How our service can help you
REDS is for people who present with difficulties associated with strong emotions and interpersonal difficulties; it is not aimed at particular diagnoses. The service sits between primary care and secondary care.
REDS is available to people aged 17 upwards and offers a broad programme that offers service users a choice in the style and content of their treatment.
Following an assessment by a mental health practitioner, usually within the GP practice, all our service users are invited to attend two introductory workshops called Is This for Me , where we discuss the types of difficulties that we can help with, and we provide some information about how these difficulties might have arisen. This can be helpful for people to understand a little more about ‘why’ they struggle with their emotions.
During Is This for Me, we present service users with a choice of 2 treatment options (Service users may complete one, or both consecutively).
Peer support group programme : Led by CPSL MIND is a 12-week, structured group programme. Each week has a different theme, often accompanied by some psycho-educational material, and with space for participants to explore their own relationship with that topic. This programme is particularly suitable for those who want an informal atmosphere, time to think about their own challenges, and who appreciate the support of their peer group who have first hand experience of their struggles.
Making Connections (DBT Skills Group): Facilitated by NHS psychological practitioners, is our psychoeducational skills-based programme, delivered in groups, drawing heavily on Dialectical Behavioural Therapy principles. This programme is suitable for service users who struggle with emotional dysregulation, difficulties in relationships, acting in ways they don’t wish to (e.g. acting impulsively). It is also suitable for those who engage in self-harm, or low-level risky behaviours. Service users need to have an ability to benefit from psychoeducation, the organisational skills to attend group sessions over a 16-week period, the determination to try to do things differently, and the resilience to respond to feedback.
Service users who complete the structured psychological group work programme, may go on to self-refer to our Mentalization Based Therapy programme. (Full details of how to do so will be given upon completion of Making Connections).
Please note: REDS is predominantly an online based service, although you may have the option to meet face-to-face for your pre-group 1:1 onboarding session when you meet with a facilitator to set your personal goals and ask any questions.
Self-Help, Support and Guidance
We have recently developed a Virtual Learning Environment to support our service users, and the community to understand 
difficulties associated with emotional regulation and relationship difficulties. We have included many of the resources we use in treatment, so even if you do not wish to join a treatment group, you can still become better informed and begin to learn how to support yourself and others. This is a new resource and therefore you might find that the content evolves and grows over time (so do check back).
Course: Self-Help, Support and Guidance for Relational and Emotional Needs (cpft.nhs.uk)
Families and Carers
Family Connections is a 12-week group programme that meets for 2 hours a week, online. It provides education, skills training, and support for people who are supporting a sufferer of borderline personality disorder. This is an evidence-based programme. Data show us that after completing the course, family members experienced decreased feelings of depression, burden, and grief, and more feelings of empowerment.
Family Connections is on offer to families and carers of service users in PDCS and REDS. Please contact the team directly for further information. If your loved one is not under the care of PDCS or the REDS, you can still access the programme via the authors – please see the NEABPD website:
The Family Connections Program | National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder
For further information about supporting someone with emotional difficulties or a personality disorder, please take a look at our Self-help, Support and Guidance virtual learning environment, which includes a section for Family and Carers.
Contact the service
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Peterborough
The Old Town Hall
17 Bridge Street
Peterborough
PE1 1HF
Cambridge
Chesterton Medical Centre
35 Union Lane
Cambridge
CB4 1PX
T: 01733 746800
Please note: REDS is different to the Personality Disorder Community Service (PDCS).
PDCS helps people with a diagnosis of personality disorder improve their social functioning, reduce their self-destructive behaviours and achieve a greater feeling of wellbeing. Click here for more details about PDCS .
Referral Information
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Please note: We do not accept self-referrals. If you think you need to access our service, please speak to your GP or a medical professional.
Your GP will refer you to your primary care mental health service (or for those over 65 the Older People’s Mental Health Service) who will refer you to REDS if identified as the most suitable service for your needs.
Is there access and support for patients and visitors with a disability?
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Please ring the team before your appointment to discuss any requirements.
How to cancel your appointment
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Please call 01733 746800.
Carers Information
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A carer is anyone, including children and adults who looks after a family member, partner or friend who needs help because of their illness, frailty, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction and cannot cope without their support. The care they give is unpaid.
At Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, we value the often life-long support carers provide and recognise them as equal care partners. We want to offer as much guidance and reassurance as possible, to help you in your caring role. You can find general information and support for adult carers, young carers and parent carers by following this link.
