Course overview:
The Respiratory Conditions & Wellbeing Course is for people with respiratory conditions, like COPD or long COVID, who may feel low, anxious, or stressed as they manage their health. This course supports both mental and physical wellbeing, helping you feel more in control. The course runs for four sessions, each lasting 60 to 90 minutes, and takes place once a week.
Course objectives:
The course helps you understand how your respiratory condition can impact your mental health. You’ll learn ways to manage anxiety and improve your quality of life while coping with breathlessness and other challenges.
What does the course cover?
Session 1, you’ll explore the connection between your respiratory condition and mental health, focusing on managing anxiety around breathlessness.
Session 2 looks at ways to build a good quality of life while living with a respiratory condition.
Session 3, you’ll learn strategies for handling difficult thoughts related to your condition.
The final session is to summarise, with a review of what you’ve learned, time for questions, and ways to keep using these skills.
This course will help you understand how your respiratory condition affects your mental health and give you tools to handle anxiety about breathlessness. You’ll learn ways to improve your quality of life, manage challenging thoughts, and adapt to any limitations. With support from both talking therapists and the Respiratory Team, this course addresses both your mental and physical health needs.
After the course, you’ll receive a one-to-one follow-up call to check in, receive feedback on the course, answer any questions you may have and discuss what next steps are appropriate to continue your progress and development.
What to expect?
This is a face-to-face course, held in small group sessions at Thurrock Health Centre or Corringham Integrated Medical & Wellbeing Centre. Although sessions are conducted in a group setting, it’s not traditional group therapy. Each session includes group discussions, practical activities, and tasks to try between sessions. The course creates a comfortable and private environment for learning, where you can feel at ease while gaining new skills to manage your condition.
Next steps
After referring to the service through a self-referral or through your GP, you will have a gateway assessment, which will determine what therapy options are appropriate. Attending this group is subject to appropriateness and availability that can be discussed at the assessment.