Therapy on the go - computerised CBT

Since December 2016 steps2change have been offering computerised CBT (cCBT) which is one of the most flexible ways you can access therapy and so far it has been a great success. Vanessa Randles, Senior Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner said:

Since we started to offer cCBT over 1800 people accessed therapy in this way. Most people have reported a significant reduction in their symptoms and difficulties and have a better understanding of their problems. We have had some really positive feedback about the programmes.

There are a range of packages for common mental health problems including:

• MoodCalmer for depression
• FearFighter for anxiety including phobias and panic attacks
• OCFighter for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• ReGain for worry (generalised anxiety disorder)
• ReStore for sleep difficulties

All of the programmes are based on a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) approach and are designed to teach you self-help techniques and manage physical symptoms. This treatment type is shown to be the most effective approach for these kind of difficulties.

You are supported throughout the programme by a trained practitioner who provides regular scheduled reviews. Emma Hughes, Senior Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner  explained:

The reviews give a great opportunity to check on peoples progress and make sure that people get the most out of the programme and know how to put into practice what they have learnt. They are the same techniques that you would learn in a 1-2-1 session, but using a computerised approach means you have more flexibility over when you complete your treatment.

You can access the modules from your smartphone, laptop or tablet so cCBT is ‘on the go’ style therapy which can be completed whenever suits you. It is great for people who:

• Work long hours, work shifts, or work away.
• Have childcare issues which make attending appointments difficult.
• Have anxiety which would stop you from being able to come to an appointment.
• Have physical health problems which may make leaving the house difficult.
• Find talking to a therapist face to face difficult.

Another great thing is that you can go back and complete the modules again and again. Often it can be difficult to concentrate or listen to lots of information and remember it all and this can be a great option to overcome this. The sessions are easy to understand and aren’t complicated by jargon.

ReGain is the newest package that we now offer, which we are all really excited about. Charlotte Negus, Senior PWP said:

Worry is one of the most common problems that we see, and so it’s great to be able to offer people the choice of this type of treatment. We often find that people worry about attending courses or face to face sessions and so this reduces anxiety and makes it easier to access talking therapies, which means that people are more likely to recover from their difficulties.

If you think that this type of therapy could be useful for you then self-refer here