Occupational therapist Shean Cadby-Lynch explains why Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can help your mental wellbeing
The focus of the blog today is about CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy) and how it might be able to help you.
I qualified as an occupational therapist is 2002 and practised in many different mental health settings over the years. In 2010, I trained to be a cognitive behavioural psychotherapist.
The two professions work rather well together and, as someone who is dual trained, I am able to use all of my skills and knowledge to work with someone in a client centred, holistic way.
Today, I will be trying to explore: What is CBT and how can it help your emotional wellbeing?
It’s such a great question because there are so many therapy options out there, from psychoanalytic therapy to counselling to Gestalt Therapy, so how do you know if CBT is for you?
Feelings and behaviours
Well firstly, do you want a therapy that would help you look at the relationship between your thoughts, feelings and behaviours, and how they interact with each other and have an effect on each other? If so, then CBT might be what you are looking for.
CBT is a talking therapy and is based on the concept that there is a relationship between our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. You and your therapist will look at how your thoughts, beliefs and attitudes affect your feelings and how you behave, and vice versa.
It is based on the belief that how we think about situations can affect how we feel and how we then behave in these situations. For example, if you experience negative thoughts about a situation, you might then experience negative emotions such as low mood, which can then impact on our behaviour (such as withdrawing or isolating ourselves from the situation which has caused the negative thought).
This is what we call in the CBT world, a ‘vicious cycle.’ CBT therapy can support and help you to change these vicious cycles so that you can change and alter the way you think, feel and behave, so that you can overcome your difficulties, feel more positive, and improve your emotional well-being.
Low self-esteem
CBT is evidence-based therapy, which means that there’s a lot of research into how effective and helpful it is with depression and anxiety disorders, such as depression, generalised anxiety, panic, health anxiety, phobias, OCD, PTSD and low self-esteem.
When you first see a CBT therapist you will have an assessment and this is where you look at the difficulties that you’re experiencing, whether that’s symptoms of low mood, anxiety, or both, and how it is affecting your present, day-to-day life.
There is a myth that CBT does not deal with past issues and yes, most CBT sessions do focus on the ‘here and now’, as you are exploring and tackling current difficulties and exploring what is maintaining these difficulties.
But it doesn’t mean that past problems or issues are discounted or not addressed, as past experiences may be an important contributory factor in the development of the problem.
CBT treatment
CBT treatment is goal orientated and can be short-term if a problem is mild. In that case, as little as six sessions could make a big difference. Whereas more complex situations may require up to 20 sessions or more.
Sessions are reviewed on a regular basis to ensure treatment remains goal focused, client centred and collaborative.
One of the things that makes CBT different to other types of therapy is the focus on in session ‘tasks’ and ‘homework’, which are practical tasks that you and your therapist work through together in a session. The you, as the client, would practise these activities or tasks outside of the session. For example, you might keep a mood diary or a thought record.
These ‘tasks’ would be reviewed at the following session, together, and this would enable you to start to build a ‘toolbox’ of strategies for you to use, both during your period of therapy and in the future, remaining valuable long after therapy is completed.
Therapy
You would be an active participant in therapy and would want to allow yourself time to complete the in-between session tasks, to enable you to get the most out of your therapy experience.
The therapeutic relationship between the therapist and the client is really important and for me, this is one of the main contributory factors to successful therapy, as well as active engagement from the client in the treatment process.
Treatment is collaborative whereby you and the therapist work together to explore your thoughts, feelings, behaviours, triggers, and maintenance factors, to enable effective treatment planning and implementation to be carried out that is both goal orientated, client focused and holistic, putting you, the client at the heart of treatment.
I hope my first blog has helped explain CBT just a little?
Maybe you can relate to some of the difficulties I’ve mentioned today? If so, CBT might be a therapy that you want to consider. So, please do give us a call or email kate@wellbeingtherapysolutions.co.uk for a chat.
If you get a feeling in the pit of your stomach, around tea time on a Sunday, and start worrying about work on Monday, you are certainly not alone
Do you experience the ‘Sunday Scaries’?
That feeling in the pit of your stomach, around tea time on a Sunday, that the weekend is nearly over and it’s back to work when you wake up on Monday morning?
If so, you are not alone.
A new report has shown that work stress is the most common trigger for Britons who feel anxiety about the week ahead.
And 1 in 7 of us are now feeling those ‘Sunday Scaries’ according to a survey of more than 4,000 people, the findings of which were released just over a week after the World Health Organisation (WHO) released its first-ever set of guidelines on how to improve mental health in the workplace.
The statistics paint a worrying picture for managers and bosses who are faced with making the working environment one in which staff can not only spot the signs of colleagues when they are struggling with their mental health, but also provide support for those members of staff too.
“The well-being of the individual is reason enough to act, but poor mental health can also have a debilitating impact on a person’s performance and productivity,” said WHO director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus who announced new guidelines to help prevent negative work situations and cultures and offer much-needed mental health protection and support for working people.
“The guidelines also suggest employers should make adjustments for workers with mental health conditions as well as offering support for those returning to work after mental health-related absences.”
Wellbeing Therapy Solutions MD Kate Jackson said that more and more companies were starting to be aware – and act upon – supporting their employees towards better wellbeing and mental health.
Mental health absences
“There are 72 million days a year lost to mental health absences in the UK economy and, on the back of Covid having such a big effect on all of our lives, more business owners are starting to realise the importance of doing everything they can to improve the wellbeing and mental health of their staff,” added Kate.
“Forward-thinking businesses are not only upskilling their staff and making them aware of the importance of positive mental health within the workplace, they are also keen on creating a positive wellbeing culture at work where people can be honest and open up to colleagues about any issues they are facing.”
Wellbeing Therapy Solutions have a number of workplace wellbeing packages they are offering to businesses and organisations.
Gold, silver and bronze packages are available where a number of services can be purchased and planned to meet the mental health and wellbeing needs of a specific team in a consistent and transparent manner.
On World Menopause Day, Rebecca Woods offer some words of comfort and some words of advice for those women entering that part of their lives.
Firstly, some lingo…
Perimenopause – “peri” means “around menopause.” This is the time before periods have stopped and may last up to 10 years.
Menopause – is often used to describe the overall experience of menopausal transition or change (menopause is also referred to as ‘the change’). Medically, menopause refers to the specific point in time when it has been 365 days since someone had a period (this can be due to natural process, surgery or medical treatments). So, menopause is actually just a day!
Everyone born with ovaries will go through the menopause at some point. The average age is 51.
Post menopause – the time after menopause. This may represent over a third of someone’s life.
Whilst the physical symptoms of menopause tend to be better documented (think hot flushes), our mental health can also be affected during this time and can include symptoms and experiences such as:
Sleep can also be affected, which in turn can impact on our wellbeing generally.
If you are concerned about how you are feeling, and/or feel that symptoms are not easing, consider speaking to your GP.
Things that can be supportive during this time…
A healthy sleep routine (try to aim for 7-8 hours per night, keep your bedroom cool and dark and free from unhelpful distractions)
Eating healthily (try making small, achievable changes such as aiming to include one additional piece of fruit or vegetable each day)
Regularly moving your body (think the 3 Ps – Pacing, Planning, Prioritise)
Staying mentally active (this may involve trying a new activity or revisiting a former hobby e.g. playing an instrument)
Finding ways to reduce stress (breathing exercises, keeping a diary, spending time outdoors, and regularly doing things you enjoy are some examples)
Staying connected (social connectedness can help to reduce anxiety and depression)
Make time for you (think of things that lift you and bring moments of joy)
Heather Corinna, an American author and educator, describes how things that help people navigate puberty can also be supportive during menopause, including:
Access to clear, comprehensive information
Realistic expectations and comforts that are aligned to our individual needs
Access to what we need to care for ourselves
Respect, sympathy, empathy and kindness from others
Finally, some inspirational words…
“People are afraid of changing; that they’re losing something. They don’t understand that they are also gaining something.”Sharon Stone
“It’s a time of liberation. It’s a time of shedding the shackles of inhibition and giving a damn.”Davina McCall
“What a woman’s body is taking her through is important information. It’s an important thing to take up space in a society, because half of us are going through this but we’re living like it’s not happening.”Michelle Obama
Rock My Menopause – website for the campaign created by the Primary Care Women’s Health Forum (PCWHF). Includes resources on menopause for transgender people and people with learning disabilities https://rockmymenopause.com/about-us/
Podcast:
Menopause Whilst Black Karen Arthur, podcast host & speaker, is an advocate for diversifying menopause & is committed to sharing the stories of black women living in the UK. https://www.thekarenarthur.com/menopausewhilstblack
Book:
“What fresh hell is this? Perimenopause, Menopause, other indignities and you” Heather Corinna
What an inspirational and diverse group of OTs we have at Wellbeing Therapy Solutions.
Wellbeing Therapy Solutions is four years old <corks pop>!
It’s been a very rewarding journey and I am very proud of what the team have achieved.
Guiding a fledgling business through a pandemic was a real challenge, not only because of what we faced from a health point of view but because of the swathe of mental health issues that arose from it.
We were desperate to help as many people as possible who emerged from the pandemic with poor mental health and I was so pleased that we could expand both the team and the premises we worked in.
Moving to Bodie’s House near Leicester has enabled us to offer some really high-quality services in a great setting for both our one-to-one clients, the businesses we work with and our team of occupational therapists (OTs).
Close-knit team
Having a larger and close-knit team means that we can offer a timely solution for people who want our help – something we were very keen to do throughout and following the pandemic.
We currently don’t have a waiting list and we ensure people who want our help are seen quickly. That’s really important to our business’ ethos and values and I will always strive to make sure our OTs and support packages are there for people, particularly when services such as the NHS are just so stretched and overworked.
As we have grown, we have been able to support local and national businesses too with a variety of mental health and wellbeing support packages for themselves and their staff. In fact, we have just launched a brand new bronze, silver and gold range of services which makes it easier for businesses and organisations to choose a range of support that is ideally suited to their needs.
We are really excited about where that could go in the coming months helping businesses overcome any number of challenges they are currently facing.
Fourth birthday
We celebrated our fourth birthday by coming together as a team and sharing some time… and food!
We believe that team is at the heart of everything we do. We are a genuinely supportive team and that comes across in the work that we do, the businesses we engage with and the work we do with them.
‘Getting up to run at 5am in a heatwave is not my idea of fun’
I have got to be honest with you, getting up at 5am to go running in the summer is not really my idea of fun.
I like to work hard…but I love a lie-in too.
As my alarm went off early in the morning on many occasions, I kept reminding myself that it was all for a good cause. A very good cause.
I first ran the Great North Run for the Bodie Hodges Foundation charity in 2019. Back then, they were a cause I strongly believed in. In 2022, I share a work building with them too.
My 2019 efforts represented my first ever half marathon and was one of the best experiences I have ever had in terms of the atmosphere. It was unique and very special and I was buzzing at the end of what was a very hard challenge.
Great North Run
I enjoyed it so much that I planned to do another one but then Covid hit and I got injured last year so it was really nice to be back on the streets a few weeks ago for the 2022 Great North Run.
The Bodie Hodges Foundation provide brilliant services for bereaved families so it felt good to be out there raising money for them, especially in these challenging times for charities. I know people personally who have found solace and support from the Bodie Hodges Foundation after finding themselves in the most challenging circumstances imaginable after the death of a child.
Me and the rest of the Wellbeing Therapy Solutions team love working side by side with their team. We all get on really well and we support each other so it fits perfectly.
The Great North Run presented the kind of personal challenge that I can get stuck into and thrive on. Setting myself regular challenges really helps my own physical and mental health. I am not great at doing things like that unless I have a specific goal and I was getting up early during the heatwave and running at 6am to get fit and to get miles in my legs.
It was way out of my comfort zone!
Sense of achievement
But doing the run gave me a real sense of achievement. It never seems to get any easier – but I felt really good afterwards.
This year’s run was a big challenge. It was hot and I struggled at half-way but found another gear and some more determination to get round and finish it. I also like to think that doing things like this is a good example to my daughter. You don’t have to be great at everything to give things a go and set your own goals, even if you are not going to finish first!
We also have friends in Northumberland – someone I lived with at university who I don’t get to see very often. The Great North Run gave me and my family the chance to spend the weekend with them and their family and those connections and actually seeing people face-to-face after the pandemic is beneficial for all of us.
I can’t thank my family and friends enough for their wonderful support both financially and emotionally throughout the race and the build-up to it.
Don’t ask me right now…but I might do it next year too!
Case management: Occupational therapist Marjolein Cleaver.
Our occupational therapists are now involved in offering a rare but important perspective on insurance case management
The psychological injuries people experience following accidents can last long after the physical ones are finally patched-up.
Wellbeing Therapy Solutions can offer a rare perspective on that recovery with occupational therapy support now available to add to traditional methods that have been used for years.
Case management services is something we have just started to offer and we are excited to begin working with some of the highest profile insurance case management companies.
Case management supports people who have experienced an accident, injury or other trauma and WTS will provide occupational therapy assessment and intervention for people who are experiencing psychological challenges arising from that event.
Mental health assessment
Our experienced therapists can offer a functional mental health assessment to look at how somebody’s mental health is impacting on their day-to-day life following that accident, life event or experience.
We do this in a kind, compassionate and sensitive way and can work all over the UK.
Our job is to meet the mental health needs of any client and to support them in improving their mental health and nurturing and protecting it moving forward.
We will also help them to overcome any barriers that are stopping them live their life in a way they want to do.
Case management
Because all of our WTS team are qualified to deal with individual case management services, we have immediate availability and have already started working with some leading companies.
We are looking forward to building relationships with more case management companies and will be offering a timely and personalised service that meets the needs of people who, perhaps otherwise, wouldn’t get the mental health support they need.
As a service, it’s quite unusual to offer occupational therapist services specifically for the mental health aspect of case management. It’s an emerging area of practice so we are really proud to be able to pick up those needs and support people in a way that maybe hasn’t been so readily available before.
Occupational Therapist Marjolein Cleaver has been working on one such case.
She explained: “I have working with a client, through case management, who has complex PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). They really felt that their roles in life both personally and professionally have been challenged after what happened to them.
Complex PTSD
“I have helped them look at their goals because they found it so painful to set new ones and were struggling to move forward. So, we gently explored goals first and then gently helped them work towards these goals.
“It’s about empowering the client to make decisions for themselves. It can feel very overwhelming for people with PTSD so we are trying to rebuild that lost confidence. We are trying to get out of the house, which is a big hurdle to overcome, going out and about in the local community and going to places they have not been for a while.
“They have also chosen a meaningful activity to focus on and that has been craft activities which will hopefully boost their mood.
“Wellbeing Therapy Solutions will then liaise back with the case management company and a few more things have been added in from the company because of the relationship I have built with them.
“We deal with the case in a hollistic way and don’t just focus on one thing. PTSD covers so many areas of our life which is not only related to mental health but also physical and motivational, as well as the ability to go places and do things.”
* Get in touch to find out more about Wellbeing Therapy Solutions case management offer.
