Therapist-Guided PSP Wellbeing Course

The Wellbeing Course was originally developed at Macquarie University in Australia and then adapted and researched by the Online Therapy Unit at the University of Regina. Following, PSPNET tailored the Wellbeing Course to address the unique challenges of public safety personnel (PSP).

The PSP Wellbeing Course was developed with and for PSP with mental health concerns to overcome the following barriers:

• Geographical (e.g., difficulty accessing care while posted to remote locations)
• Logistical (e.g., shift work limits access to standard service hours, busy work and family life)
• Stigma (e.g., perceptions of being evaluated negatively for having mental health concerns)
• Limited resources (e.g., insufficient access)

The PSP Wellbeing Course teaches evidence-based information and skills specifically for Canadian first responders and other public safety personnel (PSP) seeking to self-manage their mental health. There are 5 main lessons, each presented online via slideshows and downloadable guides, that we recommend completing over one or two weeks each. Be sure to check out the additional resources for more information on topics like sleep concerns, relationships, and problem-solving!

a) Online Screening (20-30 mins): Clients will be asked to provide personal information such as name, address, telephone number, and email address via online questionnaires. Information will also be collected on background, mental/physical health, relationships, occupation, treatment history, and emergency contact information.

b) Telephone Screening (20-30 mins): Clients will then be asked to schedule a phone call with a PSPNET therapist to clarify their responses, discuss our research projects, and identify suitable course(s). Therapists are registered professionals with graduate level education (e.g., Clinical Psychology, Social Work) who are specially trained to work with PSP.

The PSP Wellbeing Course is designed to take 8 weeks. We recommend scheduling at least 1 hour to review each lesson content and then 1-2 weeks to reflect on and implement changes. Keep in mind that course materials are accessible and downloadable for at least 6 months!

This PSP Wellbeing Course includes optional therapist support. During the week, clients can send questions or comments to their assigned therapist though our secure online messaging portal. One to 2 times per week, therapists check these messages, review client progress on the course, and respond appropriately. Most contact with the therapist is through secure online messaging but sometimes therapists contact clients by email or phone. The amount of therapist support will depend on the needs of each client. Therapist support typically starts with 8 weeks and can be extended up to 16 weeks.

All clients are assigned a designated therapist who is trained in delivering ICBT and signs a confidentiality agreement before working for PSPNET. Your therapist will have training in Psychology, Social Work, or Counseling and be registered or certified to practice in the area in which you reside or be a graduate student or professional under supervision of a registered or certified provider. All therapists use the PSPNET web application to deliver services although therapists work in diverse locations across Canada.

PSPNET therapists assess and monitor clients mental health via their questionnaire responses and exchanges via secure online messaging, email, and phone calls. Our clients report high levels of satisfaction with their therapists.

ICBT is a good fit for people with various mental health concerns of which include those with and without a formal diagnosis. ICBT is also appropriate for those seeking proactive support!

We typically recommend that clients do not enroll in PSPNET if they are currently received support from another mental health professional. There may be instances, however, when this is appropriate, such as when this is recommended by their therapist as a supplement to existing treatment (e.g., when seeing a psychiatrist primarily for medication management, when on a long waiting list for services).

Yes! All PSPNET materials were developed with and for Canadian PSP. We will also be seeking your feedback throughout the course to help us identify other areas for improvement. If there are specific or unique needs that arise during ICBT, our PSPNET staff will make every effort to ensure that these concerns are met with the utmost attention and support.

Yes! PSPNET is delivered on our secure online website which is located at and maintained by the University of Regina. Below are several precautions in place to help protect clients’ privacy:

1. Clients’ email addresses will only be used by PSPNET for matters related to the course. Email address will never be released to any third parties.
2. Client login usernames and passwords are unique.
3. Information transmitted to our server is encrypted using secure socket layer technology (SSL).
4. The PSPNET platform encrypts all online messages sent between clients and therapists to reduce the likelihood of unauthorized access to clients’ communications.
5. The University of Regina, which hosts the PSPNET website, has firewall protection to protect from external threats.
6. Access to the PSPNET server is strictly controlled, and the server is housed in a secure environment within the University of Regina. This means that limits are in place for who has access to the server. The only people with access are the primary project developers, the server administrators, and the service administrator.
7. All questionnaires and interview responses will be periodically retrieved for research purposes. This data will be kept on a secure server by the researchers. No identifying information will be stored with the questionnaires.

The PSP Wellbeing Course is evaluated using the online questionnaires administered at screening, during the course, and after course completion. These questionnaires vary in length (5-30 mins) and provide us with important data on client information and outcomes for our research studies. Thank you for your participation!

• Current or former PSP
• 18 years of age or older,
• Comfortable using and have access to the internet,
• Willing to provide a local medical contact in case of emergencies,
• Live in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Québec, or Saskatchewan,
• 1-3 hours each week to spend on the course for the next 8 weeks, and
• Self-reported concerns with anxiety, depression, and/or posttraumatic stress.

This course is not recommended if you have severe problems with alcohol or drugs, mania, psychosis, or are at high risk of suicide.

The PSP Wellbeing Course is available in French! Please click here for details.

The PSPNET team is funded until 2028 and we are currently working on a sustainability plan to continue services beyond 2028.

Please contact 306-337-7233 (SAFE) or email pspnet@uregina.ca.