Talking therapies, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
A common example of early intervention support comes in the form of different talking therapies. You can read more about the different types of talking therapy on the NHS website [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] .
One of the most common and popular forms of talking therapy is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (known as CBT). It is widely recommended by professional medical bodies (NICE, 2022) and aims to support individuals to change the way they think, or behave (NHS Choices, 2019).
In the UK, learners can directly access NHS psychological talking therapies themselves, without having to go through their GP. The video below explains a bit more about these services and this is the web page where learners (England only) can find out about services in their area: Find an NHS talking therapies service.
Transcript
SPEAKER: Are you finding life a struggle? Perhaps you’ve been feeling stressed, anxious, or depressed. The NHS is here for you. Our Talking Therapies services can help. These provide a range of psychological therapies that are effective for anxiety or depression, which are mental health problems that lots of us experience. You can refer yourself or talk to your GP. Go to nhs.uk/mentalhealth to find your local Talking Therapies service.
To be eligible, you just need to be registered with a GP. You can either fill in an online form, phone the service up, or email. Someone from the service will get in touch. They’ll ask for more details about the problems you’ve been having. This is called an assessment.
The assessment helps them understand what sort of help would be recommended for the particular problems you’re facing. They will discuss options for you to consider, which could include, for instance, working through self-help materials with guidance from a practitioner, practical exercises, or one-to-one sessions. You may be offered cognitive behavioural therapy, which is based on understanding and making changes to the way you think and behave.
There may be a choice of different therapy options too. The treatment options offered by NHS Talking Therapies are practical and can help with a range of problems with anxiety and depression, including phobias, panic attacks and agoraphobia, obsessive compulsive disorder, social anxiety, generalised anxiety, health anxiety, body dysmorphia, and post-traumatic stress disorder. They can also help to support you to cope with long-term health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, or cancer.
If you’re struggling with your mental health, the NHS Talking Therapies services are here for you. Click the link to refer yourself to NHS Talking Therapies today.
Here is the link mentioned in the video: Talking Therapies.