Self-help therapies
Self-help therapy has some advantages over professional face-to-face counselling. It's convenient, cheap and you can do it in your own time and when it suits you.
"Self-help options can be very valuable," says Joyce Walter, a Relate-trained relationships counsellor practising in Tunbridge Wells.
"Self-help books and computer counselling can expand your knowledge and understanding of yourself. And they can be helpful to use while you're on the waiting list to see a counsellor or during a course of talking therapy. But self-help therapy isn't usually the complete answer."
Self-help therapy is generally only suitable for people with mild to moderate mental health issues.
Self-help books
There are thousands of self-help books in bookshops, libraries and available online. Some are excellent but many are not. So how do you choose a good one?
Computer counselling
Computer counselling involves completing a series of exercises on your computer and learning self-help techniques to tackle the problems in your life.
- Beating the Blues is a computerised CBT course for mild depression.
- FearFighter is a computerised CBT course specifically for panic and phobias.
- Both Beating the Blues and FearFighter have been recommended by NICE and can be prescribed by your doctor.
- Living Life to the Full Interactive is a CBT-based course for overcoming mild to moderate depression and anxiety. You complete the six-session course under the supervision of your GP or a qualified therapist.
There are other online therapy courses, although the Department of Health recommends that you always use these under the supervision of a therapist.
- Overcoming Bulimia is an online CBT-based course to help people with bulimia and other eating disorders. The course includes eight sessions, which you complete at your own pace.
- Overcoming Anorexia is an online course, based on CBT, for carers of people with anorexia nervosa.
- MoodGYM is a free self-help computer program to teach CBT skills to anyone vulnerable to depression and anxiety. It was devised in Australia, and consists of five sections, an interactive game, anxiety and depression assessments, downloadable relaxation audio, a workbook and feedback assessment.
See the webpage for more details.
Phone and email counselling
Phone and email counselling are alternatives to face-to-face therapy. They can be ideal if you're shy or don't want to meet the therapist or if you can't find one in your area. They save travelling time, can avoid the problem of having to find childcare if you have children and are available at evenings and weekends. You can also have three-way conversations for couples therapy.
Phone counselling is just like having a face-to-face session except that you talk to a trained counsellor over the phone.
Phone and email counselling are increasingly being offered by private therapists and sometimes by employers and charities.