Mental health support in Bolton: where to start

If you’re an adult in Bolton and you’re struggling with how you feel, there’s more support than many people realise. Some of it is free, some is provided through the NHS, and some is private. They aren’t the same thing, and they aren’t interchangeable: a treatment service, a counselling service, a peer group and a crisis service each do a different job.

This guide explains what each kind of help is, who it’s for, what it costs and how to get in touch, so you can decide where to start. It is written for adults aged 18 and over. It lists services as their own websites describe them, so check with the service for the latest details before you rely on them.

If you need help now

Most services in this guide are not emergency services. If there’s an immediate risk to life, or you don’t feel you can keep yourself safe, call 999 or go to A&E. If you feel mentally unsafe or very distressed, call NHS 111 and choose the mental health option; it’s free and available 24 hours a day. You can also call Samaritans free on 116 123, day or night, or text SHOUT to 85258 if talking feels too much.

Support in Bolton at a glance

Different kinds of help

The word “support” covers very different things. It helps to know which you’re looking for.

NHS talking therapies are a treatment service. You’re assessed, then offered a talking therapy chosen for the difficulty you describe. Bolton Talking Therapies is the local NHS service. It treats problems such as anxiety, depression and stress, and it can include one-to-one sessions, groups and online self-help programmes. The NHS counselling it offers is usually for a set number of sessions.

Free and charity counselling is counselling provided by local charities, often with grant funding, and sometimes as the counselling arm of an NHS contract, as with 1point. It’s typically free, though what’s on offer can change with funding.

Wellbeing and recovery support is practical and goal-focused rather than therapy. Services such as the Neighbourhood Mental Health Service and BAND offer support towards your own goals, groups and outreach, alongside or instead of talking therapy.

Peer support is people who’ve been through similar things meeting each other, usually run by volunteers or by people with their own experience. It can be a real help, and it isn’t professional counselling. Andy’s Man Club is an example.

Crisis and urgent help is for when you’re in distress now and can’t wait: NHS 111 (mental health option), Samaritans, Shout, A&E in an emergency, and the Bolton Listening Lounge in the afternoon and evening.

Directories and signposting don’t provide help themselves; they point you to services. Hub of Hope is one.

Private counselling is counselling you arrange and pay for yourself. There’s generally no referral or assessment by the NHS, and you can usually start sooner and choose your counsellor, but it costs money. It’s covered in more detail below.

None of these is “better”. A person might use more than one: a peer group while waiting for NHS therapy, or private counselling after a course of NHS treatment.

Which might suit you?

• You’d like free help and can wait a little. Bolton Talking Therapies is the usual place to start if you’re dealing with anxiety, low mood or stress. 1point is free too.
• You’d like to start sooner, or choose who you see. Private counselling lets you pick a counsellor and a way of working, and arrange an introductory conversation first. See the section below.
• You want help that isn’t therapy. BAND and the Neighbourhood Mental Health Service focus on wellbeing goals, groups and practical support.
• You need somewhere to go this evening. The Bolton Listening Lounge and Samaritans are there for distress that can’t wait for an appointment. Use NHS 111 or 999 in a crisis.
• You’re a man who’d rather talk with other men. Andy’s Man Club meets weekly in Bolton. Men’s counselling is also available privately if you’d like one-to-one.
• You’re caring for someone. Bolton Carers Support is for you in your own right, not just the person you look after.
• You’re struggling with a specific difficulty. If it’s anxiety or low mood and depression, those pages explain what counselling can and can’t do. The NHS also has mental health information↗ (opens in a new tab) you can read first.
• You’ve lost someone. The guide to grief support in Bolton covers bereavement services in detail, so they aren’t repeated here.
• You’re under 18. This guide is for adults. Be Kind To My Mind↗ (opens in a new tab) is a Bolton directory for children and young people.

How to refer yourself in Bolton

You don’t need a GP to ask for help from Bolton Talking Therapies. Its own page says self-referral is the preferred route, though referrals from professionals such as GPs are also accepted.

1. Fill in the online self-referral form↗ (opens in a new tab), or call the service on 0161 271 0190 with questions.
2. Bolton Talking Therapies says it aims to respond within 14 working days. If you need help sooner than that, its page suggests contacting your GP or calling NHS 111 and choosing option 2, the mental health option.
3. Counselling is provided through its partner agency, 1point, via the same referral. 1point can also be contacted directly on 01204 917744.

Services such as BAND and the Neighbourhood Mental Health Service accept self-referral too; their pages list the contact details in the table above.

Your GP is still a good person to talk to, particularly if you’re unsure what kind of help you need, if you’d like to talk about medication, or if there may be a physical cause for how you feel. It’s an option, not a requirement.

Choosing a private counsellor

Anyone can use the title “counsellor” or “psychotherapist” in the UK, because the titles aren’t protected by law. Checking a person’s training and registration is the way to tell them apart.

Check a register. The Professional Standards Authority (PSA) accredits voluntary registers of health and care practitioners. BACP, UKCP and NCPS are PSA-accredited registers for counsellors and psychotherapists. Being on one means a practitioner has agreed to its standards and complaints process. You can search BACP’s Find a therapist↗ (opens in a new tab) directory, where only registered or accredited BACP members can advertise, and check a named therapist on the BACP Register. UKCP and NCPS have their own public registers. Other directories exist too, but a directory listing isn’t the same thing as being on an accredited register.

Things you can ask, in a first message or an introductory call:

• What training do you have, and which register are you on?
• What approach do you use, and what might sessions be like?
• What do you charge, how long is a session, and what’s your cancellation policy?
• How often would we meet, and is there a set number of sessions?
• What do you do if I’m not sure we’re a good fit?
• Do you see people face to face, online, or both?

Fees. When this guide was drafted, private counselling in Bolton was typically advertised at around £50 to £80 for a session. Treat this as a guide rather than a promise, as fees vary by practitioner and change over time.

Use the introductory call. Many counsellors offer a short first conversation, usually free, so you can see whether you feel comfortable before you commit. It’s reasonable to speak to more than one person. The What to expect page covers how to tell whether a therapist is right for you.

A note from Andrea

I’m Andrea Long, a counsellor and psychotherapist in Bolton and a BACP Registered Member (MBACP 414595). Private counselling is one option among those above, and it isn’t the right one for everyone. If you’d like to see whether it might suit you, I offer a free 10–15 minute introductory call, and my fees are on my website.

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