This month our featured service is e-couch, an online program providing free, self-help modules for depression, general anxiety, social anxiety, divorce/separation, and loss/bereavement.

e-couch was originally developed by researchers at the Australian National University (ANU) and is now run by e-hub Health, an ANU spin-off company. However, the development and delivery of e-couch is still managed by members of the original ANU team. The website and modules were originally funded by Beyond Blue and the Australian National University, with recent funding from the Australian Commonwealth Department of Health allowing for the expansion and continued delivery of e-couch.

What is e-couch?

e-couch is an online, interactive self-help program providing information and evidence-based modules to help users understand and manage symptoms associated with depression, general anxiety, social anxiety, divorce/separation, and loss/bereavement.

Each module includes:

• Information about what you might be going through
• How to get help and which treatments work
• Evidence-based strategies
• Practical advice and self-help
• Interactive workbooks

The program is structured as an interactive self-help book, teaching evidence-based strategies drawn from cognitive-behavioral and interpersonal therapies. Users begin the program with an ‘armchair’, reading through information about symptoms, diagnosis, getting help, and treatments, before proceeding to the ‘couch’ where they can access and choose from a range of self-help toolkits.

Who is e-couch for?

e-couch was developed to support Australians manage the symptoms of common health issues. The content and scenarios are accessible and relatable to both adult and adolescent users over the age of 16.

e-couch provides information about emotional problems, what causes them, how to prevent them and how to treat them, and helps users understand themselves and others. The modules help users work through their feelings and set up strategies to improve their life.

Is there a cost to use e-couch?

No. e-couch is free for all Australians to access and use.

How to access e-couch

Anyone across Australia can access e-couch at https://ecouch.com.au/ and read brief mental health information without registration. To access the full e-couch program, users must register for an account. Included in the registration is an agreement to the terms of use, including that user data may be used for research purposes. Users can log back into their program at any time to learn more skills or add to workbooks.