Research so far on this course ...
We are currently developing and evaluating this course ...
Perinatal Single Session Course
Background
We are currently developing a free, online ultra-brief treatment for women experiencing perinatal depression and anxiety.
The journey to motherhood can be a time of significant change and adjustment. Sometimes, symptoms of depression and anxiety are dismissed as normal responses to all of the change going on during the perinatal period – but we know that this is not always the case.
Accessing face-to-face mental health services can be difficult, and some people do not have the time or do not want to participate in longer treatment courses. This is why we have developed an ultra-brief online course… Research tells us that very short treatments can be effective for managing depression and anxiety symptoms.
We are now developing a brief Perinatal Single Session Course for anxiety and depression. This course is designed to provide helpful information and teach practical skills to help people manage symptoms of anxiety and low mood – in just one online lesson alongside downloadable guides.
To learn more about symptoms of low mood and depression, please click here.
To learn more about anxiety and anxiety disorders, please click here.
Who is the course suitable for?
The course is suitable for:
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Women aged 18 and older.
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Experiencing symptoms of depression or anxiety.
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In the perinatal period (pregnant to 1-year post-partum).
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Who want to learn information and skills to manage anxiety and depression
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Who have the time to read the online lesson and practice some of the skills over a couple of weeks.
Unfortunately, we cannot include people who are currently suicidal, do not have access to the Internet, are unable to read or understand English, or who are not living in Australia.
What does the course involve?
The course involves:
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1 online lesson that provides information and teaches practical skills
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1 downloadable guide to help understand and practice those skills
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Several additional resources and Case Stories with examples from others
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1 brief session with a clinician via email and telephone
The Course is delivered over one week and is designed to provide the same information and teach the same skills as one of our longer courses. However, it does this in a very brief way using one online lesson and one session with a clinician.
The course aims to provide the information and skills that you would normally receive from a Clinical Psychologist.
What have we found so far?
This is the first time we are offering the Perinatal Single Session Course. However, it provides much of the same information and teaches the same skills you would learn from a psychologist face-to-face. So, we expect it will be just as helpful.
We have also now had good number of people complete our Single Session Course for anxiety and depression, with good results. For example, participants in that course have reported significant improvements in their anxiety and depression symptoms. Most participants also say it is worth their time and that they would recommend it to others.
We recently published our first paper on that Single Session Course:
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Bisby MA, Balakumar T, Scott AJ, Titov N, Dear BF (2023). An online therapist-guided ultra-brief treatment for depression and anxiety: a randomized controlled trial. Psychological Medicine.
What is the current trial or study looking at?
Every time we offer a course, we offer it as a part of a trial or study. This means that participants are helping us to answer an important research question while they participate in our courses.
The current trial of the Perinatal Single Session Course is looking at how helpful the Course is for women managing perinatal depression and anxiety.
You can read more about the current trial by reading the Participant Information and Consent Form Statement.
When is the next course being offered?
In Australia?
We are pleased to be accepting applications for the Perinatal Single Session Course.
Our next group will start on March 18, 2024.
To apply to participate, please click “Apply Now!” below and follow the prompts.
We plan to run the course for the next three to four months. If the date for our next group is not suitable for you, please check this webpage again in a couple of weeks - we'll be updating the dates of available groups regularly.