Your assessment

The assessment allows us to consider:

• Is Complex Needs Service a good fit for your needs at this time?
• Have you experienced pervasive and long-term difficulties which are commonly associated with personality disorder?
• Do you feel able to engage in group therapy and is group therapy likely to benefit you?
• Are you motivated to make changes to your life at present and do your current circumstances allow you the time and energy to meaningfully engage in therapy?
• Are you willing to work towards changing any unhelpful or destructive coping strategies?

What does it cover?

The assessment will cover:

• Your current difficulties including mental health symptoms and experiences
• Your feelings, thoughts and behaviours
• Your physical health and wellbeing
• Your social circumstances: housing, finances/debt, employment, support network, if you are a parent or carer, your culture and ethnic background, gender and sexuality (where relevant)
• Your personal and family history including relationships
• Your use of drugs or alcohol
• Past experiences, especially of similar problems and previous treatments
• Risk assessment
• Your goals for therapy: what you wish to work on or changes you wish to make

Where does it take place?

The assessment is usually completed at our main base in Oxford.

Assessments take place over a number of sessions and will be completed by a Complex Needs Service therapist.

Therapy sessions

After assessment, if therapy with our service is appropriate, service users are placed (with their agreement) on a waiting list to start group therapy.