The project
Learn more about our project that aims to deliver calmer, happier minds for all
Focused on identifying the active ingredients of mental health treatments, The Calming Minds Project exists to understand what makes cognitive behavioural therapy effective and how it can be improved to reduce overthinking, worry, and rumination.
The project began in 2022 when our project lead, Ed Watkins, applied for funding through the Wellcome Trust as part of its Looking Backwards, Moving Forwards mental health award. Our project, along with 11 other research teams, shared the £47 million made available through the initiative.
The Calming Minds project
Overthinking, worry, and rumination are all examples of repetitive negative thinking (RNT). It’s a common issue where anyone can get stuck thinking over and over about current problems, upsetting or difficult events from their past, or worrying about what could go wrong in the future. However, if RNT becomes long-term or habitual, it can be a problem, contributing to anxiety and depression.
Some forms of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) are effective in reducing RNT and changing how people think and feel about themselves to improve their lives. However, as the CBT package involves several different therapeutic strategies and techniques, little is known about which are the most helpful. Currently, CBT is only successful for around half of people experiencing anxiety and depression, leaving others unresponsive to treatments. Identifying which elements are effective can improve CBT for RNT and help even more people.
To give everyone the chance to benefit from CBT treatment positively, it’s crucial that we understand which elements are effective – and that’s where The Calming Minds Project comes in.
Advancing knowledge
The Calming Minds Project aims to advance knowledge by investigating how CBT for RNT works and testing novel treatment strategies. These strategies could lead to new and improved treatments to help people access more effective ways to manage and prevent overthinking, worry, and rumination from getting out of control, and, as a result, better treat and prevent depression and anxiety.
Over the next six years, we’re gathering insights from anyone who experiences overthinking, worry, and rumination and looking for volunteers for studies testing different treatment approaches. This information will help us better understand RNT and make progress towards the long-term goal of developing and implementing effective, affordable, widely available, and scalable ways to prevent and treat anxiety and depression by targeting this key risk factor.
This project will include the largest-ever international trial of treatments that directly target overthinking, worry, and rumination.
Get involved
We’re currently looking for volunteers to take part in our trial to look at a therapist-supported online guided therapy that might help with overthinking, worry, and rumination.
If you’re 18 or over and experience high levels of repetitive negative thinking, overthinking, worry, or rumination, why not get involved with The Calming Minds Project? The feedback we receive throughout the programme will improve key CBT techniques and mental health outcomes and help deliver a calmer mind for thousands of people like you.
Take part in the project
To learn more and get started, head to the Take Part page. Everyone who participates in our research will be reimbursed for their time and contribution and will have the opportunity to access the therapeutic strategies that we are evaluating.
Help shape the project
Alternatively, if you’d like to help shape the project’s direction and the future of mental health treatment in a different way, why not join our Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP)? Check out the Work With Us page for more information.
More information
You can find more detailed FAQs on the following page: