Guided Self-help

Overview

The use of guided self-help for people with intellectual disabilities to treat depression and/or anxiety is in its infancy. The SAINT (Self-Assessment and INTervention) is the first resource to be made commonly available which has been developed specifically for people with intellectual disabilities.Using colour photographs and easy read text, the SAINT offers a structured and accessible way to deliver guided self-help with this population. By using a daily diary, clients can learn to recognise their emotions and develop ways to cope with them.This facilitator manual explores the role of guided self help, its evidence base and its role in treating anxiety and depression. It details the development of the SAINT and the rationale for its use, and offers experiences from individuals who have used it in their own lives. The manual will help a facilitator to prepare for sessions with a client who is using the SAINT.

Author Biography

Eddie Chaplin is a research and strategy lead for the Behavioural and Developmental Psychiatry department at the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and visiting researcher at the Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London. As a nurse, he has managed a number of national services for people with neurodevelopmental disabilities. Recently, he has developed courses and modules at postgraduate level in mental health in intellectual disability and forensic intellectual disability.Steve Hardy was formerly the education and training lead at the Estia Centre, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. He is a registered nurse in learning disabilities and has worked in mental health and challenging behaviour services for people with learning disabilities for 20 years. He has widely published in these areas and he is the co-editor of the journal Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities.