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/

World Mental Health Day in Norfolk

World Mental Health Day will be celebrated with Molly Dancers, bands, stilt walkers, live animals, face painting and more at a fun event in the centre of Great Yarmouth.

This positive event to raise awareness and help reduce the stigma surrounding mental health.

Brandon Lewis MP will launch the event along with Great Yarmouth Mayor Marlene Fairhead, and Lady Dannett MBE.

There will be a wide variety of stallholders, partners and stakeholders taking part. You'll also be able to meet agencies from statutory, voluntary and business sectors, and service user and carers.

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.

Norfolk is one of the first places in the country to offer online therapy to 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:

Saturday 11 October 2014, 11.00 – 15.00
Great Yarmouth market place, Great Yarmouth NR30 1NU

More information:

www.nsft.nhs.uk

http://www.nsft.nhs.uk/Event/Documents/World%20Mental%20Health%20Day%202014%20Leaflet.pdf

World Mental Health Day time to improve wellbeing

World Mental Health Day on 10th October provides an opportunity for us all to take stock of our own sense of wellbeing and also to focus on what makes us feel good. It is thought that just one minute each day will make a difference.

Research suggests that it is more effective to write about your feelings than talk about your problems, and that simply making a note of three things that made you feel good each day can make a lasting improvement in your mood.

People are often encouraged to talk over a problem with a friend. The effectiveness of this approach was investigated by researchers Emmanualle Zech and Bernard Rime* from the University of Louvain in Belgium.

They encouraged participants to select the most negative and upsetting incident from their past and think about it.  The participants were then split into two groups and invited to talk with a supportive experimenter.

In one group they discussed the important issue and in another group participants talked about more mundane issues, their emotional wellbeing was measured at intervals.  Although the group with the serious issue felt that the experience had been beneficial, in fact the results showed no improvement in how well they were coping over the group that had been discussing the weather.

So if talking to an untrained individual provides no improvement what can help?

Other researchers** have encouraged participants to write down their deepest thoughts and feelings in a diary and these people were also analysed for improvements in wellbeing. The results from diary keepers showed a remarkable boost in their psychological and physical wellbeing.

This left the researchers with a challenge – why should writing have such significant benefits when talking didn’t?

The answer is that talking to an untrained person is unstructured; writing however encourages the creation of a story line, helping someone to make sense of what has happened and work towards a solution.

This is the basis for the CBT offered by PsychologyOnline.  The act of answering questions from an experienced psychotherapist using text, combines the benefits of a structured CBT approach with those of the improvement in thought processing associated with writing.

However, you don’t need to have depression to feel a lift in mood from keeping a diary.  Researchers have also found that writing each day about three things that have made you feel grateful, however trivial, will within a week make you feel more upbeat.

Why not choose 10th October 2014 to give it a try?



References

*. E. Zech and B.Rime 2005 Is talking about an emotional experience helpful: Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy 12, pages 270-87.

**. SJ  Lepore and JM Smyth (eds) The writing cure how expressive writing promotes health and emotional wellbeing: Washington DC, American Psychological Association.

Out-of-hours therapy popular in Norfolk

In parts of rural Norfolk it can be difficult to get to appointments, especially if you have to rely on public transport or don't want to take time off from work or college.  This has made the flexibility offered by PsychologyOnline to have therapy from home very popular.

Results from the successful pilot of PsychologyOnline, which uses text-based cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), revealed over 50% of appointments were outside of normal 9-5 office hours; with the most popular time being 7-9pm.

Patrick Wymbs, clinical service lead for central Norfolk’s Wellbeing Service, explained that improving access to therapy was one of the reasons why the new treatment has been introduced.

He said: “If you are working or have young children, taking time out during the busy day can  be awkward.

“The internet is an integral part of people’s lives and we believe that offering online therapy is an important part of the future. Including PsychologyOnline in our portfolio of services offers clients greater choice and flexibility in accessing support.”

PsychologyOnline uses instant messaging to support one-on-one therapy with an experienced psychotherapist. The client doesn’t need to meet the therapist so the sessions can be taken at home or other convenient place where there is access to the internet using a mobile phone or computer.

The data shows that people of all ages are happy to access therapy in this way; one in ten of the clients were over 55 years of age. Recovery rates were also above that expected achieving higher clinical recovery rates than the national average for face-to-face therapy.

Kate Tilbury, therapist team leader at PsychologyOnline, explained that once a person chooses the online service they are given consistent care with the same therapist.

“In Norfolk we are treating people with a range of conditions such as anxiety and depression at varying degrees of severity,” she said.

 “Our therapists are trained to the highest level which means that once the client has developed trust and begun to make progress they stay with that therapist.

“CBT works by changing the way we think and feel about problems. The process of answering questions through writing is very effective for retraining the brain. Using text also allows people to be more honest about their feelings. This helps the therapist to work with them on the real issues they are facing and brings about a quicker and more sustained recovery.”

Patients in the Norfolk pilot needed on average six sessions to achieve a recovery, 40% fewer sessions than would be expected from traditional face-to-face talking therapy.

Patrick added: “The Wellbeing Service aims to support people in making changes in their lives, to manage levels of stress as well as symptoms of anxiety and depression. With PsychologyOnline, no one else needs to know that the client is having therapy so it overcomes the embarrassment that some people still experience with mental health.”

The Wellbeing Service is free and open to anyone aged 16 years and over in Norfolk and Waveney. People can be referred by their GP or can self-refer online by visiting www.readytochange.org.uk or telephoning 0300 123 1503.

PsychologyOnline named Top Innovation

PsychologyOnline has been recognised for its innovation in healthcare which is making therapy for depression and anxiety more effective, more accessible and more widely available.

PsychologyOnline was named as one of the top five innovations in Cambridge at a ceremony hosted by the Cambridge News.

The judges panel, composed of leading local and worldwide figures, described the service as one of the best products developed within the city in the last 12 months.

CEO Barnaby Perks was delighted to receive such an endorsement.  He said:

“Cambridge is known of its technology and for its excellence in healthcare, we are honoured that against this track record our innovation has been recognised.

“We are involved in some exciting research collaborations so the innovation will continue, supported by a strong evidence-base gained from our NHS contracts. “

“We have reached market at the right time, as strategically the NHS is moving towards the promotion of wellbeing on a parity with treatment of physical conditions. As a result we are seeing increasing demand for our service as it helps commissioning groups to exceed their objectives.”

“For those struggling with depression or anxiety, online access to an experienced therapist provides an effective and highly confidential service and that is what we have strived to achieve.”

PsychologyOnline provides one-on-one therapy with an experienced psychotherapist via instant messaging.  The therapy is within a secure online environment and the user only requires a mobile phone, tablet or computer with internet connection to gain access so does not need to leave the home to gain support.  This also allows appointments to be made 24/7.

Chief medical officer: Make mental health bigger priority

Mental health needs to be more of a priority, with targets for waiting times and more protection for funding, says England's chief medical officer.

Dame Sally Davies said there were signs funding was being cut at a time when the cost to the economy was rising.

Her annual report said mental illness led to the loss of 70 million working days last year - up 24% since 2009.

As well as calling for greater emphasis on mental illness in the NHS, she also said employers could play a role too.

She recommended they allowed people with mental health problems the option of flexible working to keep them in employment and maintaining regular contact during sickness leave.

Overall, mental illness costs the economy between £70bn and £100bn in lost productivity, benefit payments and absence from work.

In terms of NHS spending, it accounts for 13% of the budget despite causing 28% of illness.

Dame Sally said there were signs spending in real terms had been cut since 2011 - and called for this disinvestment to stop.

On top of that, she said, access to services needed to improve as three-quarters of people with a mental illness did not receive treatment.

She suggested targets for waiting times - as have been introduced in other areas of the health service such as A&E units and for routine surgery - could make a difference.

Young people in particular needed better access to support, she said, as half of adults with mental health problems develop them before the age of 15 and three-quarters by 18.

Dame Sally said the costs were "astounding" and NHS bosses needed to treat mental health "more like physical health".

"Anyone with mental illness deserves good quality support at the right time," she said.

"Underinvestment in mental health services, particularly for young people, simply does not make sense economically."

She told the BBC she was particularly concerned about those whose mental health affected their ability to work.

"One in four adults suffers some form of mental ill-health all of the time," she said.

"But what I'm concerned about is how do we support people with mental ill-health who fall out of work.

"How do we prevent them falling out of work and how do we get them back into the workforce because this is costing us a lot in upset for those people and their families as well as our economy,"

She went on to say that employers can make a significant difference to the health of their staff.

"They can make it by actually talking about it, knowing how their people are, whether they have ill health, supporting them by giving them flexible working if they need it, by reducing stigma."

Dame Sally also said that if an employee went sick, an employer could call them up "sensitively and talk to them, you can help them get back to work earlier".

It comes after a number of reports have highlighted how mental health services are being squeezed.

In January Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg described mental health as the "poor cousin" in the health service.

Laura May, who has a borderline personality disorder, told the BBC that having an understanding employer is the most important factor for her."My NHS care, while it is very good, is not the reason I work well. The reason I work well is because of my employer who supports me.

"If I am particularly unwell, crisis care is very important for me because it will get me back to work very, very quickly. I think crisis care in England is not particularly good, so that is definitely an area that could be improved."

Andy Bell, deputy chief executive of the Centre for Mental Health, said: "Better, faster and earlier help for mental health is vital to improve people's lives and represents excellent value for money.

Care and Support Minister Norman Lamb said the CMO's recommendations would be "considered carefully", adding attempts were being made to make mental health more of a priority, including the possibility of introducing targets.

"I want to build a fairer society where mental health is treated with the same importance as physical health," he said.

Article originally published here. Written by Nick Triggle, Health correspondent, BBC News

East Riding selects PsychologyOnline to improve access to 'talking therapies'

The East Riding Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has just announced that it has begun offering PsychologyOnline within its new portfolio of ‘talking therapies'. The move is to provide patients with better access to therapy and more choice of treatment.

Dr Gina Palumbo, chair of the East Riding CCG said: “We recognise how important it is for people in distress to gain swift access to specialist support and we have been working hard for some time to increase local availability and improve access.

“We are confident that these new services and wide range of providers will help to improve the health and wellbeing of people living in the East Riding.

“They will also help us meet our commitment to supporting vulnerable people with mental health issues to remain healthy and independent.”

Talking therapy services are aimed at supporting people who have moderate depression, stress or anxiety. Patients are referred by their GP and after an assessment will be offered a choice of treatment, which includes text-based cognitive behavioural therapy with PsychologyOnline.

With PsychologyOnline it is possible to have therapy with an experienced psychotherapist using instant messaging, so there is no requirement to make an appointment to meet the therapist face-to-face. Therapy sessions can be arranged at a time to suit the patient, including evenings and weekends, and all that is required is a mobile phone, tablet or computer and an internet connection.

PsychologyOnline is particularly beneficial for patients who find leaving the home difficult, for those who are working and don’t want to take time off work, or for those who don’t wish for others to know they are having therapy.

The treatment is also very effective. Barnaby Perks, chief executive of PsychologyOnline, comments that in clinical trials, the benefits of text-based CBT were found to be sustained:

“CBT works by changing the way we think and feel about problems. The process of answering questions through writing is very effective for retraining the brain.

“Research has shown that patients using text-based CBT are more honest about their feelings, which helps a quicker and more sustained recovery. As a result we have had recovery rates of more than 60% within 40% fewer sessions than would be expected from traditional face-to-face talking therapy.”

Patients in the East Riding who are already on the waiting list are being prioritised for treatment.
For those in other parts of the country who are unable to access text-based therapy on the NHS, PsychologyOnline offers its Thinkwell service which does not require a GP referral.

How to improve children's mental health services - Sarah Brennan of YoungMinds

Children and young people's mental health services are too few, too poor and too stressed, causing untold suffering to children and their families. There are government inquiries, reviews and a new taskforce under way to address the issues, but what would services look like if they were working well?

Young people's mental health services would be embedded in the heart of communities. This doesn't mean ivory towers with big signs on the front of the building saying "mental health services" (we know how mental health stigma builds walls for young people who need help), but places that are young people-friendly, informal and welcoming.

They should be one-stop shops that offer other services like sexual health and youth services. Places where they can just walk in and not have to be referred by a doctor, where they don't feel intimidated and they wouldn't have to wait months for help. Places like the Well Centre in Streatham, a great example of a youth health centre that has drop-in counselling services for young people.

Services would be wide-ranging – some delivered as structured therapy, some peer-to-peer support or group work. There would also be a range of digital services, along with face-to-face support, helping young people to take care of themselves and reaching out to those who don't have the confidence to ask for it themselves.

At 18, if a young person needed to move on to adult services, this would be simple – there would be no more falling off the edge of the "transition cliff" as is now a common occurrence. Children and teenagers need very different services, so support would be age-appropriate – neither patronising to teenagers or overly complex for children.

If children and young people are suffering from serious mental health problems, community outreach teams would be by their side to support them. Sussex children and young people's mental health services run an urgent help team – experienced mental health workers who support young people in crisis and their families, whether in the community or on an inpatient basis near their homes. This kind of model is very successful: there is evidence that early intervention when a mental health crisis first occurs reduces the severity of the illness and the improves the ability of young people and their families to manage it.

Schools should adopt whole-school approaches to building emotional resilience – everyone from the dinner ladies to the headteacher needs to understand how to help young people to cope with what the modern world throws at them. Preventing mental health problems arising in young people is just as vital as acting swiftly when they arise. Schools should also pay for mental health services to be available to all pupils if they need them. Working closely together with other schools and healthcare services would mean streamlined support and reduce silo working.

When children and young people are in distress, it is also a difficult time for parents and carers, who can feel guilty, powerless and overwhelmed. They need places where they find out what they can do to support their children and get support themselves. The YoungMinds parents helpline takes thousands of calls each year from worried parents and careers – another example of a service that works.

Lastly, all of the above needs resources. Children and young people's mental health gets a paltry 6% of the NHS mental health budget. This derisory amount is simply not enough.

Sarah Brennan is chief executive of the charity YoungMinds. This article was originally published on The Guardian website.

Can online CBT overcome diabetes distress?

Diabetes distress is a term used to describe the sense of frustration, anger and disillusionment that can lead to a reduction in a person’s ability to manage the condition over time and this neglect can have serious implications for the person’s health.

Although diabetes distress is very common, it is often not recognised by Diabetes Nurse Specialists (DNSs) or GPs for a number of reasons.  Firstly, there is not enough time in an appointment to ask a patient how they are feeling or if they are coping; secondly, many DNSs have said that they feel ill-equipped to cope with the response.

Coming to terms with the implications of life with diabetes takes a considerable adjustment; symbolically it can be equated to being given care of a baby that is never going to grow up.  However, there is little psychological support available for adults newly diagnosed with this condition.

If low mood and depression are detected some are referred to the Improving Access to Psychological Therapy programme, but as the therapists are not medically trained they cannot integrate the psychological care with the diabetes care.  So there are few places for DNS to signpost patients for psychological support.

To address this PsychologyOnline has secured Small Business Research Initiative for Healthcare (SBRI Healthcare) funding to see how its approach to cognitive behaviourial therapy (CBT) can be used to treat diabetes distress.

The collaborative project aims to improve glycaemic control and psychological wellbeing through integrated care.  It is led by Ann Hayes, chairman of PsychologyOnline, alongside Professor Khalida Ismail, who leads the Diabetes and Mental Health clinical service at King's College Hospital and Bruce Hellman, founder of uMotif, a health and wellbeing app.

Previous research at KCH has shown that specially trained DNSs delivering face-to-face CBT can help patients improve their blood glucose management.  So Prof Ismail, a specialist in liaison psychiatry, is very interested in the potential for online CBT.

She says that around a third of patients have psychological issues interfering with their confidence to manage their diabetes: “Living with diabetes requires lifelong skills in calculating insulin doses and carbohydrate portions, taking into account physical activity. It is therefore understandable that some people may need psychological support from time to time to help them build their confidence towards effective blood glucose control.

“On the other hand, people with diabetes also have busy lives so trying to find the time and money to travel and attend face-to-face therapy sessions on top of the diabetes appointments is not always possible.

“I am very interested to investigate how online CBT integrated into usual diabetes care delivered by a specialist nurse can be used to provide an effective intervention.”

Online CBT is very effective at treating anxiety conditions such as those developed during diabetes distress and PsychologyOnline’s Thinkwell service is available without a GP referral.

Opportunities for experienced CBT therapists discussed at BABCP conference

Sarah Bateup will be talking to therapists about opportunities to work for  PsychologyOnline at the BABCP conference this week. Rapid expansion has meant that the company is looking for more associates to join its team of clinical affiliates.

PsychologyOnline  provides live text-based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for clients who are referred via the NHS, who self refer or self-fund.

PsychologyOnline is an exciting and innovative new way of delivering live CBT. Therapists communicate with users through typed instant messaging in a secure virtual meeting room. All that is required is a computer and internet connection so the therapist doesn't need to travel.

Sarah says: “Demand for our service is growing, we are operating a number of contracts in collaboration with NHS providers in England and also allow self-funded patients to self refer through our Thinkwell service where PsychologyOnline is not available in their area.”

Flexibility is appreciated by the current team as Sarah explains: “Our therapists combine freelance work for PsychologyOnline with their existing workloads, managing their diaries to suit individual circumstances.  Although the majority of our therapists live in the UK, some live overseas, which means that we can provide a 24/7 service to clients and flexibility to therapists.

“Therapists are fully trained to use our system provided with regular clinical supervision and CPD, so there are lots of opportunities to develop your skills and gain new experiences. ”

PsychologyOnline is interested in hearing from BABCP-accredited therapist with more than three years post-qualification experience.

For more about this exciting opportunity please visit www.psychologyonline.co.uk/therapists.

West Kent: our service is now free for NHS patients in West Kent!

Our convenient, easy to use service is now FREE for NHS patients in West Kent over 18 years of age.

You can refer yourself to the service (although you do need to be registered with a GP in West Kent) or you can ask your GP for a referral.

How to Access this FREE service

• Self-referral

  To self-refer yourself for PsychologyOnline, please call 01954 230066 between 9am and 5.30pm (UK time). We will need some registration details from you, including details about your GP practice (if you are registered with one). Self-referring allows you to access our service promptly and easily without the need to visit your GP.
  We are working on enabling you to self-refer directly through this website. In the meantime, please call us as above.

• GP Referral

  Your GP can also refer you to our services. Please ask them to complete the PsychologyOnline referral form on their patient management system (called DORIS) and send it to us by email following the instructions on the form.

Once we receive your referral, you will be sent details on how to get started. You will be contacted by your therapist to arrange your first appointment at your convenience.

To find out where else we are available through the NHS, please go to http://www.psychologyonline.co.uk/NHS-patients.

Do you know the symptoms of postnatal depression?

FREE Webinar 10:00 – 11:00, 9 July 2014

About 15% of mothers will develop postnatal depression (PND) and it can affect women up to a year after they have given birth says Sarah Bateup, cognitive behavioural therapist and clinical lead at PsychologyOnline. Sarah is chairing our forthcoming webinar on PND which begins at 10:00 BST on 9 July 2014.

Sarah explains: “Most women will experience symptoms of feeling a bit tearful and tired, particularly in the first few weeks after birth.  This is perfectly normal and these feelings generally resolve without treatment.  With PND, these symptoms tend to be more severe and go on for longer.

“Postnatal depression often starts with feelings of sadness and low mood that last for three or more weeks without going away. Mothers lose pleasure and enjoyment in things and often avoid activities that they would usually participate in. Often mothers find that can worry excessively and find it hard to be reassured.

“These feelings can be accompanied by physical symptoms such as headaches, feeling sick, butterflies in the stomach, dizziness and a racing heart. Mothers may not want to be around other people or to leave the house. In extreme cases, they may stop sleeping, eating and taking general care of themselves and their baby.”

Sarah has successfully treated women with PND and says that, very often, it only takes a few sessions in order for people to begin to feel better.

“Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is particularly beneficial for conditions like PND. It is a collaborative process where the therapist and patient work together to develop a good understanding of the processes that are maintaining the symptoms.

“Usually maintaining factors are driven by the way that our mind begins to interpret things (cognitions) and our consequential actions or behaviours. For example, when we feel anxious or low in mood it is very common for people to start to avoid doing things. Unfortunately, avoidance usually results in people feeling worse.

“Understanding these processes can be very helpful in itself. The therapist and patient can then 
work on developing ways to manage and improve the symptoms. CBT can be a very effective treatment.

“PsychologyOnline’s approach to CBT is particularly beneficial, as people do not need to leave their home for an appointment.  Instead, it allows them to work with a therapist online using secure instant messages and gain the skills and strategies needed to cope more effectively. There is no need for new-mums to even change out of their pyjamas!“

To better understand the factors that contribute to postnatal depression and why some women may not seek help, PsychologyOnline has run a national survey in partnership with Infertility Network UK and with the support of the online community Netmums.

The findings will be discussed in a webinar, which aims to raise awareness of how to recognise the condition and consider the types of support that mothers would find beneficial.

The free webinar “Can postnatal depression be predicted?’ will be held on 9 July 2014 at 10:00. If you would like to register your interest, please email info@psychologyonline.co.uk with “PND webinar” in the subject line giving your name, organisation (if applicable) and email address.

Commissioning 2014: Announcement of excellent clinical recovery rates

Commissioning 2014 will see the announcement of excellent clinical recovery results achieved by PsychologyOnline in support of the Surrey Mental Health CCG Collaboration; which was the first to commission the innovative online service.

One year on the instant messaging-based cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) service is proving a successful way to treat patients with depression, anxiety and stress-related disorders. Many patients are choosing to have out-of-office hours therapy from the comfort of their own homes.

Headline findings:

•          67% of all appointments out of office hours;

•          Average hours of therapy before completion:

-          2.2 hours step 2 patients (mild to moderate anxiety & depression);

-          6.2 hours step 3 patients (moderate to severe anxiety & depression);

-          9.8 hours step 3+ patients (severe to complex anxiety & depression);

•          65% clinical recovery overall (national figure of 40-50%).

PsychologyOnline uses instant messaging to support live CBT one-on-one with an experienced therapist via a secure internet connection on a computer, tablet or smartphone.

PsychologyOnline is assisting a growing number of commissioning groups to address the government's  “no health without mental health” pledge, which promises better access to psychological therapy, more effective and higher-quality treatments, and improved support for those caring for a mentally ill friend or relative.

The Surrey CCG collaboration was the first NHS organisation to adopt PsychologyOnline and a year on it has achieved some impressive results.

Dr Michael Reilly, director of Business Development for PsychologyOnline, be discussing the findings at the show and demonstrating how commissioners can extract greater knowledge from the extensive data PsychologyOnline collects. 

Commissioning is 25 – 26 June 2014 at the Excel conference centre in London.  You can visit PsychologyOnline on stand MM75.

(Webinar) Postnatal depression: Coming into the light

Webinar 10:00 – 11:00 9th July 2014

Postnatal depression transformed former midwife Joanne Morton’s life in many ways. She will be talking about her experiences in our forthcoming webinar on postnatal depression at 10:00, 9 July 2014.

“Pregnancy can bring about all sorts of anxieties; a woman’s body and mind change dramatically as you prepare to give birth and take responsibility of a tiny human life.  It is not surprising some mothers struggle to cope” says Joanne.

The symptoms of postnatal depression are often not recognised, even by health professionals.

Joanne continues: “The months after my son’s birth were difficult.  In the early stages of the illness, I felt some ups and downs but put this down to tiredness.  After five months, I felt absolutely panic-stricken for no apparent reason and this anxiety led me to stop eating properly. I lost a significant amount of weight.

“I couldn’t sleep and was utterly exhausted.  I was afraid to go outside or speak to people and often wouldn’t answer the phone if it rang.  I was often in tears and couldn’t explain why.  

“At this point I knew it couldn’t continue and I spoke to my GP and health visitor.  I was put on an NHS waiting list to receive counselling but the thing with postnatal depression is that you need to get treatment straight away, not in many months time. 

“I eventually decided to pay for private counselling. I developed a brilliant relationship with my counsellor and now feel 100% recovered, but I could still not get over the alarming lack of support for mothers like me.  I knew I had to do something about it.”

Joanne’s experience prompted her to retrain as an integrative counsellor and establish House of Light, a postnatal depression support group based in Hull, and to campaign for better support for women with this condition.

Joanne adds: “A big misconception people have is that they think if they admit to having postnatal depression, their child or children will be taken away.  This just isn’t true. 

“Families and partners need to become more aware of the warning signs of postnatal depression by being told what to look out for before their partner or daughter gives birth.

“All some mothers need is an objective person to talk through their feelings and concerns and they will often get better very quickly.”

If you would like to book your place at the webinar "Can Post Natal Depression be Predicted" on 9 July, send your name, organisation (if relevant) and email address to info@psychologyonline.co.uk with “PND webinar” in the subject field.