InPsyte HIT video on patient experiences of cognitive behavioural therapy

The Psychological Therapies in Primary Care Health Integration Team (InPsyTe HIT) have produced a video which explores patient experiences of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

The video draws on the experiences of participants of the CoBalT Trial. The media often portrays talking therapies in a very positive light and whilst talking therapies, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), are effective treatments for depression, previous research has also shown that many people do not complete therapy.

Researchers at the University of Bristol explored the reasons why people drop out of CBT in primary care. Bristol Health Partners funded the development of this short video about people’s experiences of receiving CBT based on the findings of this qualitative study.

The video aims to enable patients and health care professionals to have a more informed discussion about what to expect from CBT to improve patient engagement with the therapy. The CoBalT Trial demonstrated that CBT, in addition to usual care including antidepressants, was an effective treatment, reducing depressive symptoms and improving quality of life in people with depression that had not responded to treatment with antidepressants alone.

The team have also produced a video to help improve uptake of the Bristol Wellbeing Therapies, part of Bristol’s Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) service, which helps people with anxiety or depression. It offers patients talking therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), combined where appropriate with medication which traditionally had been the only treatment available.