The latest in our Meet the Partner series features LifeLink, an organisation doing great work supporting people’s mental health. Ryan Lightbody, the Marketing Manager at Lifelink, tells us about the organisation.
Founded by a group of visionary women in Royston in 1992, Lifelink has focused since then on empowering young people and adults to manage their mental health more effectively. Over the last 29 years we have supported people to make positive changes in their lives – helping them realise their own abilities to cope with stress and develop ways of overcoming anxiety and depression.
'Our aim is for every adult and young person we support to become healthier and happier wherever they live work or learn.'
Through partnerships with the NHS, higher education providers and local businesses, we have developed an infrastructure that supports over 8,000 people per year through the delivery of one-to-one counselling and group wellbeing sessions. We do this in homes, schools, consulting rooms, community and health venues, businesses – in person, by phone or digitally. The ‘where’ we do it is of little relevance to the results and the benefits our clients experience. We are firmly focused on the ‘how’ we do it, which makes a difference to people’s lives.
We are predominantly based in Glasgow and Central Scotland. However, we are making positive strides towards expanding this geographical reach.
Counselling
One-to-one counselling gives our clients the space and support to understand and manage their feelings, thoughts and behaviour. We offer one-to-one confidential counselling from our venues across the Glasgow area and via telephone or video sessions. Anyone who has a Glasgow postcode can access this service, free of charge, by submitting a referral using our website. Our free confidential services are also available to young people attending schools throughout Glasgow and Central Scotland.
Wellbeing classes and group therapy
Alongside one-to-one counselling, we run therapist-led group cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) sessions. These are structured around helping participants who are struggling with things like stress, anxiety and relationships. We also offer a range of interactive online wellbeing classes, which focus on developing the life skills essential to lead a happy and productive life. These one-off classes are open to any adults with a Glasgow postcode free of charge, and participants can attend as many classes as they would like.
You can see a full list of the wellbeing classes that we offer online. We can also offer wellbeing classes to young people in schools. These are focused on resolving conflicts, building confidence and managing emotions more effectively. The classes are delivered in partnership with schools on an ad hoc basis.
At Lifelink we believe that everyone’s needs are unique, and our aim is for every adult and young person we support to become healthier and happier wherever they live work or learn.