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From shell shock to the science of attachment: The Tavistock and Portman’s century of talking therapies
Time to Talk Day (5 February 2026) is the biggest mental health conversation of the year, and we’re reflecting on over a century of pioneering work at the Tavistock Portman that proved the transformative power of talking therapies.
Revolutionary beginnings
When Hugh Crichton-Miller witnessed the devastating psychological toll warfare took on soldiers during the Great War, he discovered something revolutionary: men who were profoundly broken – trembling, mute, unable to function – could be reached not through medication, but through talking.
This insight laid the foundation for what we now call talking therapies – treatments where you talk to a trained professional about your thoughts, feelings and behaviour. Today, they help millions of people manage common mental health problems like depression, anxiety, stress and low mood. Sessions may be one-to-one, in a group, online, over the phone or face-to-face. NHS Talking Therapies services are free, confidential and available without a GP referral — you can refer yourself directly. In 1920, the Tavistock Clinic was set up to provide the same talking therapies to civilians that soldiers had received during the war. From its outset, the clinic was ahead of its time, establishing an outpatient service based on talking therapies that keep people embedded in the community, in the support networks of their families and workspaces, able to continue to contribute to society. When the Tavistock became a founder member of the NHS in 1948, it introduced talking therapies into the health service.
If Crichton-Miller planted the seed of talking therapies, it was John Bowlby who provided the scientific framework. John Bowlby, a founder member of the Portman Clinic, joined the Tavistock after the Second World War. It was here, that he began the work that would transform our understanding of human development: Attachment Theory, which explains how bonds between infants and caregivers shape everything that follows – it now underpins virtually every form of contemporary psychotherapy. By this measure, Bowlby is the most influential psychoanalyst of all time.
The case for talking therapies
In 2024/25 92.6 million antidepressants were prescribed to an estimated 8.89 million identified patients. In the same period the number of adults prescribed drugs for ADHD rose by 24.3%, and the number of children receiving prescriptions rose by 9.48%. However, medication addresses symptoms rather than underlying causes. It does not engage with the psychological, social, or situational factors that contribute to mental health difficulties. Research shows that talking therapies are the best way of treating most emotional problems. This is what we specialise in.
Current NICE guidelines recommend that for mild to moderate depression, psychological therapies should generally be offered before or alongside medication. The Tavistock and Portman’s century of work demonstrates that structured conversation remains one of the most effective tools for supporting lasting psychological change.
Talking therapies today
More than a century after Crichton-Miller first listened to traumatised soldiers, the Tavistock and Portman continues to develop and deliver talking therapies across the lifespan.
Our Trauma Unit, founded in response to the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster in 1987, provided vital support following the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017 and continues to work with refugees, veterans, and survivors of childhood abuse.
The Portman Clinic takes talking therapies into prisons and secure units, supporting offenders and victims alike, while providing reflective practice for prison and probation officers. Recent Portman research provides strong evidence of how talking therapies are effective even for the most challenging cases of antisocial personality disorder.
The THRIVE model, developed in partnership with the Anna Freud Centre and launched in 2014, has transformed mental health services for children and young people nationally and has been cited as a model of good practice in national NHS strategies.
Training and research remain central to our mission, with professionals from across the world coming to learn approaches refined over more than a hundred years.
Why talking still matters
Talking therapies still matter because they work. They offer a space to slow down, be heard and make sense of difficult feelings – something the Time to Talk message reminds us we all need now more than ever.
The upcoming NHS Talking Therapies is a campaign encouraging people experiencing anxiety or depression to seek support. It raises awareness of the availability and benefits of free, confidential talking therapy services. The Tavistock and Portman stands ready to play its part – as it has done since 1920.
The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust provides specialist mental health services including talking therapies, psychological assessment, and a wide range of support for children, young people, families, and adults; if you’d like to know more about what may be available to you, please speak to your GP, or for NHS‑wide talking therapy options visit: https://www.england.nhs.uk/mental-health/adults/nhs-talking-therapies/
This Time to Talk Day, the message remains the same: your voice matters, your story matters, and talking can be the first step towards feeling better.
The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust provides specialist mental health services, training, and research. For more information, visit tavistockandportman.nhs.uk
Time to Talk Day is run by Rethink Mental Illness and Mind, delivered in partnership with Co-op.