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Your stories

Your Stories

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Here is your feedback

Bedfordshire Talking Therapies has helped many people improve their quality of life by supporting them through their journey to feeling better.

Below is a small sample of feedback from clients who have completed therapy. (Client and therapist names removed for confidentiality reasons).

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Care Opinion

Care Opinion

You can also provide feedback or your share your story and journey of therapy within the service on Care Opinion.

The comments below were received in July 2026

'When I started therapy, I wasn't sure I would ever be able to talk about my experiences openly. My therapist's patience, kindness, and compassion created a space where I felt safe enough to do something I never thought I could. I was listened to without judgement, my beliefs were challenged gently, and she helped me see myself with more understanding, than I have ever shown myself.  This has been one of the hardest things I have ever done, but also one of the most important. Thank you!'

'It has been really helpful and my therapist was amazing thank you'

'I am deeply grateful to my therapist for the support that she has offered me. She was quick to build a trusting rapport with me and has always understood and listened. She has been a good sounding board and never made me feel like my worries were trivial or silly. She has championed me and helped me progress. She has taught me strategies I will take forward to support me after therapy. I will really miss my sessions with her as I always come away feeling lighter. She's changed my life.'

'This service was very helpful and supported me open up to things. I felt ready and my therapist is amazing. Thank you so much.'

'I think the 'Managing Worry' sessions were helpful, and the participants mutually supportive.'

'My therapist is very empathetic, knowledgeable and reassuring. Being able to access CBT has made a huge positive difference to me and my approach to sleep.'

'Great starting point so far'

'I've been very fortunate to have  my therapist. She saw me as an individual, treated me with respect and kindness. Her encouragement, empathy and professionalism has been outstanding. She has helped me lift a very heavy burden I've had since childhood. My therapist respected my faith, which is important to me and also helped me throughout this journey. I am thankful to feel mentally stable and positive going forward, all thanks to her.'

'My therapist has helped me through a really difficult period in my life and I'm very grateful to her and the service you provide. It really does make a difference. I can see a huge difference in My thinking since I started and I will continue to work on myself after the sessions have finished. Thank you .'

'My therapist was extremely helpful in guiding me through my counselling journey and helping me understand the impact that trauma has had on my life. I am truly grateful for her kindness, patience, and attentiveness. She made me feel heard, supported, and understood throughout the entire process, and I appreciate everything she has done to help me.  I was very anxious about beginning therapy, but Rose's warm, personable approach immediately put me at ease.   I cannot thank her enough for the care and compassion.'

'I have had a very positive experience with the NHS Talking Therapies service. The support I received really helped me to understand and manage my thoughts and feelings, and it gave me useful tools to cope with difficult situations. I feel I have made progress and gained more confidence in myself. I am very grateful for the help and support I received.'

My therapist is amazing at noticing and exploring my true emotions/feelings on matters we discussed during our sessions. She created a safe space for me to open up which in turn helped me understand how suppressing certain emotions and some of my habits/behaviours have not truly been serving me or protecting my mental health in the long term. I am extremely grateful for the support I have received and the positive impact it has had is monumental.   Thank you.'

'I would recommend it to anyone, its the best decision I ever made. The person I was earlier this year compared to now has changed for the better. Thank you so much to my therapist for making me feel like myself again, i'm really proud of how far I have come. It's comforting to know I can use the service again if I ever need to. I'm not sure how I can ever repay you!'

'I have found the sessions really helpful. They have given me tools to use in stressful situations and I have felt listened to and my feelings were validated.'

'It helped build my confidence'

'Cannot fault my therapist, she was incredibly helpful and patient, even when I wasn't able to say what I wanted to, and when I wasn't able to get my thoughts out properly, she was able to help me through them and drew them out better,  And she has helped me understand myself a bit better since the sessions started'

'My therapist has been absolutely brilliant, truly a kind person who cares so much about her patients. Couldn't fault the service if I tried and I can come away saying I know how to cope and manage with situations and how to reflect if it doesn't go well. Thank you!'

'The service provided had tools that helped me with my recovery. The practices learnt,  I have put in place to help; maintain my well being.'

'I had 1-1 therapy . My therapist was very patient and understanding,  helped me find clarity in my thoughts and enabled me to 'move on' from the difficulties I face.  I am grateful for the opportunity to work with my therapist, her calmness and reassuring manner have helped me to accept my life experiences and learn to grow and thrive .   She has been amazing in every sense,  i appreciate all the support she has given me.  Thank you.'

'I felt supported'

'My  sessions have quite literally changed my life. I have a much more positive outlook and have realised that my major issue ( I feel) has been a loss of control and that I need to focus on what I can and can't control. I hadn't realised the impact of past issues on my current state and speaking to my therapist has made me feel more rational. I feel that I  could deal more easily with things, definitely at the moment,  and feel more positive about the future.'

'I've found it helpful and constructive, I've found that long term my situation has changed for the better in some ways. It's been nice to have a space and someone to talk to.'

'I feel I am not ready to not have someone to discuss how I will approach or should not let thing impact me or my life.  I am worried I won't cope and that I will slip backwards. I am truly grateful for everything and the time and empathy shown to information I've shared with very few or no-one even.  I don't want to come back to this dark place again and I will try my best to be stronger in future.'

'I really appreciate the care, patience, and understanding my therapist has shown throughout our sessions. She has created a safe and comfortable space where I feel heard and understood, and that has made a real difference to me.'

'My therapist was amazing - always made me feel comfortable sharing personal things and listened and suggested helpful measures to tackle my anxiety and excessive checking. I genuinely enjoyed talking to my therapist every week and felt sad to finish therapy (but also happy knowing I had made great progress and felt so much better in myself). Sorry that it has taken so long for me to complete this feedback, we went straight into a very busy period with my autistic son doing A levels'

'This service changed my life to be honest! I always felt validated and listened to by my therapist, and have been given practical tools to use which has made a huge difference. I couldn't believe this is the quality of service on our NHS if I'm really honest, it's been fantastic. I feel so much better and have had the most positive experience with a therapist compared to private help I have sought out before. My therapist is amazing, so knowledgeable, calm and reassuring.'

'I am honestly really surprised by how much this has helped me, it's only now looking back that I can see how bad my anxiety was and how much of my life it was consuming. I'm really grateful for the time Sophie has spent with me to figure it all out!'

'The power and effectiveness of these sessions mainly stem from being able to talk openly without judgement. The exercises allowed for reflection and careful practice of techniques. I found my therapist to be an incredibly good listener, extremely approachable, and at all.times professional. I will really miss her! Thank you'

'I feel it's been helpful in trying to help my sleep pattern and letting go off bad habits that stopped me relaxing and worrying when wake up'

'My therapist has been very good at giving me a space to reflect on my thoughts and feelings as well as providing a challenge to these thoughts to help me manage my anxiety and low mood better'

'Sessions were very helpful including the BEs, they really helped to put me to the test and was very helpful. My therapist was very kind, always listened, I can be impulsive but my therapist handled this well. I have made so much progress. '

'My therapist has helped me very much. She was very calm and understanding which is what I needed. I achieved every single goal that I wanted to. It's a shame our sessions have ended as I would pick her to be my therapist in every lifetime. I do not believe I still need therapy since having my therapist but I will continue as I believe it's very healthy to do so. Thanks again. You really do save lives.'

'This service was helpful and good, the group atmosphere just held me back so I couldn't be as open about the more serious issues that affected me. It was my first time in a group situation. I greatly appreciate the support I got from the sessions.'

'Really happy with the results of CBT-I, I was sceptical at first but the results speak for themselves. My therapist is a real asset and I really enjoyed our sessions.   GOOD SLEEPERS DON'T CARE!'

'My therapist was exceptional. She allowed me to explore the issues I was having, and provided support and helped me link these issues to their causes and helped me find ways to move forward.'

'I found the programme tools very useful and insightful and a great reference point which was enhanced when discussed with the councillor. I have been suffering from depression and PTSD for twenty five years and had counselling before and I got nowhere with it but this time I could actually make sense of things and I actually felt the changes as i applied the way i reacted and thought. I cant thank my therapist for her input and advice and help in getting me to a better place.'

'Therapists had been brilliant at explaining, creating a safe space and encouraging participation'

 

 

 

 

 

 

The comments below were received in June 2026

'My therapist has been  wonderful for me, even though she’s the only Therapist I’ve seen, my experience with her is nothing but positive and helpful. We were constantly engaging during my sessions, she gave me the freedom and space to express myself, she actively listened, showed great empathy and understanding, and overall a joy to converse with. As someone who classifies himself as a reclusive introvert, she made me feel comfortable enough to be able to divulge rather deeply personal things as we built a solid rapport. I wish her the best in her training and success in the endeavours she pursues. '

'My therapist listened to me talk about my problems and somehow broke them down and helped me to see through them. I found her to be so kind, gentle and supportive, it was exactly what i needed. Her whole persona made me feel calm, like a mother that i haven't had in a long time. I did do a lot of research or (shadow work) outside of our meetings and I always left our meetings with thoughts to process, my therapist brought that out in me. It really helped to think about things in between our meetings. Thank you'

'I've been really happy with the treatment. I feel so much better and ready for the next steps in my journey. With tools to help manage when things feel more challenging.'

'It has been helpful speaking to someone else.'

'Excellent therapist. EMDR helped with PTSD and trauma. I will need to access In the future for other past traumas that have been stirred up, but not ready for that just yet. I am very grateful for the help I've received.'

'Therapist was very friendly & took the time to listen. She regularly checked in throughout the sessions to check I was happy with what we were doing. Support follow up materials sent have been really useful. Strategies suggested have been valuable.'

'Lovely experience, my therapist was a great help, lots of information and support! Thank you!'

'you have helped loads, 'you have been brilliant!'

'I didn't know what to expect at first, but through the sessions so far, I have started to feel the benefit of the conversations. My therapist is very good at helping me to reveal some of my inner demons, and reason why I may be feeling the way I do. I'd initially thought that I could be 'fixed', but that element is only a small part of the whole issue. I'm looking forward to digging deeper, and hopefully arriving at some sort of conclusion.'

My therapist has been absolutely brilliant and I'm really sad that our sessions have come to a close. She helped me a lot and I would be always very grateful to her.'

'Its been a great undemanding journey for me. Group therapy was a new experience for me, very interesting but I feel with everything I learnt about myself and my upbringing whilst in group therapy, 1-2-1 therapy I feel should have been the road I went down from the beginning but still appreciate the help and understanding so much.'

'I have had a very positive experience. I was not sure going in if I would notice any positive impacts but I have made progress I am very pleasantly surprised at. My therapist was excellent and very validating and helpful, very skillful in reflective questioning.'

'Everything went well.'

'I have enjoyed this program but I have not completed all modules yet as life gets in the way. Maybe the course should be longer'

'It has been positive and would highly recommend to those I think this course could help'

'My therapist has been amazing. She managed to help me to understand myself more and where some of my anxieties come from and how to deal with them. I have become a lot more comfortable and confident.'

'I found it very helpful to talk to someone who was not personally involved & as I was talking I was realising why I was feeling a particular way about certain events that had happened.'

'I had heard lots of things about NHS talking therapies not working and a waste of time, my experience has been very positive. I am very grateful to have had this opportunity and experience, my thoughts are if you don't listen and understand how things affect you and what you can do to help you when you're feeling low it wont work. My therapist was very attentive, informative, caring and always listened to my thoughts and concerns.'

'Is been a 100 per cent changing my life and important to me and thank you for all your time. My therapist has been really understanding, caring and compassionate and listening. She made sense and her voice of reason is there and is helping me and I'm saying it a very non judgmental way and very genuine. It has helped allot and I will carry it on everything I do with all the tools and pros and cons.'

'My therapist listened, and asked questions that made me reflect on my situation and my ability to move forward with the next chapter in my life, I will be forever grateful to her.'

'My therapist has been fantastic and I really clicked with her. She's helped me so much and I'm so grateful for her.'

'My therapist was absolutely awesome, went above and beyond for me, and I honestly can't thank her enough. Always very professional, very understanding, and able to motivate me in the right direction. And even after we had to part ways due to my mental health going downhill, she still took time out of her day to see how I was getting on and what developments was going on with the referrals.'

'I arrived to my first therapy feeling very overwhelmed. My therapist helped me better understand & break down my difficulties, giving me more clarity & helping me compartmentalise things.  My experience of the service has been positive & I have felt listened to & supported throughout. We made good progress, although the limited timeframe meant we could only address one core memory in depth. I now recognise there is still more work to be done, but I feel much clearer about my difficulties & how to move fwd'

'The CBT sessions with my therapist were very helpful.'

'My therapist has been wonderful and very supportive. Re: question 2 I feel it is an issue with me that is the barrier to understanding and addressing my difficulties rather than there being something lacking from the service.'

'Exceptional'

'I feel I'm starting to move forward for the first time in a long while.'

'My therapist has been constantly calm and welcoming, polite and gentle. Understanding and easy to talk to.'

'From the 1st referral, it has been most effective. The assessments/counselling are compassionate and sensitivity as I was quite fragile. Not going to lie I did feel I was starting to repeat my self a little.  I hit an all time low and called the emergency helpline, they rung back within an hr. I eventually took advise and started  meds, told a low dose would help me get through the counselling. Started video sessions and I did my homework. She is non-patronising, compassionate and real with feedback.'

'Caring , non judgemental. Patient'

'It's really helped the way I think about my (health anxiety) and how to deal with it, the ways I can control it. It will never go away I know that but talking therapy has really made a difference. Thank you x'

'Positive experience- felt listened to the whole time and not judged or made to feel bad'

'I found group therapy for social anxiety to be a safe and encouraging space that has helped me to better observe and identify my NATs. This has made a marked difference to how I recover from difficult social experiences.  For me personally, I would have found it useful to bookend each session with a slide detailing the objectives and outcomes of that session and explicitly what our homework objectives are for the proceeding session. This would give a quick reference as a reminder between sessions.'

'I've found my sessions very helpful and I looked forward to them. Overall I feel more motivated to do things but in my own way. As I discovered that my brain is an ADHD one during the same time as the sessions, I'm seeking more help on how to navigate those better now. I put N/A for employment help as I've not started that yet but will soon. Thanks for the opportunity and support.'

'Very helpful in changing my view about my mental health and changing my perspective.'

'I've found the whole experience very helpful. My therapist told me early in the process that he didn't have a magic wand and I knew this any way. In fact, at the outset, I had only a very vague idea of what I hoped to get out of my counselling sessions. All I hoped was that I would somehow feel better at the end of the process. In particular I wanted help to come to terms with the fact my grown-up children don't want to see me again, ever. '

'Have found the Worry Management session useful'

'I'm extremely happy with how my therapist has helped me achieve milestones that I didn't think I would be able to! I'm so grateful for the help that I've been given.'

'Loved speaking to my therapist. She was always so lovely and friendly. Completely non-judgemental! I felt like she always had my best interests at heart.'

'Friendly and discreet discussions, allowing me to think more and also practice the advice I was given.'

'Really useful service, I think both therapists were fantastic facilitators and were really respectful of everyone's input to the group therapy. There wasn't a time when it felt awkward or uncomfortable and they allowed plenty of time and space for people to talk. They also explained the techniques very well and there was a clear structure for each session. Thank you for your help and support.'

'Good experience, talking through some useful CBT techniques. Was great to bring in scenarios and provide time for members of the group to talk about their experiences.'

The comments below were received in May 2026

'I felt that I fully engaged with my therapist He was amazing in his approach & was easy to open up to. He explained things in a way that I understood & that my issues made sense. I trusted him & actively practiced all techniques as we discussed & they helped. I cannot believe how he has helped me overcome my difficulties that have impacted me for over 20 years. I cannot express how lucky I was in having my therapist guide me through such difficult sessions & how I continue to use the skills taught every day. Thank you'

'My therapist was excellent. She was very attentive and fame me numerous coping techniques.'

'Thank you for all your help, I fell as if I've made a big change to my outlook on life and it's challenges, I've got a long journey ahead of me but the tools you've taught me are invaluable to my success.'

'My therapist has been nothing but kind and professional. She is very approachable and has a deep understanding of trauma and all its repercussions. I will miss checking in with her each week.'

'My therapist has been fantastic, she has made me feel comfortable, respected and listened too throughout the whole process. Her methods have been tailored to me perfectly.'

'I found it useful but just as I was beginning to open properly the 12 weeks was up it takes time to trust and open up then it stops.'

'My therapist was incredibly helpful and supportive. I felt listened to and felt really comfortable with her support and guidance to speak about the things I am struggling with. Getting the support was incredibly valuable and I am so grateful to have been given this and so quickly too as I appreciate this service is much in demand. I can't thank my therapist enough and also the team for giving me the opportunity to have counselling at a very challenging time. Thank you'

'I want to thank my therapist for the course and Lisa for the recommendation.  I am pleased I attend the course and completed it despite how I feel about myself. I am sorry for initial confusion with the Employment side and attempts to do the questionnaires, I didn't mean to let anyone down. Thank You for being with me on this step.'

' I wanted to take some time to reflect on my experience with EMDR trauma therapy, the support I received throughout the process, and how I am feeling now. I finished my sessions a couple of months ago.The support received from my therapists was incredible.

From the first contact with Bedfordshire Talking Therapies, I was seen quickly, which made a huge difference in helping me feel supported and reassured at a time when I really needed it.

After completing my sessions, I feel more confident, calmer, and no longer driven by fear. The nightmares that once disrupted my sleep have stopped, and my heightened anxiety has lifted.

Recently, I reached an important milestone facing the anniversary of one of the incidents in relation to the trauma. This would have caused significant stress and worry, but I was able to move through it without those overwhelming feelings. That moment really showed me how far I've come.

Another big step for me has been regaining my independence. I've even booked a holiday to visit a friend and will be travelling alone by plane - something I wouldn't have even considered a year ago. It feels like a huge achievement.

The support I received throughout was exceptional. From my very first conversations with the assessing therapist to my sessions with my EMDR Therapist . I felt listened to, understood, and supported.  My therapist was patient, compassionate, and created a space where I felt safe to work through my experiences at my own pace.

I also attended the PTSD Managing Symptoms Course.  The course provided me with practical tools and a deeper understanding that has made a real difference in my recovery.

I feel privileged to have access to this service and to have worked with such skilled and caring professionals. I would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone considering support for trauma recovery - it has helped me more than I can put into words.'

'The care I received from my therapist has been incredible. I have never really been able to open up to anyone before but I felt able to and have really benefited from our sessions. She listened, was very caring and took me seriously and quickly became concerned that my partner was being abusive and referred me onto IDVA. She has given me the strength to finish with him and I am now in group therapy which has been very helpful so far. I really can't thank her or the service enough.'

'CBT is a great way of helping people who's having difficulties thinking of the worst case scenario'

'It was a lovely experience with my therapist, she was very caring and always listened to me and talked to me nicely, I never felt uncomfortable with her and she's a very suitable person for this position. Thank you for all the help and support the last few months!'

'My therapist is great she's kind and makes you feel listened to thank you'

'very knowledgeable therapy. listen to the patient needs and help with their treatment.'

'My therapist has been a shining light in my life, I have had previous therapy with other therapist and never felt comfortable enough to open up but my therapist made me feel so at ease that I opened up to her and was able to speak things I haven't told anyone before. She has helped me no end and made sure I have tools to help me in the future to continue to build on myself. I cant thank her enough for being herself whilst remaining professional and being my safe place for all of the sessions.'

'My therapist is amazing. Her professionalism, empathy and help are helping me come to terms with what has happened, helping me see that all is not lost and finding ways to enjoy my new me.'

'This was a helpful and useful experience to assist me in dealing with the challenges both present and ongoing that I face, so I can't thank my therapist and the service enough for this.  Thank you for supporting me and teaching me new skills to help me manage challenging matters and situations.  It was a good experience, we covered a lot of ground and it was enjoyable throughout. Thank you again.'

'My therapist was incredibly understanding & listened to me and made me feel heard.  She helped me understand that what I was going through was valid and helped me manage my emotions so I can cope with these without being overwhelmed.  I honestly couldn't have found a better therapist. Thank you for all that you've done.'

'My experience with this service has been extremely positive. My therapist created a welcoming and supportive environment where I felt genuinely understood and comfortable opening up. The sessions were very eye-opening and helped me gain a better understanding of myself and my experiences. What stood out most was the strong sense of trust and understanding we built throughout therapy. It felt very natural and easy to talk openly, which made a huge difference in my progress.'