Service description
The service provides brief counselling, psychotherapy, social support and complimentary therapies (massage & acupuncture) for refugees and asylum seekers with mental health problems living within the London boroughs of Westminster and Kensington & Chelsea.
Referrals are accepted from both Primary Care and Secondary Care Services ie GPs, Community Mental Health Teams and other agencies working with refugees and asylum seekers in the catchment areas. Criteria for referrals as follows:
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Aged 16 and over
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Living within the boroughs of Kensington & Chelsea or Westminster
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Requiring emotional support (counselling or psychotherapy)
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Suffering from Trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
The service does not accept self-referrals, referrals with acute psychiatric problems or referrals with primary drug or alcohol problems.
It is essential to inform the Refugee Support Service if the client presents with any significant risks to themself or others.
Psychotherapy & Counselling Interventions include:
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Assessment
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Fifteen sessions of counselling/psychotherapy in mother tongue: Arabic, Farsi, Kurdish, Turkish, Serbo-Croatian (Bosnian), French, Spanish, Amharic, Tigrenia. We use interpreters for other languages as necessary
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Complementary therapy (massage & acupuncuture)
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Group therapy
Other interventions include:
- Social support with matters such as welfare benefits, housing, immigration, education and health
- Help to access mental health services
- Outreach support work
PALS Link Worker:
Taleb Hassan Tel: 020 7266 9575