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The team work across Northumberland to support people who experience personal and emotional difficulties. This leaflet contains information on what treatments the team offer to help people develop the skills to be able to manage these difficulties.

The H.O.P.E. team helps adults in Northumberland who struggle with strong feelings and relationships. We help people who:

  • Feel overwhelmed by strong emotions
  • Find it hard not to act quickly on strong feelings
  • Have trouble making or keeping healthy friendships and relationships

We want to bring hope and support to people across Northumberland. We’re here to help you understand what you’re going through, get the right help easily, and make informed choices about your treatment.

Our service was made with help from people who have gone through similar problems, and some of our team members have been through these things, too. This has helped us create a team that feels safe and really cares about helping you reach your goals.

We also work closely with other services and local groups, so you have the best chance to reach your goals and feel part of your community.

Our main office is in Blyth, but we have sessions in lots of places around Northumberland. You can also have online sessions with us, using Microsoft Teams.

​We offer a Managing Emotions and Relationships group, which is based on Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT). This helps people learn new skills to feel better and deal with strong emotions and relationships.

Before starting a group, we can offer a few one-to-one sessions to help you think about how your problems started and what might be keeping them going. We also have support options for families and carers.

Most of the support we offer is in groups because this helps people learn from each other and feel less alone. We know being in a group can feel scary, so please talk to us if you’re nervous (our contact details are at the bottom of this leaflet). We’ll do our best to help make it easier.

Our groups usually have 8-12 people and are run by two team members. We also try to have a peer supporter at each session.

To help you get the most from your sessions, we only offer one kind of support at a time — apart from family or couples’ sessions, which can happen alongside the Managing Emotions and Relationships group.

Managing Emotions and Relationships Group
The group is split into four parts. Everyone will do all the parts, but you will start with a different one depending on when you join:

  • The Mindfulness part helps you learn how to focus your mind and understand your thoughts and feelings.
  • Managing emotions teaches you how to notice and manage strong feelings and mood changes.
  • Managing highly stressful situations helps you cope when you’re feeling very upset or stressed.
  • Managing relationships part looks at how we get along with others and how to build healthier relationships.

The full programme lasts about 6 months. You’ll come to one session each week, and each session lasts 2 hours with a break in the middle. There will be a week off at the end of each part.

Extended Formulation
You can also have brief one-to-one sessions with a team member to help you understand what might be causing your problems. This might include things from your past, thoughts, feelings, and relationships. These sessions are only offered before starting a group – you can’t have them unless you’re planning to join a group afterward. The sessions can be online or in-person.

Peer Support
Peer supporters are a really important part of our team. They use their own lived experience to help you. They can offer one-to-one support, help you join and feel more comfortable in group sessions, and work toward your goals, like getting involved in your community.

Family and Carer Support
We know that relationships with family and friends are important and we offer support for them, too.

We’ll start by talking with you to see what support would be most helpful. We generally offer up to six sessions of Family or Couples’ therapy. Common goals include increasing understanding, communication or supporting each other in more helpful ways. We also offer a Family and Carers’ group to get advice and meet others in similar situations.

Let us know if you’re interested and our family and couples’ therapist, Lisa Evans, can meet with you to make a plan.

​We are a team made up of different mental health workers. We all care about helping you and want to work with you to reach your goals.

Team Manager
This person manages the team. They make sure that everything is running safely and smoothly.

Consultant Lead Psychologist
They help to develop the service and plan the support we offer. They also supervise and train our team and other mental health workers in Northumberland to support people who have been through difficult things.

Family and Couples’ Therapist
This person helps families and carers. They run family and carers’ groups, and family and couples’ therapy sessions to help everyone understand and support each other better. They also supervise and train our team and other workers in Northumberland to better support families, carers, and people who have been through difficult things.

Community Practitioners, Advanced Practitioners and Psychological Therapists
They run our Managing Emotions and Relationships groups, extended formulation sessions and initial appointments. They also give advice and support to other mental health workers across Northumberland, and attend meetings with different teams to make sure people get the help they need.

Peer Supporters
They use their lived experience to help others. They help people feel understood, work toward their goals, and join in with their local community. They also help to run our group sessions, train other mental health workers in Northumberland, and make sure our service stays kind and caring.

Administrators
They help keep things organised. They book your appointments at a time and place that works for you.

If you think we could help you, please speak to the Primary Mental Health Care Worker at your GP surgery. They can ask us to get in touch with you.

People at NHS Northumberland Talking Therapies or local Community Treatment teams can also send a request for you, if you’re getting help from them. We don’t currently accept self-referrals.

We want everyone to feel safe and included when they work with our team.

If you need an interpreter or information in another language, we can help with that. We can also support you if you have trouble moving around or need help with seeing or hearing.
Just let us know if there’s anything we can do to make things easier for you.

I was bounced around services until I was in crisis. This service feels like a breakthrough.”

“It’s been amazing to be part of co-creating this service. We have used our lived experience to shape the way the service will be able to impact others.”

“Being in group therapy showed me that there are people out there who are also struggling in the same ways as me. Once I got to know people it felt more like a community. It made me feel less weird, less alone.”

“I felt so seen during my family sessions with Lisa – it really has been life-changing. As a carer I’ve often felt neglected by services but working with Lisa was completely different – I can’t thank her enough.”

If you would like an interpreter, staff will arrange to get one.

Contact Traveline
Telephone: 0871 200 22 33
Website: www.traveline.info

If you want to make a comment, suggestion, compliment or complaint you can:

We are always looking at ways to improve services. Your feedback allows us to monitor the quality of our services and act upon issues that you bring to our attention.  

You can provide feedback in the following ways:

  • the quickest way for you to do this is to complete our short online survey at www.cntw.nhs.uk/yourvoice
  • complete a Your Voice survey, available on wards, reception areas or from staff 
  • other options for sharing your feedback and experience www.cntw.nhs.uk/yourfeedback

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
PALS provide confidential advice and support, helping you to sort out any concerns that you may have about any aspect of your or your loved one's care.

We act independently when handling patient and family concerns, liaising with staff, managers and, where appropriate, relevant organisations, to negotiate prompt solutions. If necessary, we can also refer patients and families to specific local or national-based support agencies.

North of Tyne
Telephone: 0800 032 0202
Email: pals@nhct.nhs.uk
Post: FREEPOST PALS

9.00am – 4.30pm, Monday to Friday
An answerphone is available at all times for you to leave a message. A member of the PALS team will aim to return your call as soon as possible.

We are not a crisis service. If you need urgent help with your mental health and are worried about harming yourself or ending your life, please contact:

NHS 111 and select the mental health option.

This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You’ll speak to a mental health professional who will listen and help you find the right support.

If you are Deaf or have communication difficulties, you can contact us in a crisis by:

  • Samaritans 24-hour helpline -  116 123 
  • SHOUT text helpline - text SHOUT to 85258
  • Dial 999 in an emergency or attend A&E

Helping Overcome Personal and Emotional Difficulties Team (H.O.P.E)
Sextant House
Freehold Street
Blyth Northumberland
NE24 2BA

Telephone: 01670 798 223

Further information about the content, reference sources or production of this leaflet can be obtained from the Patient Information Centre. If you would like to tell us what you think about this leaflet please get in touch.

This information can be made available in a range of formats on request (Braille, audio, larger print, easy read, BSL or other languages). Please telephone the Patient Information Centre on 0191 246 7288.

Published by the Patient Information Centre
2025 Copyright: Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
Ref: PIC/888/0925 September 2025 V3

Review date 2026