What is whole-person care and how does it work at Priory?

We provide expert, non-judgemental care for issues like anxiety, low mood, trauma, addictions and unhealthy coping behaviours. Our approach is tailored to your needs, helping you understand what you’re going through and develop the skills and strategies to manage emotional distress more effectively. You’ll also have the reassurance that support is there whenever you need it, in a way that works for you.

We help you understand and manage the physical impact of mental health conditions and addiction, such as poor sleep, fatigue, pain or changes in appetite. By supporting both your physical and psychological wellbeing together, we aim to help you feel more balanced, more comfortable in your body, and better able to engage in daily life. 

We support you to rebuild and strengthen relationships with family, friends or partners, and to understand your own patterns of relating to others. This can help you set boundaries, develop healthier ways of communicating and feel more secure in your relationships. Where it’s helpful for your recovery, we can also involve loved ones in your care.

We help you reconnect with others and feel more comfortable in social situations. This includes exploring isolation or loneliness and reshaping patterns of withdrawal or avoidance. We’ll also help you build confidence in everyday interactions, and discover the value of connection and community in ways and environments that feel right for you.

We support you to explore what matters most to you, understand your strengths and values, and take positive steps towards a more meaningful and fulfilling life. This includes setting goals and building a clearer sense of direction for the future. 

Your treatment plan is built around all aspects of your wellbeing, shaped by your specific needs and preferences, and guided by clinical best practice to ensure it’s safe and effective. It’s developed collaboratively with you and informed by our multidisciplinary teams, helping us build a full picture of what matters to you.

Our trauma-informed approach means we take time to understand your past experiences and how they may be affecting you today, so your therapy reflects what you’ve been through. We use a range of evidence-based techniques, including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR), selecting approaches that are best suited to you and your recovery.

Alongside this, you’ll be supported with practical coping strategies, reflection tools and a clear plan to guide your progress. Where appropriate, this can also include wellbeing and holistic activities, such as mindfulness or exercise, as well as support for your physical health during inpatient stays, including nutrition tailored to you.

We’ll also help you explore patterns in how you think, feel and relate to others, helping you build insight and a stronger sense of what matters to you as an individual.

As you move forward, we’ll continue to review and adapt your care so it stays aligned with your goals. We’ll also plan ahead with you, with options for continued support such as aftercare, digital tools and follow-on therapy where helpful.

You won’t just be supported by one person – you’ll have a full multidisciplinary team behind you. Our psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, nurses and other professionals work together in a non-judgemental way to build a complete picture of your needs, combining clinical expertise with experience across a wide range of mental health and addiction challenges. 

This team-based approach means your care is joined up and entirely focused on you. Your team works closely together, and with you, to understand the complexity of your experiences and respond in a way that feels consistent and well co-ordinated. This also supports continuity of care, so your treatment remains aligned and adapts as your needs change. 

As well as supporting your mental wellbeing, our multidisciplinary teams have the expertise to assess and manage the physical health needs that may be affecting your recovery.

If you’re receiving inpatient treatment with us, this can include 24-hour medical and nursing support, access to on-site doctors at many of our sites, GP liaison where needed, and careful consideration of medication as part of your care.

For people receiving treatment for substance addiction, our clinical teams can also support medical detoxification. This means we can manage your withdrawal as safely and comfortably as possible, with expert care throughout so you don’t have to face it alone. 

This approach means you’re supported across every part of your recovery, from your emotional and physical wellbeing, to your relationships and sense of direction. 

We’ll always involve you in decisions about your treatment. You’ll have the chance to ask questions, explore different options, and tell us what’s important to you – whether that’s the style of therapy, the type of support you’d like, or the goals you’re working towards.

We make sure your care plan reflects your preferences and priorities, with regular check-ins and reviews so you can share feedback and shape your care as you go. You’ll also be supported to set meaningful goals that feel realistic and relevant to your life, helping you build motivation and a sense of purpose.

Alongside this, you’ll have opportunities to share your views in community meetings and play an active role in shaping services – both for yourself and future clients.

We’re committed to making sure your care feels like something you’re part of, not something that simply happens to you.

Where possible, treatment should fit around your life – not the other way around. We offer a range of flexible options, so you can access support in a way that suits you – whether that’s one-to-one or in a group, online, in-person, while living at home or through a more intensive stay. 

This range of services means we can match your care to what you need, at a pace that feels right for you, with the flexibility to move between different types of support if your needs change. This can also include continued support as part of your discharge planning, whether that’s ongoing therapy, more structured care or something in between.

No matter where, when or how you receive treatment with us, we’ll make sure you feel welcomed and at ease in a safe space. Together, we’ll find the approach that best suits your needs.

When it’s helpful and appropriate, we’ll also involve your family or loved ones in your care. This could include family therapy sessions that you attend together, couples therapy, or separate family support sessions just for them. Our teams can also help families understand the role they can play in supporting your recovery, as well as helping everyone involved nurture and rebuild important relationships.

If you’re staying with us as an inpatient, we also welcome and encourage visits from your loved ones, as we know how important those connections can be – not just for you, but for the people who care about you too.

Accessing the right support should feel straightforward, not overwhelming. That’s why, as part of our whole-person care approach, we offer clear, flexible and affordable routes into treatment – giving you options that are centred around you from the start.

To help you get started, our free online self-assessment tools allow you to reflect on common mental health symptoms and decide whether it might be time to seek help.

For more complex needs, we offer expert diagnostic assessments to help us understand the full picture. This includes mental health assessments for a range of conditions, specialist assessments for autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as well as dedicated young people’s assessments. This helps us make sure the care we offer reflects your experiences and what’s right for you.

We also offer a range of flexible addiction services, with different price points, so treatment can fit around your life and your budget. This ranges from online and outpatient support to intensive, round-the-clock care – all starting with a free addiction assessment to help us understand your unique needs and determine the right path forward. These pathways form a vital part of our whole-person care approach. We believe support should be easy to navigate and shaped around your life, while still feeling personal and financially accessible from the start.

If you’d prefer to speak to someone, our team is available through our 24-hour call centre, so you can reach out any time, day or night, and know that someone will be there for you.