Mental health support for healthcare, education, care and high-pressure teams
Practical workplace wellbeing sessions, stress and burnout support, manager guidance and post-incident input for organisations across Stockton-on-Tees, Middlesbrough, Billingham, Hartlepool and Teesside.
For HR leads, practice managers, headteachers, care leaders, directors, business owners and managers who need calm, practical support that staff can actually use.
Figures referenced from CIPD, Deloitte and HSE workplace health research.
When pressure is showing up in the team, a generic wellbeing talk is rarely enough
Organisations usually look for support when stress, absence, conflict, emotional fatigue or the impact of a difficult event has already started to affect people. Staff may be tired, managers may feel unsure what to say, and leaders may know something needs to change but not want a corporate, tick-box session.
This support is designed for real workplaces: healthcare teams, education settings, care services, small businesses and high-pressure organisations where people are carrying more than they can keep absorbing.
What makes this different
I bring an Occupational Therapy lens to workplace mental health. That means looking at people in context: role demands, function, confidence, pressure, recovery, relationships, return-to-work and what helps people keep going safely and sustainably.
This is separate from one-to-one EMDR therapy. It is workplace-focused, practical, clinically grounded and designed to help organisations take the next useful step.
Occupational Therapy and Occupational Health experience
My workplace mental health support is strengthened by more than 20 years of NHS mental health experience and over 10 years working in Occupational Health while at North Tees and Hartlepool. That matters because workplace wellbeing is not only about how people feel. It is also about function, confidence, absence, return-to-work, role demands, adjustments, pressure, resilience and what helps people keep working safely.
As an Occupational Therapist, I look at the person in context: the job, the team, the stress load, the environment, the expectations, the recovery time and the practical steps that can reduce harm. This gives organisations something more useful than a generic wellbeing talk. It gives them support that understands how mental health and work actually interact.
Need something to forward to a director, HR lead or manager?
Download the one-page overview with the core packages, pricing, who the support is for and Rachel’s credentials. It is designed to be easy to email, print or share internally before booking a call.
Clear workplace mental health packages
Choose a low-risk starting point, a focused team session, or ongoing support for managers and high-pressure teams. Packages can be adapted after a short scoping call.
Workplace Stress Snapshot
A practical starting point for organisations that know staff pressure is building but are not yet sure what support is needed.
- 20-minute leadership call
- Brief stress and pressure mapping
- Written recommendations
- Suggested next-step support
Workplace Pressure Reset
A focused half-day workshop for teams experiencing stress, burnout, emotional load or rising pressure at work.
- Understanding stress patterns in your team
- Burnout warning signs
- Practical regulation and recovery tools
- Q&A and real workplace scenarios
Manager Confidence Session
For managers who need to respond to stress, absence, overwhelm or mental health conversations with steadiness and clarity.
- Spotting early signs of pressure
- How to open supportive conversations
- Boundaries, signposting and role clarity
- Responding without overstepping
Post-Incident Team Support
Calm, clinically informed support after a distressing workplace event, traumatic incident, serious conflict, loss or sudden team disruption.
- Stabilising support for affected staff
- Guidance for managers
- Normalising stress responses
- Next-step signposting where needed
Workplace Support Day
A more in-depth day for organisations that need staff input, leadership conversations and tailored practical recommendations.
- Staff wellbeing workshop
- Leadership or manager discussion
- Pressure points and practical actions
- Follow-up summary
Wellbeing Partner Retainer
Ongoing workplace mental health input for high-pressure teams that need a trusted external professional across the month.
- Monthly leadership advisory call
- Staff or manager support session
- Post-incident availability
- Workplace wellbeing planning
I currently work with a small number of organisations each month to keep support personal, responsive and clinically safe. Pricing is a guide and may vary depending on travel, preparation, team size and complexity.
Experience that feels relevant to real workplaces
This is not generic wellbeing content. The work is shaped by NHS mental health experience, Occupational Therapy training, Occupational Health practice and live workplace pressure.
Healthcare pressure
Support informed by NHS mental health services, healthcare environments, staffing pressure, clinical responsibility and emotional load.
Education and care settings
Practical support for teams carrying pastoral, safeguarding, emotional, behavioural or high-contact responsibilities.
Difficult incidents
Calm support for teams after distressing events, conflict, loss, sudden disruption or situations that leave staff shaken.
Best suited to healthcare, education, care and high-pressure teams
The strongest fit is where emotional load, responsibility, change, public-facing work or staff absence are already affecting the team.
Healthcare teams
GP surgeries, dental practices, private clinics, NHS-adjacent services and care providers.
Education settings
Schools, colleges, SEN teams, pastoral staff and leadership teams carrying emotional demand.
Care and support services
Care homes, charities, social care teams and organisations supporting vulnerable people.
Local high-pressure businesses
SMEs, professional services, family businesses and growing teams where people pressure is becoming visible.
Common reasons organisations ask for help
Stress and absence are rising
Early support can help teams understand pressure before it becomes long-term sickness absence or quiet disengagement.
Managers feel unsure
Managers often want to help but worry about saying the wrong thing, overstepping or missing something important.
A team has been through a difficult event
After an incident, staff may need calm, structured support that acknowledges what happened without making things heavier.
Burnout is becoming normal
Teams can start to accept exhaustion as part of the job. A session can help people recognise patterns and rebuild steadier ways of working.
Wellbeing feels too generic
Staff need practical, grounded tools that relate to their real roles, not abstract advice or corporate slogans.
Leaders want a trusted external voice
Sometimes people hear things differently when support comes from a calm, experienced professional outside the organisation.
Who this is, and is not, for
Clear fit matters. The right support should save time, not create another vague wellbeing initiative.
This is a good fit if…
- Staff pressure, stress or absence is becoming visible.
- Managers feel unsure how to respond to mental health conversations.
- Your team works in healthcare, education, care, support services or another high-pressure setting.
- You want practical support that understands work, function and recovery.
This may not be the right fit if…
- You are looking for a formal qualification such as Mental Health First Aid.
- You want a generic corporate wellbeing session with no tailoring.
- You are not currently seeing any staff pressure, risk, absence or support need.
- You need emergency clinical or crisis response rather than planned workplace support.
How workplace support works
We discuss what is happening in the team, who needs support, whether the need is preventative, reactive or post-incident, and what would feel useful rather than tokenistic.
You can book a snapshot, staff talk, half-day, full-day, manager session, post-incident input or ongoing retainer. The content is shaped around your people and setting.
Sessions are calm, human and grounded in clinical experience. Staff leave with clearer understanding, practical tools and a sense that the conversation has been handled properly.
Specialist workplace support topics
Workplace stress workshops
Practical sessions helping staff understand stress, pressure, coping patterns and recovery at work.
Burnout prevention
Support for teams where workload, emotional labour, perfectionism or constant demand have become unsustainable.
Manager mental health guidance
Helping managers respond to stress, overwhelm, absence and difficult conversations with clarity and compassion.
Post-incident workplace support
Clinically informed support after distressing, traumatic or disruptive events affecting staff or teams.
Return-to-work thinking
OT-informed advice around confidence, pacing, role demands, adjustments and safe re-engagement.
Bespoke wellbeing consultancy
Tailored support based on your organisation, sector, staff group and current pressure points.
Questions employers often ask
Is this Mental Health First Aid training?
No. This is not a standard MHFA qualification course. It is clinically informed workplace support, shaped around stress, burnout, manager confidence, post-incident recovery and practical wellbeing in your organisation.
Can you support managers as well as staff?
Yes. Manager guidance is often one of the most useful parts of workplace mental health support, especially when managers are dealing with absence, overwhelm, conflict, emotional conversations or return-to-work concerns.
Can sessions be delivered at our workplace?
Yes. Support can usually be delivered on-site across Stockton-on-Tees, Middlesbrough, Billingham, Hartlepool and the wider Teesside area. Some planning and advisory work can also be delivered remotely.
Do staff have to talk about personal issues?
No. Sessions are designed to be safe, practical and boundaried. Staff are not expected to disclose personal experiences. The focus is on understanding pressure, recognising patterns and learning useful tools.
Can you help after a difficult incident?
Yes. Post-incident support can help teams steady themselves after a distressing event, understand normal stress responses and know what support or signposting may be needed next.
What is the first step?
The best first step is a 20-minute call. We can discuss what is happening, what your organisation needs, and whether a snapshot, workshop, manager session or ongoing support would be most appropriate.
Book a 20-minute call about your team
If staff pressure, burnout, absence, manager confidence or the impact of a difficult event is becoming harder to ignore, I can help you work out the most useful next step.