What to expect

If you’ve been referred to HG Mind Works, you may have been recommended either a Wellbeing Assessment or One-to-One Therapy.

Not sure which service you’ve been referred for? Don’t worry – your referral email should explain this, or our team will be happy to guide you through the process.

Select your option

Select the option below to learn more about what to expect, how long each stage typically takes, and what support may be available to you.

One-to-One Therapy

Step 1: We receive and review your referral

  • Timing: Within a few hours of receiving your referral.

Once the KFRS team has referred you to us, we will review the information provided and begin arranging your next steps.

You will be contacted by telephone or email to arrange an initial conversation with one of our Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners (PWPs).

Step 2: Initial conversation (triage call)

  • Duration: Around 30–40 minutes
  • Format: Telephone appointment
  • Timing: Usually within 3 working days of referral.

Before your appointment, we’ll send you a secure link to complete some pre-appointment information. This helps us gain a better understanding of your circumstances before we speak with you.

This may include:

  • Wellbeing questionnaires
  • Relevant medical information
  • GP and next of kin details
  • Consent documentation and therapy agreements

During your conversation with our PWP, you’ll have the opportunity to talk about the challenges you’re currently experiencing, how they may be affecting your daily life and what you’d like support with.

Together, we’ll identify the most appropriate next steps.

Step 3: Recommendations and planning

Following your initial conversation, we’ll recommend the type of support that we feel is most suited to your individual needs.

This may include:

  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
  • Trauma-informed CBT
  • Counselling
  • Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)
  • Psychiatry
  • Other evidence-based therapeutic approaches

You’ll be informed of the recommended pathway and an update will also be provided to your referrer. If you would like to discuss the pathway or an alternative pathway, please get in touch with us.

Step 4: Starting therapy

  • Session Duration: Around 50 minutes
  • Timing: Usually within 7 working days of your triage appointment.

We’ll contact you to arrange your first appointment with the clinician best suited to support you.

Where possible, we’ll take individual preferences and requirements into consideration when matching you with a therapist, including:

  • Neurodiversity-informed clinicians
  • Male or female therapists
  • Clinicians with experience supporting specific cultural or religious needs

Occasionally, sourcing a specialist clinician may extend waiting times slightly, but we’ll always keep you informed throughout the process.

Step 5: Ongoing therapeutic support

  • Duration: Typically 3–9 sessions; this can vary and there are no limits to how many you may need.

Therapy is tailored to the individual.

Many people benefit from between 6-12 sessions. The number of sessions recommended will depend on your individual circumstances, goals and clinical needs.

Sessions may focus on:

  • Managing stress and anxiety
  • Improving mood and emotional wellbeing
  • Processing difficult or traumatic experiences
  • Developing coping strategies
  • Building confidence and resilience

All therapy sessions last approximately 50 minutes.

Step 6: Completing your support

Towards the end of your therapeutic journey, we’ll review the progress you’ve made and discuss any recommendations for maintaining your wellbeing moving forward.

A summary report will be shared with your referrer and with you directly.

Your confidentiality is important to us.

The content of your therapy sessions remains private. Information shared with employers is limited to general updates regarding engagement and outcomes and does not include details of what has been discussed during therapy. 

Wellbeing Assessment

Step 1: We receive your referral

Once the KFRS team has referred you to us, we will arrange your wellbeing assessment appointment and provide you with information about what to expect.

Before your appointment, we’ll ask you to complete some pre-assessment information to help us understand your current circumstances.

This may include:

  • Wellbeing questionnaires
  • Relevant background information
  • Consent documentation

Step 2: Your wellbeing assessment

  • Duration: Around 50 minutes
  • Format: Telephone or virtual appointment

A wellbeing assessment is a one-off appointment designed to help us understand how you’re doing and whether any additional support may be beneficial.

It provides an opportunity to talk openly about your wellbeing in a safe, supportive and confidential environment.

During the assessment, we may explore:

  • How you’ve been feeling recently
  • Factors that may be impacting your wellbeing
  • Current coping strategies and support networks
  • Areas where additional support may be helpful
  • Whether ongoing therapeutic support would be beneficial

Step 3: Recommendations and next steps

Following your assessment, we’ll provide feedback and discuss any recommendations with you.

Depending on your individual needs, this may include:

  • No further intervention at this time
  • Signposting to alternative support services or resources
  • Recommendations for one-to-one therapeutic support

A summary of the assessment outcomes will be shared with both you and your referrer, while maintaining appropriate confidentiality.

Confidential, compassionate and individualised support

Everyone’s experiences and needs are different. Our approach is designed to ensure that you receive timely, evidence-based support tailored to your individual circumstances.

If you have any questions about the process or are unsure what type of support you’ve been referred for, our team will be happy to help.

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about access, confidentiality and what to expect.

Can I refer myself to this service?

No. This service is accessed through a management referral. Speak to your Employee Relations Team, Wellbeing Support Officer or Health and Wellbeing Manager, and with your consent they will refer you. If you’re not sure who to contact, your line manager can point you to the right person.

No. What you discuss with your clinician is confidential and is not shared with your manager or team.

Because referrals are made through your organisation, the person who refers you will know that a referral has been made, but they will not have access to what is discussed during your sessions.

Clinical information is not disclosed without your consent, unless there is a concern about immediate risk to your safety or the safety of someone else.

If you would like your manager to have information that may help them support you in the workplace, you can choose to give consent for your discharge summary to be shared with them at the end of your therapy. Your clinician will discuss this with you during your final session. Sharing this information is entirely your choice and will only happen with your explicit consent.

A clinician from HG Mind Works will contact you within 3 working days of your referral to complete a short triage and arrange the right support – either a wellbeing assessment or one-to-one therapy.

A wellbeing assessment is a one-off appointment (around 50 minutes, by phone or video) to understand how you’re doing and whether further support would help.

One-to-one therapy is ongoing, structured support with a qualified clinician. Your referral email should say which you’ve been referred for, and the team can clarify if you’re unsure.

Where possible, we take your preferences into account when matching you with a clinician – including male or female therapists, neurodiversity-informed clinicians, and experience with specific cultural or religious needs. Sourcing a specialist can occasionally extend waiting times slightly, and we’ll keep you informed.

Depending on your needs, this may include cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), trauma-informed CBT, counselling, EMDR, psychiatry or other evidence-based approaches. The right pathway is agreed with you after your triage conversation.

That’s a possible and perfectly normal outcome. You may be signposted to other support, given recommendations, or told no further intervention is needed at this time.

Rapid psychological support is available following significant incidents – immediate psychological first aid, then structured assessment and access to specialist therapy where needed. This can be scaled to whole teams affected

If you need help now

Waiting can be hard, and your wellbeing matters now – not just when your sessions start. If things ever feel urgent or unsafe, please don’t wait for your appointment. Use one of these:

Emergency / immediate risk to life:

Call: 999

NHS mental health support (18+), out of hours:

Call NHS 111 and select Option 2

Release the Pressure:

0800 107 0160 (24/7)

Samaritans:

116 123 (24/7)

SHOUT:

Text SHOUT to 85258 (free, confidential, 24/7)

Health Assured (your Employee Assistance Programme):

0800 028 0199 (24/7)

The Fire Fighters Charity Crisis Line:

0300 373 0896 (24/7)

Wellbeing Support Officer (WSO):

Request a duty WSO through Fire Control, or view the “Who's on Duty” rota (I want to… > Find > Who's on Duty)

Registered with the Care Quality Commission · Provider ID: 1-25757603783