Psychology and counselling services

Counselling

YorSexualHealth (YSH) runs a free and confidential counselling service for people living within North Yorkshire and York who wish to seek support around different aspects of sexual health.

You can be referred by a member of the YSH staff or you can contact us directly. Our self-referral form can be found here.

Our counsellors are experienced professionals, both in counselling and sexual health and are members of recognised professional associations.

This service is provided from locations across North Yorkshire and York, and is available to anyone living in those areas, irrespective of whether you have been previously registered with the YorSexualHealth service. Please see our information on counselling services for more details. 

Clinical psychology

HIV Psychology provides psychological assessment and treatment to people living with HIV in the York area, or those who are receiving their HIV care with our service.

Clinical Psychologists provide psychological assessment and treatment to York patients, as well as consultation, teaching, training and supervision to other health professionals in the service.

A Clinical Psychologist will help you find ways to manage difficult feelings, respond to troubling or critical thoughts differently and to move towards a meaningful life, in line with what is important to you. They are trained to use different models of therapy and will work with you in assessment to think about what might be the most helpful for you. Models of psychological treatment include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Cognitive Analytical Therapy (CAT), Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR).

A Clinical Psychologist in our HIV service can help you with:

• Adjusting to a diagnosis of HIV i.e. the physical, psychological and social impact of a diagnosis of HIV.
• Treatment decision making including concerns about taking medications or difficulties adhering to (agreeing to / remembering to take your medications).
• Sleep difficulties.
• Sex and sexual health.
• Relationship difficulties.
• Feeling of stress, anxiety, depression.
• Trauma symptoms (including PTSD) associated with your diagnosis and the impact this might be having on your life.
• Difficulties coping and concerns about the future.
• Cognitive issues or concerns associated with living with HIV.

If you feel that you are struggling with the psychological impact of living with a diagnosis of HIV then please discuss a referral to Psychology at your next review appointment with your Consultant or Specialist Nurse.