Surviving a sudden cardiac arrest can shake your sense of safety to its foundations. One moment, life was ordinary. Next, your heart stopped, and you came back. It is no surprise that many survivors, and the people around them, carry a heavy emotional load long after the physical recovery is underway.
Counselling after a cardiac arrest, often called talking therapy, gives you a safe and confidential space to make sense of what happened with a trained professional. It will not undo the event, but it can help you process it, ease the fear and low mood that often follow, and find your footing again.
Emotional recovery is one of the most common needs we hear about in our peer support community, and one of the least well met by routine clinical care. Connecting with others who understand, through our community, can help enormously, but sometimes professional support is needed too. The two work well together.
Who counselling can help
A cardiac arrest does not happen to one person in isolation. It affects everyone close to the event.
- Survivors often live with anxiety, low mood and depression, intrusive memories, or post-traumatic stress.
- Co-survivors, meaning the partners, family members, friends and colleagues affected, may carry their own trauma, especially if they witnessed the collapse or performed CPR.
- Bereaved families face grief that is sudden, shocking and often very public.
We use the term co-survivor deliberately. The people around a cardiac arrest are not simply bystanders. They live with the consequences too, and their need for support is just as real. You can read more about co-survivors and the impact a cardiac arrest has on those who were there.
Common types of therapy
There is a wide range of talking therapies, and as far as we are aware, none is dedicated specifically to cardiac arrest survivors. That does not mean they cannot help. The approaches our members most often find useful are below. A good therapist will tailor their approach to you, and if one type does not suit you, it is perfectly fine to try another.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
A structured, practical therapy that helps you recognise and change unhelpful patterns of thinking and behaviour. Widely used for anxiety, low mood and health-related worry.
EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing is designed for trauma. It can be especially helpful for intrusive memories, flashbacks and post-traumatic stress after a cardiac arrest.
Mindfulness
Techniques that help you stay grounded in the present and calm a racing mind. Often used alongside other therapies to manage anxiety and stress.
Counselling and psychotherapy
General talking therapy gives you space to explore your feelings at your own pace. Useful when you simply need to be heard and understood by someone outside your own circle.
If you would like to understand the emotional side of recovery more broadly, our pages on emotional issues after cardiac arrest and self-help after cardiac arrest are a good next step.
How to access counselling on the NHS
Any therapy provided through the NHS is free of charge. The main routes differ slightly across the UK.
- Talk to your GP. They can refer you and rule out any physical causes for how you are feeling. Find a GP.
- England: NHS Talking Therapies for anxiety and depression (formerly IAPT). You can refer yourself directly, without seeing your GP first.
- Scotland: Living Life, a free telephone service offering CBT-based support.
- Wales: SilverCloud online therapy, or speak to your GP about local services.
- Northern Ireland: Minding Your Head for guidance on local mental health support.
Be prepared for a wait. It is common to spend weeks, sometimes longer, on an NHS waiting list before therapy begins. If the wait feels too long, or your needs are more complex, going privately can be quicker, though it carries a cost.
Finding a private therapist
If you choose to pay for therapy, look for a properly accredited professional. The following registers let you search for accredited counsellors and psychotherapists in your area:
- British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) therapist directory.
- Counselling Directory, a searchable list of registered counsellors.
- UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) register of psychotherapists.
It is always worth checking that a therapist is registered with a recognised professional body before you begin. A short introductory call can also help you judge whether they feel like the right fit.
Free counselling for our members
Thanks to the kindness and generosity of SADS UK, members of Sudden Cardiac Arrest UK who have been directly affected by a sudden cardiac arrest may be able to access up to six free sessions with a local BACP-accredited counsellor.
This is open to anyone affected, whether as a survivor, a lay responder, a partner or a witness. As SADS UK is a charity, please use your normal NHS routes first if you can get timely help that way. To enquire, contact SADS UK through the details on their website and mention that you are a member of our group.
When should I seek help?
Difficult feelings in the weeks after a cardiac arrest are normal and often ease on their own. It is worth reaching out for professional support if low mood, anxiety, intrusive memories or sleep problems persist beyond a few weeks, start to interfere with everyday life, or simply feel like more than you can manage alone. Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.
If you ever feel unable to keep yourself safe, please do not wait for an appointment. Contact your GP, call NHS 111, or call the Samaritans free on 116 123, at any time, day or night.
Frequently asked questions
Is counselling free after a cardiac arrest?
Therapy through the NHS is free of charge, though there is often a waiting list. Members of Sudden Cardiac Arrest UK may also be eligible for up to 6 free private sessions through our partnership with SADS UK. Otherwise, private therapy is available at a cost.
Can I refer myself, or do I need to see my GP first?
In England, you can refer yourself directly to NHS Talking Therapies without seeing your GP first. A GP referral is still an option, and is helpful if you would also like your physical recovery reviewed. Routes vary in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, as set out above.
What is the best therapy for trauma after a cardiac arrest?
There is no single best therapy, as it depends on you and your symptoms. For trauma, intrusive memories and post-traumatic stress, EMDR and trauma-focused CBT are both commonly recommended. A therapist will help you decide what suits you best.
My partner is struggling more than I am. Can they get help too?
Yes. Co-survivors, including partners, family and rescuers, are just as entitled to support, and the same NHS and private routes are open to them. Witnessing a cardiac arrest or performing CPR can be deeply traumatic. Our page for co-survivors may help.