Guided Self-Help Service
What is it?
The Guided Self-Help Service (GSHS) provides brief interventions for people with psychological difficulties, such as low mood, anxiety, panic, worry, sleep difficulties or stress. You would work together, with the support of a NHS trained Professional, to learn better ways to manage your current difficulties.
The GSHS is not counselling or therapy. The focus is on how your issues affect your life now and what may keep them going. You will not be working through past events.
The service is currently provided via NearMe videocall or telephone.
Click here to see the video
What does it involve?
At the first appointment, your Guided Self-Help Professional will aim to help you develop a better understanding of the problems you are experiencing, and a plan will be made for a brief intervention. This could include time-limited behavioural activation for depression, graded exposure for anxiety, identifying and challenging unhelpful thoughts, problem solving or panic management.
You would work through self-help material specific to your difficulties, with support from one of our Guided Self-Help Professionals. You may be given tasks to complete to help you to make progress, such as reading information to increase understanding of your difficulties, completing a mood diary, keeping a thought record, or recording or changing patterns of behaviour or communication. You might also be directed to other people or organisations that may be able to help you.
Most of the techniques used within the GSHS are based on cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), which focuses on the relationship between thoughts (cognitions), behaviours and feelings. CBT has been proven to be effective in overcoming low mood and anxiety, as well as other psychological problems.
How will this help me?
Is the Guided Self-Help Service right for me?
If you are interested in attending the GSHS, you can click below to request an assessment appointment with one of our Guided Self-Help Professionals. After you have requested an assessment appointment we will look at information to see whether we might be the appropriate service to meet your needs, at this time.
The GSHS is not appropriate for everyone.
Guided self-help may be helpful for you if you:
- have milder difficulties,
- wish to use a self-help approach,
- experience difficulties such as:
- low mood
- anxiety
- panic
- worry
- low self-esteem
- sleep difficulties
- stress
- anger
Guided self-help is unlikely to be appropriate for you if you:
- have an eating disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or addiction problems,
- do not wish or feel able to use a self-help approach or you wish counselling,
- wish to work on suicidal thoughts in the sessions.
If we feel that we are not the correct service to meet your needs, we will contact you.
