Therapy For You, an NHS Talking Therapies service operating in North East and South East Essex, is revolutionising mental health support by offering innovative online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) courses. Developed in collaboration between Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT) and Omnitherapy, these courses provide free, clinically-driven resources that enable individuals to access essential mental health support conveniently and immediately.
The demand for improved access to mental health services has gained significant attention, with Chancellor Rishi Sunak recently allocating an additional £150 million in funding to address this issue across the UK. However, limited availability of high-quality therapists has resulted in extended waiting times for treatment, both in the NHS and private practices. In 2020-21 alone, there were over 1.4 million referrals to talking therapy services in the UK, highlighting the pressing need for alternative approaches.
Therapy For You’s online CBT courses aim to overcome these barriers and address the reluctance of some individuals to seek face-to-face therapy due to social stigma. The current collection of 9 courses include:
- Depression
- Stress & Anxiety
- Panic Attacks
- Understanding Self-Esteem
- Living Well With Physical Health Problems
- Bereavement
- Mindfulness
- Managing Stress in Parenthood
- Postnatal Depression
By utilising digital platforms, the service offers immediate support to thousands of people in Colchester, Tendring, Southend, Castle Point, and Rochford.
Richard Black, NHS Talking Therapies Digital Services Manager at EPUT, emphasizes the importance of online services, stating, “Whether seeking support privately or through the NHS, accessing vital mental health assistance can be time-consuming or intimidating for some. However, patients should not have to wait for support or compromise on their wellbeing. That’s why we partnered with Omnitherapy to develop a new type of clinically-written and professionally-delivered online CBT course. This allows individuals in North East and South East Essex to access essential support for free, whenever and wherever they need it.”
Therapy For You offers a diverse range of online CBT courses, featuring video sessions presented by qualified NHS Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners (PWPs). Currently, the collection includes nine courses covering topics such as depression, stress and anxiety, panic attacks, self-esteem, physical health problems, bereavement, mindfulness, stress management in parenthood, and postnatal depression.
Upon creating a free account on the Therapy For You website, users can immediately start any of the online courses. At the beginning of each course, individuals are asked to complete clinically-approved surveys, GAD-7 and PHQ-9 questionnaires, which assess their overall mood. These questionnaires are repeated at the start of each session to monitor the users’ mood changes as they implement the techniques and strategies taught in the course.
The courses are tailored to address specific problems, employing Cognitive Behavioural Therapy techniques to help individuals break negative cycles between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. The video-led courses are accompanied by downloadable resources that encourage users to practice the learned techniques. To enhance accessibility and ensure effectiveness, Therapy For You has divided each course into smaller sessions, with a mandatory four-day break between sessions. This allows users to practice the techniques, complete worksheets, and take gradual steps towards improving their mood and building long-lasting skills.
The success of Therapy For You’s pioneering online CBT courses has already been significant, benefiting thousands of individuals in the local community. The service remains committed to enhancing its resources and expanding its library of courses to provide individuals with enduring CBT skills for lifelong mental wellbeing. By embracing digital platforms, Therapy For You is at the forefront of breaking down barriers to mental health access, ensuring that essential support is readily available to those in need.
