Health Psychology - Information and Tools to Help You
On this page you will find lots of helpful resources which can support you.
You will find links to apps, information and other tools that can help you to manage your health condition.
You can use these resources whether you are a patient being seen by us, if you are a staff member supporting someone, or if you would just like some more information.
Recommended Apps
What does it do? Helps with managing anxiety, tackling depression, easing stress and improving sleep. Available for Apple and Android phones. Costs £6 per month or £60 per year.
What does it do? Resources to help with a range of mental health difficulties. Available for Apple and Android phones. Free to use.
What does it do? Meditation and mindfulness app. This can help with a number of issues including poor sleep and grief. Available for Apple and Android phones. Costs £9.99 per month.
What does it do? This app has modules for different problems, such as chronic pain, anxiety and depression. Available for Apple and Android phones, and on the web. Free to use.
What does it do? This is an app to support people who self-harm. It has different activities to help the urge to self-harm fade. Available for Apple and Android phones. Free to use.
What does it do? This is an app for people in crisis or thinking about suicide. There are a number of resources including ways to access help, tools for keeping safe and well, and advice. Available for Apple and Android phones, and on the web. Free to use.
What does it do? This app focuses on insomnia and helping those with sleep problems. Available for Apple and Android phones. Free to use.
Mindfulness Resources
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness means paying attention to the present moment. This includes your thoughts, feelings and the world around you. Mindfulness can help us enjoy life more, and understand ourselves better. You can use some of these resources to help start using mindfulness in your own lives.
- Mindfulness Resources - Click here for more information
Websites
Mindfulness - NHS - The NHS website gives some information about what mindfulness is and how it can help. It gives tips for how to use mindfulness in your day-to-day life.
Frantic World - This website has lots of free resources including free meditations.
The Free Mindfulness Project - This website has free, guided mindfulness exercises. It also has other mindfulness resources to support you.
YouTube Videos
Headspace - The Headspace YouTube channel has lots of short videos to help you try out mindfulness.
Calm - The Calm YouTube channel has lots of different mindfulness videos.
Audio Exercises
Frantic World - This website has lots of free mediations.
Oxford Mindfulness Centre - This website has free mindfulness audio sessions.
These are some resources we think may be helpful for people living with pain.
If you are reading this on a computer, you can access these resources by holding down the Ctrl button (or Command button if using an Apple Mac) and clicking on the link underlined in blue.
Please be aware that this information is from many different places. Not just from our organisation.
Understanding Pain
1. Pain Revolution
Professor Lorimer Moseley, a pain scientist, explains the science behind pain in a 20-minute video.
2. Body in mind
Professor Lorimer Moseley, a pain scientist, describes how the brain is involved in chronic pain in a 25-minute video.
3. Pain, the brain and your amazing protectometer
When your body experiences pain over a long time, it can become over-sensitive so that it can protect itself from further pain. Professor Lorimer Moseley, a pain scientist, explains some ways in which you can slowly teach your body to become less protective. This is explained in a 1 hour 25-minute talk.
Managing Pain
1. Treating Pain Using the Brain
We can feel pain when the brain senses more ‘danger signals’ than it does ‘safe signals’. Understanding how pain is made in the brain may help us treat the pain we feel. This is explained in a 1 hour and 15-minute long talk by pain scientist, David Butler.
2. Pain Education Workbook
A pain guidebook designed to help people deal with injuries and persistent pain.
3. Castle Street Medical Centre – Pain Management Hub
This website has information and support on pain including videos explaining how pain can work and strategies to help manage living with pain.
4. Sleep Well with Pain
A booklet that explains why sleeping difficulties can be common for people with persistent pain and introduces five areas in which simple changes can be made to help improve your sleep.
Using Medication
The following resources may help you think about whether your medicines help you to manage your persistent pain and help you decide about using medicines in the best way for you.
1. Opioid Decision-Making Guide
2. Reducing Opioid Medications
Guidance for opioid reduction in primary care
3. A Video on Life After Opioids
Books
Most of these recommended books can be found on Amazon however they may be also found second-hand from eBay or World of books
1. Overcoming Chronic Pain
This book is a self-help guide that has clear aims set out in each chapter and easy to follow diagrams to help reduce your chronic pain using strategies such as, pacing daily activities, reducing stress, learning relaxation techniques and effective ways to cope with depression, anxiety, worry, anger and frustration.
2. The Explain Pain Handbook – Protectometer
An interactive book that allows you to better understand your pain experience and create a plan for reducing your pain.
3. Making Sense of Pain by Jim Heafner & Jarod Hall
This book is aimed at people who are experiencing pain, to help them better understand pain, what causes it, and ways to treat it.
4. Pain is Really Strange by Steve Hairns
A book explaining pain in an easy-to-understand, engaging graphic format and also reveals how to change the mind's habits to change how you experience pain.
5. Pain Heroes by Alison Sim
This book tells the stories of people who have experienced persistent pain and have recovered from it. It also gives some practical, evidence-based advice on how to embrace what modern science tells us about pain in order to recover.
6. Derbyshire County Council Library Catalogue
The online catalogue has a range of books on how to manage pain.
Here is some information and advice that we think may be helpful for people living with cancer. Please be aware that this information is from many different places, not just from our organisation.
Support for people living with Cancer
Click here for more information.
Tiredness (Fatigue)
This website page by Macmillan Cancer Support contains information on fatigue, how you may manage fatigue and frequently asked questions: Macmillan Tiredness Information
Pain Management
This website page by Macmillan Cancer Support contains information on pain, including causes, use of painkillers and emotional support: Macmillan Pain Information
After Treatment Finishes – Then What?
A letter written by Dr Peter Harvey, a Consultant Clinical Psychologist, that suggests a framework to understanding life after cancer treatment: After Treatment Finishes
Macmillan Cancer Support
Macmillan are a charity that offer emotional, physical and financial support for people impacted by cancer. You can find their website here: Macmillan.org.uk
Macmillan Cancer Information and Support Centre
These centres can offer a number of different services including: cancer information materials, complementary therapies, benefits advice and signposting to other services.
You can find your nearest centre using this link: Your Local Macmillan Cancer Centre
These are some resources we think may be helpful for people experiencing symptoms that may be described as:
- Functional Neurological Disorder.
- Non-epileptic attack disorder (NEAD).
- Dissociative symptoms.
- Functional symptoms.
Please be aware that this information is from many different places, not just from our organisation.
- Helping with functional Neurological Disorder (FND) - Click here for more information.
Books and Booklets
1. Non-Epileptic Attacks: A short guide for patients and families
A booklet with information on Non-Epileptic Attacks put together by Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
2. Taking Control of Your Non-Epileptic Attacks
A booklet that includes things that you or others may be able to do to help take control of your attacks and your life.
Websites
1. Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Functional Neurological Disorders Website
This website includes videos, information, links and leaflets about Functional Neurological Disorders.
2. Functional Neurological Disorder (FND): a patient’s guide
This website includes common symptoms, causes, treatments, videos and news stories and is available in 13 different languages.
3. Functional Neurological Disorder - Hope
This website provides an overview of FND, resources for managing FND as well as current research in this area.
YouTube Videos
1. Dis-sociated
A feature documentary on dissociative seizures.
This video explains the difference between leading a goals-focused life and a values-focused life and how a values-focused life can lead to a more rich, full and meaningful life.
These are some resources for people who might find Acceptance and Commitment Therapy techniques helpful. Please be aware that this information is from many different places, not just from our organisation.
- ACT Resources - Click here for more information.
1. The Happiness Trap: Evolution of the Human Mind
In the past, it was useful for the mind to become very alert when it detected a threat. However, in the modern day this may be less useful and the mind might be seen as ‘over-alert’. This might help us understand why we can sometimes get distressed easily. This is further explained in this video by Dr Russ Harris, an ACT practitioner.
This video explains the difference between leading a goals-focused life and a values-focused life and how a values-focused life can lead to a more rich, full and meaningful life.
An ACT breathing technique for managing your emotions.
ACT Metaphors
A series of YouTube Videos that describe metaphors often used in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy .
For accepting difficult emotions.
For coping with anxious feelings.
3. Quicksand
For accepting anxious feelings.
For coping with difficult experiences.
5. Sushi Train
For unhooking from unhelpful thoughts.
For coping with stressful thoughts.
For intrusive thoughts.
Health Psychology Resources Videos - This YouTube playlist consists of 33 short videos that include descriptions on the topics discussed, metaphors and exercises to go through, click here for more information.
These websites might be helpful to support you.
Derbyshire Mental Health Helpline and Support Services - Mental health helpline and support.
Cost of Living Support- lots of information and advice. To help make sure that you're getting all the help that you might need.
Rethink Mental Health Support Map
This map aims to bring all aspects of mental health support together in one easy-to-access place. It includes:
- Crisis support.
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Telephone support.
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Self-help groups.
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Peer support.
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Information.
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Self-care.
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Mental health training.