Workplace Mental Health Support with an Embedded, Trusted Therapist

Every workplace has people who hold a great deal together. They keep pace, deliver, support others and appear to cope. Yet life rarely waits at the office door. Stress, anxiety, grief, caring responsibilities or the slow weight of long-term pressure can build quietly until health, focus and stability are affected.

This is where workplace mental health support matters - not after a public crisis, but when there is already a private, dependable space available for someone who has been carrying more than anyone realises.

What embedded counselling really means

I am Esther Dietrichsen-Farley, a BACP-registered counsellor and psychotherapist.

When I work with an organisation, I become a steady, independent presence within its culture while remaining separate from management and HR. Employees know exactly who they will meet, and that what they share is protected by the BACP Ethical Framework and UK GDPR.

Being embedded goes beyond offering occasional availability. It means:

• A familiar therapist is visible in the working environment, so approaching support feels natural rather than exceptional.

• Over time, I develop a working understanding of the culture, language and pace of the organisation, so employees do not have to repeat the background of their working world each time they meet.

  
  

• Boundaries are clear; clinical independence is maintained, but the therapist understands enough of the day-to-day reality to make support feel relevant and safe.

  
  

• Each person is met as an individual, not a role. Sessions focus on the whole human experience - emotions, stress, relationships and personal history - rather than focusing solely on performance or workplace issues.

  
  

Why this approach helps

• Consistency builds trust. Research consistently finds that the quality of the relationship between therapist and client is strongly associated with positive outcomes (Norcross & Wampold, 2019).

  
  

• Early help reduces absence. The Health and Safety Executive reports that stress, depression and anxiety cause over half of all work-related ill-health cases in Britain (2023). Making therapy simple and private helps employees seek help before sickness absence or resignation.

• Psychological safety protects performance. Harvard Business Review (2023) found teams that feel safe to discuss mental health are more innovative and resilient, with lower turnover.

• Integrated support improves uptake. CIPD (2023) data show wellbeing initiatives have greater impact when they are accessible, visible and backed by qualified professionals rather than remote resources.

How organisations work with The Farley

Companies usually begin with a consultation to clarify needs and agree on the right structure. From there, support is often arranged in one of two ways:

Pilot programme: a defined period - for example, one day or half-day each week - where employees can book private sessions directly. This lets leaders gauge uptake and cultural fit before making a longer commitment.

Retained service: a regular, ongoing presence within the organisation. This may mean weekly or fortnightly protected time where therapy is available, creating a predictable, stable offer that employees know they can turn to.

Reporting back is always limited to agreed, anonymised usage summaries if requested; the content of sessions remains confidential. Support can be offered on-site, online, or blended to suit how your team works.

This flexible approach allows the service to live naturally within the organisation without disrupting daily routines or breaching privacy.

For leaders

Providing mental health support is no longer about adding a resource to an intranet page. It is about ensuring there is real, clinically qualified, ongoing support for the people who keep the organisation moving. A consistent, independent therapist signals that wellbeing is part of the workplace culture in practice, not just in policy.

If this is what your workplace needs

You can learn more about Employee Counselling at The Farley or arrange an initial conversation about bringing this support into your organisation.

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References

Health and Safety Executive. (2023). Work-related stress, anxiety or depression statistics in Great Britain 2023.

Deloitte UK. (2022). Mental health and employers: The case for investment – pandemic and beyond.

CIPD. (2023). Health and wellbeing at work: Survey report.

Norcross, J. C., & Wampold, B. E. (2019). Psychotherapy relationships that work: Evidence-based therapist contributions.

Harvard Business Review. (2023). The new rules of employee wellbeing.