Our Story
Creating a happier, healthier Island since 1983
About Isle Listen
We’re a charitable initiative that provides mental health education in schools, the workplace and wider community
As a charity, we’ve been providing specialist psychological support on the Isle of Man since 1983. Isle Listen is a trading name of MCH Psychological Services (charity number 1024), formerly Manx Cancer Help (based at The Lisa Lowe Centre).
At Isle Listen, we support the mental health and wellbeing of children, young people and the wider community. Our work focuses on early intervention and prevention — helping to prevent issues from escalating and making it easier for people to get the right support at the right time. We’re passionate about breaking down stigma, so that everyone on the Island feels empowered, understood and supported with their mental health.
Where to find us
Mill Court
(Isle Listen HQ)
Hope Street
Castletown
Isle of Man
IM9 1AN
Tel: (01624) 679118 or contact us by email
Scholl Wellbeing Centre
(Talk Service HQ)
Hospice Building
East Drive, Strang
Isle of Man
IM4 4RP
Tel: (01624) 679544 or contact us by email
Our history
1983
Our charity began in 1983 as Manx Cancer Help, founded by Eve Berridge and her sister Jennifer Corkill, based at The Lisa Lowe Centre, the mission was to support families affected by cancer and other life-changing conditions through psychological support.
Over time and through our work, we became aware of the difficulties faced by people trying to access mental health support, either for themselves or their children. We were keen to utilise our expertise and experience in this area to address this need, and so began researching how best to tackle this ever-increasing issue.
2019
Our important skills and experience in psychology including governance and oversight, helped us to identify the need for and to establish a much-needed service – early intervention support for mental health and wellbeing. As such, Isle Listen was born in 2019.
In the early days of Isle Listen it quickly became clear that providing education, prevention strategies and transformative early intervention, were key to alleviating pressure on statutory services. The result being, the avoidance of the unnecessary escalation of mental health problems as long waiting times can make recovery more difficult the longer conditions are left undiagnosed.
The vital work established by Manx Cancer Help in 1983 continues to this day as Minds Matter.
2025
In the summer of 2024 the Isle of Man Government announced a tender for a new Single Point of Access service for Child and Adolescent Mental Health. With the qualified staff and years of experience, Isle Listen bid for it and was awarded the contract in autumn 2024. The service, called ‘Talk‘, which launched in Spring 2025, is delivered in partnership with Manx Care and CAMHS. Talk replaces the therapeutic support previously provided by Isle Listen, and receives referrals for children and young people from any source, including self-referrals, and supports access to other appropriate support/services.
About Talk
Talk is a service commissioned by Manx Care and provided by Isle Listen in partnership with CAMHS.
Referrals to the Talk service are seen by Isle Listen’s qualified and accredited Wellbeing Practitioners and Therapists.
About Minds Matter
Minds Matter is a trading name of MCH Psychological Services. Minds Matter provides vital specialist psychological support to people of all ages and their families living with cancer.
Excellence in what we do
Professional
MCH Psychological Services is an organisational member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and Isle Listen adheres strictly to its ethical framework. As an organisation, we follow and frequently surpass National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines around supervision for our therapists, counsellors and Wellbeing Practitioners.
Accredited
Our clinical team comprises accredited psychotherapists and counsellors that also supervise our Wellbeing Practitioners and who receive supervision themselves from a Consultant Clinical Psychologist.
Our Education Team have a breadth of experience in education, learning and development, coaching and psychology. They undertake regular professional development and hold appropriate qualifications, including CIPD accreditation, teaching qualifications, safeguarding and counselling.
Evidence Led
We know that our achievements are sustainable as we will always be led by the evidence presented to us – responding to identified wellbeing needs in our community by delivering education and support that is appropriate, effective and timely. In other words, we will continue to listen.
We are working hard to bring about change
By preparing our children and young people to cope with life’s challenges, we are building a more resilient generation of the future.
Making it Happen
What We Do
Equipping the Island with the skills and resources to manage our mental wellbeing, through evidence-based education.
Our Team
Not just a well-meaning bunch of people, we’ve got the credentials to back it up.
Fundraising
Helping us to make it happen. We wouldn’t be who we are, without the support of people like you.
