Online access to wellbeing therapy
Residents in theWishaw area can now access high-quality psychological support via an online therapy course provided by NHS Lanarkshire.
Designed for people aged 16 and over, Calm Distress helps people understand their emotions and improve their wellbeing.
The new digital innovation from NHS Lanarkshire Psychological Services brings psychological help straight to people’s screens.
The course is the next step in the development of NHS Lanarkshire’s pioneering website Lanarkshire Mind Matters, which has provided support during Covid-19.
The pandemicmeans NHS staff are unable to run classes or groups in the community like they used to.
Calm Distress addresses this by delivering stress-beating strategies directly to computers, tablets or mobile phones.
Clinical Psychologist Dr Alison McCusker, who led the development of Calm Distress, explained:“The idea is simple – to provide high-quality, evidencebased therapeutic ideas in a way that anyone with an internet connection can access.
“The course is made up of pre-recorded videos, plus downloadable material.
“Over five friendly sessions, Calm Distress will guide people through ways by which they can open up to day-to-day stress, recognise their warning signs, and learn new ways to cope.
“Each Calm Distress video is about 20 minutes , giving you lots of useful information in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.
“You can watch the videos in any order you like, depending on what you want to focus on – for example difficult thoughts or feelings – and you can keep going back to them any time.
“Therearealsobooklets to go alongside the videos, which you can download and dip into if you like.We’ve designed it soyoucandowhatyou feel works for you, whenever you want.”
Dr GaryTanner, Director of Psychological Services at NHS Lanarkshire, said: “Calm Distress is another major step forward in our digital development.
“Covid-19 has highlighted the need to do things differently, and our staff have been working tirelessly to develop new ideas.
“Wewanttomakeit as easy as possible for people to access help and advice that they can put into practice straight away.
“Calm Distress will be of potential benefit to thousands of people, both now and in future.”
Once registered you can access the Calm Distress course as many times as you like.
It is available to anyone aged16andoverwhois registered with a Lanarkshire GP.
The course is accessed by self-referral via the ‘Howwecan help you’ pages of the Lanarkshire Mind Matters website: www. lanarkshiremindmatters. scot.nhs.uk/ calm-distress-onlinecourse-overview/