New Year resolution: Be happy in 2015 focus on your values.

Sarah Bateup, clinical lead at PsychologyOnline, says true happiness comes from aligning our behaviours with our values.

Welcome to 2014 and the “New Year, new you” frenzy. This is a time of year when many of us think about how we can improve ourselves and get fitter, thinner and happier. Have you ever caught yourself saying: “I’ll be a better person if I gave up chocolate?” Or, “I’ll be happier when I drop a dress size?”

Stop and ask yourself, deep down, whether those things are truly important. If you died tomorrow, what would you like people to say about you? Would you like these things written on your headstone?...

   “Here lies Ann. She did not eat chocolate.”
   “Here lies Jane. She was a size 10.”

Most of us would not wish to be remembered in this way. The New Year is a chance to think about what you would want to be remembered for and what you want your life to mean.

We all have a different idea of what is truly important in our lives. Some people will think about loving relationships, friendship and being a good parent. Others will consider things like being creative, making a difference, or spirituality.
Cognitive behavioural therapists call these concepts, values. Our values can motivate us to make meaningful changes in our lives. Values are different to goals, in that we cannot just tick the box when we have done them. If you value being a loving partner, for example, it is not a one off action. A value is an ongoing process.

We can choose whether our actions and behaviour move us towards our values. Have you noticed how it makes you feel when you are not behaving in accordance with what you value? If you value being creative and you stop using your imagination because you are too busy – how do you feel? If you value being a loving partner and you stop making time for them, how do you feel?

You may notice that when we divert from our values we tend to experience emotions like guilt, sadness and distress.
So what are your values? Here is a list of some common domains;

• Intimate relationship

• Friendship

• Parenting

• Family

• Employment

• Spirituality

• Creativity

• Health

• Culture

• Nature/animals/environment

• Sport/activity

• Education/learning

• Exploration/travel

Choose the ones that mean the most to you and ask yourself, how you are doing in these areas of your life? What mark would you give yourself out of 10 and how does that make you feel? Choose one value that you would like to work on.
What would you be willing to do, this week, to move towards your value? Try and keep in mind why you are willing to do this.

As baseball coach Yogi Berra famously said: “If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.”

PsychologyOnline is now available on the NHS in many regions of the country www.psychologyonline.co.uk

Camden: free online cognitive behavioural therapy now available

For the first time, NHS patients in Camden suffering with anxiety and depression can access innovative and highly effective cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), all without having to step outside the front door or visit a GP.

PsychologyOnline’s unique text-based CBT allows you to have one-on-one sessions with an experienced, fully qualified therapist online in real-time. It is clinically proven to be highly effective in the treatment of a range of mental health issues, including anxiety, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder.  

The service was developed to increase flexibility and access to therapy: there are no waiting lists, appointments can be booked for any day or time, and each session can take place anywhere to suit you. All you require is a computer or smartphone and a reliable internet connection.

If you are feeling anxious or depressed, but are either unable to access face-to-face CBT or prefer to try a more discreet service that can fit around your lifestyle, you can be referred to PsychologyOnline following the instructions below.  

Here are some of the questions we are often asked:-

What is CBT?

CBT focuses on developing strategies for tackling unhelpful thoughts and feelings that can affect how we feel.

CBT has a strong evidence-base for addressing specific problems and it is often offered to treat depression and a range of anxiety problems.

CBT focuses on your current problems and looks for practical ways to help you to overcome your problems on a daily basis. It aims to help you identify and break unhelpful cycles or patterns in thinking, feeling and behaving.

Who can benefit from CBT?

CBT can help people with depression and anxiety problems.  This includes anxiety disorders such as persistent worry, panic attacks and post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and obsessive compulsive disorder.

CBT is also helpful in treating many other conditions, including: chronic fatigue, chronic pain, physical symptoms without a medical diagnosis and sleep difficulties.

What is online CBT?

PsychologyOnline provides CBT where people communicate with their therapist online using instant messaging during each pre-arranged session. There is no video or audio; the therapy takes the form of a written conversation. The writing process is a very helpful part of the therapy as it helps to re-train your thinking, and you will have a written transcript to read later to help regain the benefit.

The secure website is simple to use; all you need is a smartphone or computer and an internet connection. PsychologyOnline has a Patient Engagement Team that you can call in advance of your sessions to help with any technical queries you might have.

You can book an appointment when it is convenient to you, including evenings and weekends, and you can choose to have the session at home so you don’t need to travel.  

Why is Camden introducing online therapy?

The NHS wants to offer patient choice and also increase access to therapy so patients who have problems getting to face-to-face appointments – perhaps because they work, have young children or are disabled - don’t need to travel. 

Who can access the service?

You can refer yourself to the service (you must live in Camden or be registered with a GP there) or you can ask your GP for a referral. You must be aged 18 or over. You can access the service without telling your GP.

How can I access the service? 

Visit www.psychologyonline.co.uk/camden or call 01954 230 066. Alternatively, contact your GP and ask for a referral to PsychologyOnline (they are an IAPT provider).

PsychologyOnline will need some registration details from you. PsychologyOnline will then send details on how to get started and you will be contacted by your therapist to arrange your first appointment at your convenience.

Some tips for coping with postnatal depression

However much you may have prepared and planned for a baby, no one can quite prepare you for what life will be like once it has arrived.

We know feeling low, tearful or tired in the first few weeks after giving birth, is common. If you have been feeling sad or low in mood continuously for three weeks or more, it could be postnatal depression (PND), says Sarah Bateup a psychological therapist and clinical lead at PsychologyOnline.

One in seven mothers will experience postnatal depression and many suffer needlessly because they are too embarrassed or afraid to admit they need help, explains Sarah. It's a common misconception that you would show symptoms immediately, but the reality is you can develop the condition any time within the first year after the baby is born, and even on some occasions can develop later.

Signs to look out for include a loss of pleasure and enjoyment in things and avoidance of activities you would normally enjoy. Often mothers showing signs of PND worry excessively, panic and find it hard to be reassured.

Self help tips for PND

Here are some of the self help tips mentioned by participants in the webinar that PsychologyOnline hosted to discuss the best ways to support women with PND.

• Feeling low after having a baby is normal, it is helpful to try and remember this
• Talk to someone – family, friends or professionals can all help in different ways.
• Talk to other mothers about their feelings and experiences and be honest about your own – you will find other mothers who feel/felt very similarly.
• Taking a bit of time for yourself is important, so you remember that you are not just a mother
• Don’t feel the need to pretend that you are doing well – allow yourself to acknowledge whatever feelings you have and try and invite others to show their support
• The sooner you ask for help, the sooner you will recover, so always ask if you find yourself with any symptoms.
• You will not be judged on your ability as a mother – postnatal depression is common.
• Cognitive behavioural therapy can be very beneficial for PND and online therapy is confidential, accessible and does not require you to leave the house for appointments. 
• You use instant messaging to receive your therapy and appointments can be taken from home at anytime which is particularly beneficial for those with a small baby.

Many of the participants mentioned the benefit of 'talking therapy' also known as cognitive behavioural therapy.  The benefit of the online therapy provided by PsychologyOnline is that it can be  accessed at home, over the internet, using a computer or mobile phone.

PsychologyOnline is increasingly available free to NHS patients and if you have a GP in Camden or West Kent you can self refer for treatment.

Where online therapy is not available on the NHS online therapy is available without GP referral through Thinkwell (www.thinkwell.co.uk) where people can purchase sessions directly.

If you would like to find out more about PND PsychologyOnline has prepared a presentation on YouTube http://bit.ly/1sFhuw5

Netmums supports postnatal depression research

Netmums recently supported PsychologyOnline with a research project, that aimed to see if mothers at risk of postnatal depression (PND) could be identified before they gave birth.

Researchers found that women who were socially isolated, had struggled to become pregnant or were embarrassed to ask for help were among those most vulnerable. This suggests that improving the questions on a midwife booking form could help better target those who may need support after giving birth.

Postnatal depression can even affect women that have adopted children so it can be part of the readjustment to parenthood, psychotherapist Kate Tilbury, from PsychologyOnline says:

“It is a big life change to go from an independent person to providing 24/7 care for someone who is totally dependent on you, however much wanted and loved that baby is.

“Women often have high expectations of themselves as mothers and can feel judged by those around them. If you don’t have supportive family prepared to help and are unable to notice in yourself that you may need help - which may in turn prevents you from reaching out to others - then this combination of factors can make you vulnerable to PND."

The survey asked women about their personal circumstances (support network) and their attitudes to talking about their feelings and used the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale to provide a widely recognised indicator of the severity of depression.

Health professionals are given very little training in PND, Jo Morton was an experienced midwife when she had her first child, but she didn’t at first recognise that she had PND herself.

 “Training to be a midwife you cover baby-blues briefly but you don’t want to scare women by dwelling on it, so I was unprepared for the severity of it.

 “I was in denial at first, I had good days and bad and put it down to being tired or being a new mum, but it really hit me at 5 months and then there was no escape. I did get unhelpful comments like ‘what have you got to be sad about', 'pull yourself together’ but when people realised how ill I was they became more supportive.”

Jo eventually recovered after private therapy and, realising how little support is available to mothers, set up a PND support-group called House of Light.

She says; “Women that come to us report physical symptoms, pounding headaches, chest pain, feelings of being numb or overwhelmed, feelings that if they can escape everything will be better and this can lead to suicidal tendencies. Many women are worried their children will be taken away if they admit to how bad they feel.”

Kate continues:“Many women (and their babies) are suffering needlessly from postnatal depression as the symptoms are not widely recognised and this can delay access to the effective treatment that is currently available to those in need.

“Often mothers only require a few of sessions of cognitive behavioural therapy to feel significantly better, so identifying those at risk at an earlier stage could help thousands of mothers gain greater pleasure from their babies in those first precious months.”

Both women agree that men can also feel overwhelmed by the new responsibility and suffer from PND, and that partners often feel they “can’t do anything right” and don’t know how best to provide the support needed.

Kate continues: “Having a baby has an impact on a couple, it requires readjustment of roles.  Having external, objective support from a therapist can help to show that difficulties making the transition are normal and to be expected.”

Self help tips

However much you may have prepared and planned for this baby, no one can quite prepare you for what life will be like, keep an eye out for any unhelpful or unrealistic expectations of yourself or others.

Here are some of the self help tips mentioned by participants in the webinar that PsychologyOnline hosted to discuss the research:

• Feeling low after having a baby is normal, it is helpful to try and remember this
• Talk to someone – family, friends or professionals can all help in different ways.
• Talk to other mothers about their feelings and experiences and be honest about your own – you will find other mothers who feel/felt very similarly.
• Taking a bit of time for yourself is important, so you remember that you are not just a mother
• Don’t feel the need to pretend that you are doing well – allow yourself to acknowledge whatever feelings you have and try and invite others to show their support
• The sooner you ask for help, the sooner you will recover, so always ask if you find yourself with any symptoms.
• You will not be judged on your ability as a mother – postnatal depression is common.
• Cognitive behavioural therapy can be very beneficial for PND and online therapy is confidential, accessible and does not require you to leave the house for appointments. 
• You use instant messaging to receive your therapy and appointments can be taken from home at anytime which is particularly beneficial for those with a small baby.

 PsychologyOnline is increasingly available free to NHS patients and if you have a GP in Camden or West Kent you can self refer for treatment.

Where online therapy is not available on the NHS online therapy is available without GP referral through Thinkwell (www.thinkwell.co.uk) where people can purchase sessions directly.

 If you would like to find out more about PND PsychologyOnline has prepared a presentation on YouTube http://bit.ly/1sFhuw5

World Mental Health Day in Camden

World Mental Health Day is an opportunity to talk openly about how you are feeling and there are a couple of events happening today and tomorrow in Camden.

Remploy is hosting an event  today (10th October) and Mind in Camden has an evening session tomorrow (11th October).

One-in-four people will experience a mental health problem each year, worries about things like money, health, jobs and benefits can make it harder for people to cope. If you are struggling then there is help available and the first step is to talk to your GP.

Camden is one of the first places in the country to offer self-referral for online therapy from PsychologyOnline for people with depression or anxiety.

This is very confidential and all you need is a mobile phone or computer with internet access to receive support from an experienced psychotherapist in your own home.  You don’t need to travel or even to meet the therapist face-to-face.

Date, time and place:

Friday 10th October 2014 – 10.00 – 14.00
Remploy Caledonian Road Branch
1st Floor Delta House, 4-10 North Road London N7 9EY

Saturday 11 October 2014 - 17.00 – 19.00
MIND in Camden, 9-15 Camden Road ,
London NW1 9LQ

World Mental Health Day in West Kent

World Mental Health Day is an opportunity to talk openly about how you are feeling and there are a several events happening today in West Kent that are a celebration of wellbeing.

It is possible for all of us to improve our own mental health and this gives us resilience to cope with the ups and downs of life.  The events this week aim to bring people together and share things that make us feel good.

One-in-four people will experience a mental health problem each year, worries about things like money, health, jobs and benefits can make it harder for people to manage. If you are struggling then there is help available and the first step is to talk to your GP.

West Kent is one of the first places in the country to offer self-referral for online therapy  from PsychologyOnline for people with depression or anxiety.

This is very confidential and all you need is a mobile phone or computer with internet access to receive support from an experienced psychotherapist in your own home.  You don’t need to travel or even to meet the therapist face-to-face.

A spokesman for NHS West Kent Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said:

“It’s important for us to offer patients choice and help them access talking therapies quickly. By offering these therapies to patients in West Kent via a wide range of providers, we have been able to reduce our waiting times and support patients who are able to access these services faster.”

Here are some of the events happening today:

Date, time and place:

Mind Fitness
Friday 10th October lunchtime
Sevenoaks Area Mind
Sevenoaks District Council, Argyle Road,
Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 1HG

Tonbridge Wellbeing Day
Friday 10th October  10.00- 14.00
Tonbridge River Centre, Medway Wharf Street,
Tonbridge, TN9

Wellbeing Celebration
Friday 10 October 10.00 – 14.00
Maidstone County Hall, Sessions House,
Maidstone

World Mental Health Open Day
Friday 10 October  13.00 – 16.00
Ashford Live It Well Centre, Canterbury Road,
Ashford

More information
www.liveitwell.org.uk
http://www.liveitwell.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/World-Mental-Health-Day-2014.pdf

World Mental Health Day celebrated in Tonbridge with skiffle

World Mental Health Day in Tonbridge will be celebrated with an explosion of sound and rhythm as it is led by Skiffle for Change.

Skiffle was a musical phenomenon that erupted in Britain during the mid 1950s during a time of austerity. The charm of skiffle is its humour and simplicity, coupled with the exploitation of household implements to create music – all you needed was a few mates, a couple of tea chests, three chords on the guitar and a washboard and you were off!

The Skiffle for Change team have joined with Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council to create Tonbridge Wellbeing Day, this Friday 10th October at the River Centre in Tonbridge.

Drop in and enjoy a range of entertaining interactive sessions throughout the day, including

• performances by Skiffle Express
• talks on nutrition
• talks on mental health awareness
• cookery demonstrations
• activity taster sessions.

As well as all of the organisations and sessions there will also be a prize draw with some fantastic prizes up for grabs, and very importantly free refreshments all day.

One-in-four people will experience a mental health problem each year, worries about things like money, health, jobs and benefits can make it harder for people to cope. If you are struggling then there is help available and the first step is to talk to your GP.

West Kent is one of the first places in the country to offer self-referral for online therapy from PsychologyOnline for people with depression or anxiety.

This is very confidential and all you need is a mobile phone or computer with internet access to receive support from an experienced psychotherapist in your own home.  You don’t need to travel or even to meet the therapist face-to-face.

A spokesman for NHS West Kent Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said:

“It’s important for us to offer patients choice and help them access talking therapies quickly. By offering these therapies to patients in West Kent via a wide range of providers, we have been able to reduce our waiting times and support patients who are able to access these services faster.”

The event takes place at the River Centre in Tonbridge and brings together a wide range of services and organisations including, Shaw Trust, Kent Libraries, Mental Health Resource, PsychologyOnline and CRI.

Date, time and place:

Friday 10 October 2014, 11.00 – 15.00
The River Centre, Medway Wharf Road,
Tonbridge, Kent, TN9 1RE

Read more on the Skiffle for Change website.

World Mental Health Day Brighton and Hove

World Mental Health Day is an opportunity to talk openly about how you are feeling and there are a events happening all over the country to encourage people to share their tips for improving wellbeing.

In Brighton and Hove the city council is funding and supporting an exciting programme of events created by local organisations and charities to help you find out to maintain and improve your mental health and wellbeing, including information and suggestions about trying 'the five ways to wellbeing'.

Events include:  

• A drop in event at Community Pavillion that offers activities to enjoy and the chance to discover more about mental health and wellbeing support and services are available across the city.
• free interactive magic activities for young people on 18 and 19 October in the Marlborough Theatre
• Jo Gatford local author of Little White Lies reading and discussing her prize-winning novel
• Jackie Kaye, Scottish lesbian author and poet reads from her stories and poetry

One-in-four people will experience a mental health problem each year, worries about things like money, health, jobs and benefits can make it harder for people to cope. If you are struggling then there is help available and the first step is to talk to your GP.

Brighton and Hove now offers online therapy for people with depression or anxiety.

This is very confidential and all you need is a mobile phone or computer with internet access to receive support from an experienced psychotherapist in your own home.  You don’t need to travel or even to meet the therapist face-to-face.

World Mental Health Day is a World Health Organisation initiative, designed to raise the profile of mental health issues and to challenge stigma.

Date, time and place:

Friday 10th October 2014 10.30 – 15.00
World Mental Health Day Celebration
Mind in Brighton & Hove
Community Pavilion,  The Level
Brighton

Friday 10 October 2014  14.00
Jo Gatford, local author, prize-winning novelist
Jubilee Library
Brighton

Saturday 11 October 2014  18.30 – 21.00
Mindout and Jackie Kaye  lesbian author and poet
St George's Church, Kemptown
Brighton

18 – 19th October 2014
Secret Magic Session
Marlborough Theatre


More information:
http://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/content/health-and-social-care/health-and-wellbeing/world-mental-health-day-2014
http://right-here-brightonandhove.org.uk/activities/
http://www.bics.nhs.uk/patient-information/brighton-and-hove-wellbeing-service/

World Mental Health Day in Barnet

World Mental Health Day is an opportunity to talk openly about how you are feeling and there are a events happening all over the country to encourage people to share their tips for improving wellbeing.

Barnet will be celebrating  World Mental Health Day with free activities and food on Friday 10 October 2014.  The activities will include live music, dancing as well as presentations

The event is jointly organised by voluntary organisations, Barnet Enfield and Haringey Mental Health Trust and Barnet Local Authority.

Dr Charlotte Benjamin, a local GP and the mental health lead at NHS Barnet Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said:

“Improving mental health services is one of our key priorities as a CCG. As with any health issue, it’s really important mental health issues are spotted as early as possible before they can become something more serious. It’s up to all of us to help raise awareness of mental illness and to make sure that no one has to struggle on alone.

“Mixed anxiety and depression is the most common mental disorder in Britain, with almost 9% of people meeting criteria for diagnosis.

“We know that it can be hard to talk about worries or concerns, usually for fear of what others may think, so asking for help can be difficult. But if you are concerned about your mental health problem, talk to your GP, confide in a friend or visit the NHS choices mental health helplines page. Equally, if you know someone who is suffering, reach out to them and let them know that you are there to support them.”

One-in-four people will experience a mental health problem each year, worries about things like money, health, jobs and benefits can make it harder for people to cope. If you are struggling then there is help available and the first step is to talk to your GP.

Barnet is one of the first places in the country to offer online therapy from PsychologyOnline for people with depression or anxiety.

This is very confidential and all you need is a mobile phone or computer with internet access to receive support from an experienced psychotherapist in your own home.  You don’t need to travel or even to meet the therapist face-to-face.

Date and time of event:

Friday 10th October 2014 13.00 – 17.00
Hendon Lane , St Mary's Church Hall
Finchley N3 1TS

More information
http://www.beh-mht.nhs.uk/

World Mental Health Day in Hull and East Riding

World Mental Health Day is an opportunity to talk openly about how you are feeling and there are a events happening all over the country to encourage people to share their tips for improving wellbeing.

In Hull the City Health Care Partnership CIC is encouraging people to find out more about the support available over a free buffet  and refreshments in the city library.

It is launching a new service  “Let’s Talk Depression and Anxiety Services Hull” and there will be an opportunity to talk to some of the people involved.

One-in-four people will experience a mental health problem each year, worries about things like money, health, jobs and benefits can make it harder for people to cope. If you are struggling then there is help available and the first step is to talk to your GP.

East Riding and Hull now offer online therapy people with depression or anxiety.

This is very confidential and all you need is a mobile phone or computer with internet access to receive support from an experienced psychotherapist in your own home.  You don’t need to travel or even to meet the therapist face-to-face.

Date, time and place:

Friday 10th October 2014 – 16.00- 18.00
Hull Central Library, Albion Street
Hull HU1 3TF

http://letstalk.chcpcic.org.uk/