Frequently asked questions
In a nutshell, how does Balanced Schools work?
Balanced Schools is an online membership service whereby, settings can provide their staff with access to a range of videos, podcasts, CBT resources and programmes, to help them manage their mental health and wellbeing. We also send weekly emails to all registered staff with a range of content and reminder to take time for their mental wellbeing each week. AND we conduct regular staff surveys to help staff, and settings recognise where most support is needed.
It will support staff with any mental wellbeing concerns they may have and help maintain positive mental wellbeing without being onerous or time consuming.
How often is new content posted?
New content is posted every month responding to requests, and we ask clients to let us know their specific needs.
What Happens when we join?
You’ll get an email with a link from the “Lead” person in your setting. You need to click the link to register on the platform – which involves choosing a Username (which can’t be changed), and entering your name and email address. Once that’s done and confirmed, you’ll have access to all of the Balanced Schools resources. You’ll also get a weekly e-mail from Sam (Wellbeing Wednesday!) to remind you about looking after your own mental wellbeing. You’ll also be able to use the “Ask Sam” resource, and Sam responds to a few of these each month – usually on the most common theme of the month.
What does the “Lead” person have to do?
The lead person is a nominated person to act as the school lead for your setting. They will:
- Forward an explanatory email/video from us to all users in your setting, and a “Sign-up” link for them to use
- Help with any account issues – no more technical than sending a password reset
What information will our setting receive about us?
The designated “Lead” person has access to:
- number of times each user has logged-in
- date of the users’ last log-in
- full name and email address (school/official email addresses can be stipulated if required)
No-one has access to information about which resources have been watched/used by each member of staff. “Ask Sam” questions are seen by the Balanced Schools team, but anonymised and answered anonymously too. General queries and questions will be attributed to a user and the responses sent only to that user, unless required to comply with our legal obligations.
What about GDPR?
We do not ask for, store or process personally identifiable information about staff, other than that previously mentioned. Read our Privacy Policy for more on that. We are registered with the ICO and comply with our obligations under GDPR.
Can I try it before I buy it?
Of course! Get in touch using our contact page and we’ll arrange that.
Join us now!
Contact us for a free trial so that you can see what benefit it’s going to bring your staff, and how it will all work.
You’re just one click away from making the most proactive investment in your staff/colleagues that you’ve ever made!
Questions about CBT
What is CBT?
CBT is a combination of the Behaviourist and Cognitive psycho-dynamic approaches giving us Cognitive Behavioural Therapy!
The basic principles are that if we learn how to manage our negative thoughts and practise positive thoughts, we can improve our mental wellbeing. CBT is a “talking” therapy – it’s NOT the psycho-dynamic approach of “…I will tell you what’s wrong with you…”; it’s based on working through processes to challenge thinking.
As we’ve already said, it’s not an instant fix; it has to be practised in order to become habit – for new pathways to develop fully in the brain. There is also personal responsibility involved – you have to want to change and be prepared to try new things.
It’s also important to develop a “feedback, not failure” mindset – not everything is going to work first time! If trying something new doesn’t work the first way, try it a different way the next time or try something else! Any mistakes we make we always reframe as ‘feedback’… and we have a lot of feedback to learn from!
How effective is CBT?
CBT is one of the most successful forms of therapy and is widely used including in the NHS. One of the reasons it is so successful is because it doesn’t work on a ‘let’s analyse you’ basis. It works on where you are now and how you can move forward.
Is CBT effective for self-help or do I need a therapist?
CBT self-help is a form of CBT that can absolutely be done on your own, without the aid of a therapist. It involves using self-help tools such as activities, videos and podcasts to help change negative thought and behaviour patterns. If you can’t afford traditional therapy, or you want to work on your cognitive skills at your own pace, then self-guided CBT is perfect for you.
It’s also great for individuals with social anxiety or those who don’t feel comfortable opening up to a stranger. By working on your own, you don’t have to worry about anyone else, and you can take control of your progress entirely
Join us now!
You’re just one click away from making the most proactive investment in your staff/colleagues that you’ve ever made!
We’ll contact you with more information and a trial offer, so that you can see what benefit it’s going to bring your staff, and how it will all work.