selfhelpSelf Help Services has been awarded the Technology4Good Awards Community Impact Award and the Winner of Winners award, as the UK's best example of an organisation that uses the power of computers to try and improve the world.

Self Help Service’s e-Therapy team, which runs computerised therapy services throughout the northwest of England, has helped some 10,000 people living with anxiety or depression in the past year.

Raise the profile of e-therapy
Chief officer Nicky Lidbetter said: "I am delighted that our innovative and responsive e-Therapy services team have received the recognition that they deserve in winning not just one, but two prestigious national awards.

"E-therapy is currently under-used in many parts of the country, yet has such a critical role in meeting the rising demand for psychological support from those affected by anxiety, depression and other common mental health difficulties. I hope that this achievement will help to raise the profile of e-therapy at a national level and will lead to greater commissioning of E-therapy services."

E-Therapists Jessica Chamberlain and Josh Duran-Bush attended the awards, which were presented by broadcaster Mariella Frostrup at the BT Centre in London last week.

Turning negative thoughts into positive
Self Help Services uses several therapy packages including Beating the Blues and Living Life to the Full interactive. Both programmes offer computerised cognitive behavioural therapy over an 8-12 week period during which clients work through set exercises with the aim of turning negative thoughts into positive thinking.

The team also delivers other e-Therapies including Breaking Free, a programme for those with substance misuse, alcohol and mental health issues, and Stressbusters, a programme for young people experiencing depression.

The e-Therapy team run services in a range of venues across Manchester, Stockport, Trafford and Salford plus Halton and St Helens. They also offer an at-home service. Both are fully supported by trained facilitators.

For more information visit www.selfhelpservices.org.uk