If you have complex emotional needs, you may find your feelings hard to manage. Your emotions might feel very strong, change quickly, or last for a long time.
These experiences can be linked to difficult life events, trauma, or the way your brain works (for example, if you are neurodivergent). The term complex emotional needs is used because it includes a wide range of experiences.
You are not alone. Support is available.
Our service is aimed for 18 to 65 year olds and offer help in different ways. This includes:
- providing advice
- shared care planning
- one to one support
- group sessions
- learning from people with lived experience.
Signs of complex emotional needs
Everyone’s experience is different, but some common signs include:
Finding it hard to manage emotions
You may feel strong emotions such as sadness, anger, shame or guilt that feel overwhelming or difficult to control. These feelings may last a long time.
At times, you might:
- feel empty or hopeless
- struggle to cope in safe or helpful ways
- find it hard to calm yourself when upset.
Difficulties in relationships
You may find it hard to build or maintain relationships.
This can happen for different reasons, such as:
- past experiences
- not always knowing what you need
- finding it hard to understand boundaries or social situations.
This can sometimes lead to:
- feeling lonely
- low self confidence
- finding it hard to trust others
- being in relationships that do not feel healthy or safe.
How we support you
A person centred approach
You are the expert in your own life. We will listen to you and work with you to understand what matters most.
We aim to keep in regular contact so you feel supported. Small things, like a quick message or check in, can help you feel remembered and valued.
Creating safety and stability
We will work at a pace that feels right for you. Our focus is to help you feel safe, understood and supported.
This may include:
- learning about your emotions
- understanding your relationships
- finding ways to look after your mental wellbeing.
Trauma informed support
We understand that past experiences may affect how you feel now.
You will never be pressured to talk about anything before you are ready. We will work with you to make decisions and support you in a way that feels safe.
See our key principles of a trauma informed approach for more information.
Building supportive relationships
Having a trusted relationship with a worker can make a big difference.
We will aim to build a consistent, supportive relationship with you, as this is an important part of your care.
Our support offer
Find information about the different phases and support we provide to help you with your journey.
Phase one – stabilisation
Phase one is called stabilisation.
In this phase, we work with you to help you feel safe, calm and supported.
We help you:
- understand how trauma affects your thoughts, feelings and behaviour
- learn healthy ways to cope with difficult emotions
- look at your current life and see what could be improved
- build a plan together (called a formulation) to help you make positive changes.
This phase usually lasts 4 to 9 months.
What happens in phase one?
We start by getting to know you. This may include:
- an extended assessment (around 4 to 8 sessions)
- looking at your past experiences and current difficulties
- understanding your beliefs, feelings and behaviours.
We use something called REVEAL to guide our work:
- Review – why are you here now? What has helped before?
- Validation – we listen carefully to your feelings and experiences
- Expectations – we explain your role and our role in the work
- Action – we agree goals and small steps for change
- Lead – we support progress and adjust as things improve
Support in phase one
- Sessions are one-to-one.
- We focus on building trust and a strong relationship.
- We meet regularly (at least once a week).
- We may stay in touch between sessions (calls or texts).
Our main goal is to help you feel safe, understood, and supported.
We may also offer:
- a Managing Emotions group
Phase two – understanding and making sense
Phase two is called Remembering, Mourning and Accepting.
In this phase, we help you understand how your past experiences have shaped:
- your thoughts
- your feelings
- your relationships
This can take time, and we move at a pace that feels right for you.
This phase usually lasts 4 to 9 months.
What happens in phase two?
We help you:
- understand your life story and experiences
- notice patterns in your relationships
- explore how past events affect you now
- work through difficult feelings like loss or sadness.
You may also get support with:
- sleep problems
- hearing voices
- strong emotions.
Types of support
You may be offered:
- one-to-one therapy
- group sessions.
Some therapies we may use include:
- CBT (talking therapy)
- EMDR (trauma therapy)
- DBT (skills for managing emotions)
- MBT (understanding thoughts and feelings).
Phase three – moving on and reconnecting
Phase three is called Moving On/Reconnecting.
This is about helping you:
- build a life you enjoy
- feel more confident and independent
- reconnect with others and your community.
This phase usually lasts 1 to 6 months.
What happens in phase three?
We support you to:
- find activities you enjoy
- get involved in your community
- explore volunteering or work opportunities
- build a life that feels meaningful.
We plan sessions together and slowly prepare for ending support.
Support in phase three
- help finding groups and activities
- opportunities like recovery college or volunteering
- support into employment.
Important things to know
- These phases are not always in order.
- Some people stay in phase one longer, and that is okay.
- Some people move between phases or work on more than one at a time.
Everyone’s journey is different.
How long support lasts
The Relational Recovery Network usually works with people for 12 to 24 months.
We know that change often starts in the first 9 months. If things are not improving, we will talk together about what might help next.
Family and friends
Support for family and friends is being developed.
If you need support
If you feel you need help, please get in touch with our service. We are here to support you.
If you are worried about someone’s mental health (a family member, friend or other), we understand that it can feel quite worrying and you can feel helpless and not know what to do.
There are a number of things that you can do to seek help for someone you’re worried about. You can try to get them to get help from/talk to their GP:
- If they do not want to see a GP you can try to ask for help yourself by contacting the GP or Mindline Emotional Support and Mental Health Helpline on 01823 276 892 or free phone 0800 138 1692. This service can refer you your local First Response Service.
- If you feel someone is imminently at risk to themselves or others due to a mental health crisis, please contact the First Response Service on 0300 124 5016.
- You can also let the person know that they can self-refer to our Talking Therapies service.
- If they don’t initially want support/advice from the mental health services you can encourage them to contact one or more of the following organisations.
- You can also contact Mindline 01823 276 892 or free phone 0800 138 1692 yourself to ask for advice.