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Managing Health Anxiety

We may worry about our health from time to time, but sometimes those worries can take over and can dominate our thinking, change the way we behave and stop us enjoying life. 

You may have had lots of tests and investigations and been told there is nothing wrong or that you ‘just have anxiety’. 

Our Managing Health Anxiety course is specially designed to help you deal with health worries that are becoming overwhelming.  

The course is free and runs for five weeks, with a 90 minute online session each week. 

Is this right for me image
  • I want to learn techniques to help manage health anxiety   
  • I am aged 18 or over   
  • I can attend all sessions online   
  • I am willing to practice some of the techniques at home between sessions   
  • I am happy to be involved in a group format  

A bit more about the course

The course is run online on Microsoft Teams by an experienced member of our team.  

Over the five weeks we will teach you new ways of coping with health worries, help you to reduce stress, anxiety and low mood, and increase your confidence.  

Since the course started we have seen hundreds of people benefit from being able to meet other people that they can identify with, and see how common health worries are. 

Each session is 90 minutes long with a break half way through to stretch your legs or grab a drink.  

Below are some of the key topics we will cover during the course.  

Learning about the links between health worries, behaviours, thoughts and emotions.

We start to think about what keeps anxieties going.

Discover tried and tested strategies to break the cycle of anxiety.

Improve your confidence in being able to cope with health worries.

Course dates

Our Health Anxiety course runs on a regular basis throughout the year. We have courses on Thursday mornings and are trialling some face to face courses.

First, you need to book an assessment with a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP). They will discuss the course and how it will help you. The PWP will be able to book you onto the next course.

How do I book a place? 

If you would like to book a place on this course all you need to do is fill in our online referral form. 

Select the ‘Managing Health Anxiety’ course as your preferred treatment option. 

You can also call us on 0114 226 4380 and speak to one of our team. 

Once you have completed your referral you will be invited for a short assessment call with one of our Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners.

Frequently asked questions

We know that coming to a course like this for the first time can be quite daunting and you’ll have lots of questions about what to expect.  

Below is a list of some of the most common questions we are asked and some answers to help put your mind at ease. 

If you have filled in a self-referral form or booked over the phone you will be offered an assessment call with one of the course facilitators. 

You will receive a link via a text message to choose a day and time that works best for you for your assessment.  

During the call you will be asked some questions to help us make sure that the course is the right one for you. You will have an opportunity to ask any questions you have.  

Please note you will receive this call from a withheld number.  

Two days before each course session you will receive a text or an email (depending on your preference) with a set of questionnaires. The text will be sent from ‘SHEFF NHS’, and the email will be sent from webform@myprogress.info please add this to your contacts so the email doesn’t get lost in your spam.  

These questionnaires will ask you about depression and anxiety, and what symptoms you have noticed over the last two weeks. It is really helpful to complete them each week, as they allow both you and us to keep a track of any improvements in your mood. 

A week before the course, one of the course facilitators will call you. They will introduce themselves and give you more information about the course. They can also answer any questions you might have.

In the week before your course is due to start you will receive an email from our administration team. The email will provide you with a link to the meeting, instructions on how to join it and a downloadable copy of your workbook.  

This email will come from sheffieldtalkingtherapies@shsc.nhs.uk, please add this to your contacts so the email doesn’t get lost in your spam.

We hope you will find the course helpful, but sometimes it can take time to put the techniques into practice and notice improvements in your mood. We would encourage you to keep using the techniques in your workbook and give yourself a chance to practice them after the course. 

We will contact you if you are still struggling with symptoms of depression or anxiety to see if our service can offer any further treatment or recommend any other services to help support to you.  

If you did not attend the whole course we may also contact you to check in. 

Your telephone review will be booked with a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner and will give you a chance to discuss the course, give you an opportunity to ask any questions and discuss further options for treatment.

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