It All Happens In Exeter

So, if you are retail therapy orientated, you will have noticed that Crew Clothing has opened its new flagship national store right here in Exeter. You might also know that Crew Clothing were founded here in Devon (Salcombe). Whilst new shops have opened, Ted Baker also, these seem positive signs that Exeter is opening up again after the pandemic.

The theatres are open again and as we move closer to the start of a new academic term in September, we may be looking forward to more social freedoms in society.

The new academic term will bring its own excitement and challenges. New learning groups will form. Exeter Uni, Exeter College and specialist mental health colleges like the Iron Mill are all experiencing high demand for their courses and in particular mental – health based courses, such as foundation degrees in counselling, and diplomas in counselling or psychotherapy.

In fact, there seems to be record numbers of people wanting to study counselling or psychotherapy courses. This of course is great news, for we know the demand for psychological services is greater now than it has ever been. Here in the UK, and here in Exeter, therapy is more popular than ever. There were 1.2 million referrals to the National Health Service’s improved access to psychological therapies (IAPT) program ― a service that offers talking therapy ― in 2014-2015, according to data provided by the NHS. There were almost half a million more referrals (1.6 million in total) in 2018-2019. That’s not even taking into account the huge numbers attending private therapy. (Source HuffPost).

So with more people accessing therapy and a big increase in the numbers of people wanting to train to become counsellors, it seems that we as a nation are beginning to engage in our own mental health, which is of course a good thing.

So with new counselling and psychotherapy training cohorts starting in the new academic year, perhaps it really does all happen here in Exeter?