As you can see from the above table, all the services that we offer complement each other to ultimately encompass an individual’s overall mental and physical wellbeing, which enables individuals to access professional and clinically proven support.

Our counselling support is available 24/7 to help individuals with any emotional issues that they may have. Our Information Specialists can help individuals with practical information and advice. This practical support is so important because if an individual is concerned about a practical issue, then this can cause detrimental effects to their emotional wellbeing. By getting some support from an Information Specialist this will provide the individual with some clarity on that particular issue, which may help them to feel more in control of a situation and relieve some anxiety.

The Care first Lifestyle site can help individuals who are concerned about an issue. The individual may not know where to start and they can have a look at the resources on our Lifestyle website which may be enough to help them. The Lifestyle website is a great starting place to learn about the types of issues that Care first can support with. The individual can also access our online counselling tool through the Lifestyle website which is an alternative way to access support from a counsellor. By an individual looking through all the resources on our Lifestyle website this can help them to get answers about an issue they may be having. Again by getting some clarity on their issue this may have a positive effect on their mental wellbeing.

If you would like to learn more about ‘How Care first can support you’ then please join our webinar on Wednesday 22nd February at 12pm using the details below –

https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/6626263328747710559

If you are unable to join the webinar live, a recording of the session can be accessed using the same link above after the webinar has taken place.

If you wish to contact the Care first telephone counselling and information line then please don’t hesitate to call the Freephone number provided by your organisation and you can speak to a professional in confidence.

Care first will now be hosting Menopause webinars every quarter with Care first’s Menopause Mentor Suzanne. Each webinar will last for 30 minutes and will focus on a specific topic or concern regarding the Menopause, with the opportunity to ask questions at the end. They have provided a calendar of our planned sessions for this year.

To register, please click the link provided and follow the instructions as usual. All of the webinars will be recorded and uploaded on to the Care first Lifestyle website.

‘Menopuase Awareness’ – was held on Thursday Feb 16th. You can watch the recording by using the following link:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/recording/7071462184237852674

‘HRT, Symptom checker and conversations with your GP’ – Thursday May 4th 2023 12pm-12.30pm. To register please use the following link:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7816086642872976480

‘Menopause for Men’ – A session to help those not directly affected by Menopause.  Thursday August 3rd 2023 12pm-12.30pm. To register please use the following link:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4614441823696238176

‘Menopause in the workplace’ – A session outlining workplace support. Thursday November 2nd 2023 12pm-12.30pm. To register please use the following link:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8800261699918555482

Caring for a pet can help our mental health in many ways, including:

• Increasing your physical activity. Dog owners are likely to take their pets for a walk or run every day. This can be a fun way to fit exercise into your routine providing companionship.
• Pets can give you a sense of security and someone to share the day with. Caring for them can help you feel wanted and needed. This can be especially valuable for older people or those who live alone reducing anxiety.
• The companionship of a pet can help to ease your anxiety boosting self-confidence.
• Pets can be great listeners, offer unconditional love and won’t criticise you. This can help your self confidence, especially if you feel isolated or misunderstood.
• Helping you meet new people. Dog owners often stop and chat with each other on walks. But other pets can be a way to meet people too: in pet shops, training classes or online groups, for example.
• Adding structure to your day. Feeding, exercising and caring for a pet can help you keep to a daily routine, which can help you feel more grounded and focused. It can give your day purpose and a sense of achievement.

Pets may also help with specific conditions. For example, people with ADHD may benefit from the structure and routine that a pet needs. Managing their pet’s responsibilities and keeping track of time – to feed or walk them on time, for example – may help them in other areas of their lives. Some people with ADHD are hyperactive – especially children – and playing with a pet can be a great way to release excess energy, whether that’s walking a dog, running around with a kitten or handling a friendly Guinea Pig. Autistic people can benefit from having a pet. Pets provide the kind of unconditional relationship that can help someone build social skills and confidence. They can provide a sense of calm and reassurance if their owner feels overwhelmed. Autistic children with sensory issues can involve their pets in sensory integration activities to help them get used to how something feels against their skin or how it smells or sounds.

Is having a pet right for me?

Having a pet is a serious commitment and not something to do on a whim. You’ll need to have the time, money and energy for a pet, as well as a calm home environment with routine and consistency. Fostering a pet or helping a friend with theirs can help you see whether having your own is right for you.

When you’re ready to think about getting a pet, consider:

• how much outdoor space do you have
• how active you are
• how much time do you have to spend with your pet
• how much money do you have for vet’s bills, insurance, food, toys, etc.? Some charities offer low cost vet care, but they are limited to certain areas and have financial criteria
• Animal charity PDSA has other key things to think about too.

What if I can’t have a pet?

If you can’t afford a pet, live somewhere you’re not allowed one, or you’re worried about having times where you’re too unwell to care for a pet, there are other options.

The simplest option may be spending time with friends’ pets, whether that’s walking their dogs, stroking their cats or cuddling their guinea pigs. They might be glad to have someone to pet sit for them while they’re on holiday. You can also consider signing up as a house sitter: you look after someone’s home, garden and pets in return for free accommodation.

If you miss having a dog in your life, you could sign up with BorrowMyDoggy. They connect dog owners to local people who would love to walk or play with a dog. The Cinnamon Trust also needs volunteer dog walkers to help out older people or those with a health condition or disability that means they can’t walk their dog as easily anymore. They also need people to foster pets while their owners are in hospital.

Contact a rescue centre near you to see what volunteering opportunities they may have. They may need volunteers to exercise, care for and socialise their pets. You could consider fostering an animal if you can have a pet on a short-term basis but can’t commit to one long-term. Some shy or scared animals need the peace and quiet of a home while waiting to be adopted.

Cats Protection and Dogs Trust both need people to provide temporary foster care for pets belonging to people fleeing domestic violence who may not be able to take their pets into a refuge with them.

If you would like to learn more about ‘Pets and Mental Health – What are the Benefits’ then please join our webinar on Monday 20th February at 12pm using the details below –

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6487453284234879324

If you are unable to join the webinar live, a recording of the session can be accessed using the same link above after the webinar has taken place.

If you wish to contact the Care first telephone counselling and information line then please don’t hesitate to call the Freephone number provided by your organisation and you can speak to a professional in confidence.

Monday  February 20th, 2023  at 12pm – ‘Pets and Mental Health – What Are The Benefits’

The webinar provides detail about how pets can aid mental health.

Please use the following link to register: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6487453284234879324

Wednesday February 22nd, 2023 at 12pm – How Care First Can Support You

A webinar for awareness and how to access the EAP service provided by Care first.

Please use the following link to register: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6626263328747710559

Friday February 24th, 2023 at 12pm – ‘Care First – cCbt’

This webinar provides further information on Care first’s own modular cCBT (computerised CBT) course.

Please use the following link to register: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2507676389364606809