In our next conversation, we speak to Johnny Morton & Rebecca Meagher, Co-Founders of Blue Talking Therapies, who have assembled a team of highly experienced and fully accredited psychotherapists and counsellors, based on Howard Street in North Shields. 

“North Shields offers a central location that is experiencing an exciting transformation that we want to be part of.”

Blue Talking Therapies

Helping people to recover from mental health issues, using evidence-based treatments, 

Blue Talking Therapies is a fully confidential service provided in discreet and comfortable therapy rooms. They offer a range of therapies including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy used mostly to treat anxiety and depression, one- to-one counselling, Interpersonal Therapy and Eye Movement Desensitisation & Reprocessing to help deal with past trauma. 

Who are the people behind Blue Talking Therapies? ​

Johnny Morton and Rebecca Meagher are Co-Founders of the business, working with a highly specialised and experienced team of seven.

Johnny has worked in the mental health field since 1998, initially qualifying as a registered mental health nurse before returning to Newcastle University to study high-intensity psychological therapies (PGDip), working as a cognitive behavioural psychotherapist to promote positive mental health for many years. He is accredited with the British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapists and the Nursing and Midwifery Council. 

Rebecca is an Occupational Therapist, promoting positive mental health that focuses on research, development and training around early intervention strategies, using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy as the main treatment of choice when assisting recovery of mental ill health.  She is accredited with the British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapists and a member of the Health and Care Professions Council.

Why have you chosen North Shields as your base of operations? ​

North Shields offers a central location that is experiencing an exciting transformation that we want to be part of. It offers easy access for clients from Newcastle, North & South Tyneside, as well as Northumberland. 

Public discussion of mental health has increased so much in the past few years. Are we on the right track and what more can we do to prioritise mental well-being? ​

(Rebecca) Although this is true and a great sign of things to come, we still have a long way to go. Blue Talking Therapies' overarching campaign is to help reduce stigma within society and encourage people to talk about their mental health as freely as they do their physical health. 

​(Johnny) As part of this campaign, we have set up a new company called Blue Mental Health Education and Training Ltd, to help schools change their approach to mental health and provide a whole school approach, which is specifically designed to change the whole culture within the establishment, rather than sweep it under the carpet.  

What is the most important thing to consider if you are concerned about a friend or family member’s mental well being? 

​(Johnny) Do not be afraid to talk to them and find out how they are feeling. I think people worry that they may make things worse or complicate the issue, but the opposite is true. When you are struggling with a mental health problem, as I have, the most important thing was to feel supported. Mental health problems are extremely common and it's important to know you're not alone. These experiences are temporary and will get better with the right help. 

Contacting Blue Talking Therapies

For more information and for details of how to get in touch, visit Blue Talking Therapies website or their Facebook page

Contacting R A Jackson & Son

If you are the owner of a local business and looking to rent a commercial space, get in touch on 0191 257 1253 or sales@rajackson.co.uk