Therapy for people with long-term physical health conditions

The Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) service provides free, confidential talking therapies for people who are registered with a GP in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, aged 16 years and over, experiencing common difficulties including:

  • low mood
  • stress
  • anxiety
  • worry

We can also help people experiencing long-term physical health conditions, which affect their low mood, stress and anxiety.

This includes:

Around 40% of people with low mood and anxiety also have a long-term physical health condition. Our therapists work closely with physical health professionals to ensure physical and mental health are worked on together. The 2 things are linked. When people make improvements with how they deal with their mental health, it will have a positive impact on how they manage their physical health too.

Talking therapy focuses on understanding and managing stress, anxiety, and low mood in the context of the long-term physical health condition. The health condition is not the focus of the treatment.

Treatment for your physical and mental health works best when it is joined up. We will work with you and your physical health care team to help you:

  • understand the links between physical and mental health
  • learn ways to manage negative thoughts, feelings of stress and low mood and behaviours that may be adding to the difficulties

The aim of this is to help you to manage your physical and mental health to promote an improved quality of life.

Referrals

You can speak to your physical health professional about a referral to the service. Health professionals can email a referral to our team or call 01208 871905 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm). You can also self-refer online.

More information about how our service works can be found on our what to expect webpage.

Useful links

A 6-week course which aims to give you skills to self-manage your condition and develop a better relationship with the healthcare professionals who support you.

We are not a crisis or emergency service. If you need help now, please go to our mental health crisis webpage website or call the 24/7 NHS mental health response line on 0800 038 5300 for support and advice.