Are your clients feeling low, stressed or anxious?

BounceBack® is a free, evidence-based cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) program designed to assist service providers in providing support to adults and youth 15+ who need help managing low mood, mild to moderate depression and anxiety, stress or worry.

It’s free, there is no wait period, and no travel is required.

Since being launched across BC in 2008, the program has shown to reduce depressive and anxious symptoms by 50% at program completion.

*Based on the participant’s PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores from 2008-2019.

Help your clients choose the support that’s right for them.

BounceBack® Coaching

A trained BounceBack® coach will help participants learn skills to improve their mental health in up to six telephone sessions over three to six months. The coach is there to help motivate and support individuals as they work through a series of CBT workbooks that are personalized to their needs.

While BounceBack® coaches are working with participants on their individual workbooks, they remain primarily under your care. The coaches will inform you if your clients have been accepted into the program and will provide you with information on their progress. They will also notify you if your clients are identified as at risk of suicide during any of the routine risk assessments completed during every telephone session.

Because coaches are not clinicians, they don’t provide counselling. Coaches are extensively trained by the clinical psychologists in the delivery of the BounceBack® program. They also receive ongoing support from the clinical psychologists, who are responsible for making clinical decisions around eligibility and next steps at any time a participant discloses they are at risk of suicide.

Coaching + workbooks are available in English, French, Mandarin, Cantonese or Punjabi.

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BounceBack® Online

If your client is not ready for the BounceBack® Coaching program or prefer to work independently, the online program is an option. Individuals will have access to workbooks, interactive worksheet and videos designed to help them overcome low mood and worry. Only, hey will work through the materials independently and at their own pace. You may choose to connect with them about their progress at their next visit.

Individuals can self-refer and register at www.bouncebackonline.ca.

BounceBack® Today Video

This video series provides individuals with practical tips on managing mood, sleeping better, building confidence, increasing activity, problem solving and healthy living. Videos are available in English, French, Farsi, Cantonese, Mandarin, and Punjabi. The online videos are available for your clients to watch at any time or while they are waiting for their coaching sessions to begin at: www.bouncebackvideo.ca (using access code bbtodaybc). Hard copy DVDs for your office are also available free of cost by request at: [email protected].

Who is eligible for BounceBack® Coaching?

In order to start with the BounceBack® Coaching program, individuals must meet the following criteria:

BC resident age 15+
PHQ-9 score is 21 or lower
Not at risk of harming self or others
Can concentrate on materials (i.e. ability to engage, not significantly misusing drugs or alcohol)
Has not had manic episode or psychosis in last 6 months
Does not have personality disorder (19+)
Has not self-harmed more than 3 times in the past month (adolescent participant)

Who can refer to BounceBack® Coaching?

BounceBack® works in partnership with service providers to ensure that participants are supported by a trained professional. Service providers can make two types of referrals.

Primary Referrals:

Holds responsibility for the individual during their participation in BounceBack®. We currently accept primary referrals from:

Physicians
Nurse Practitioners
Psychiatrists
Secondary School Counsellors (except over summer break)

Submit a referral today

Secondary Referrals: pre-approval required

Submit a referral for a participant by providing the primary care provider (i.e. physician, nurse practitioner, psychiatrist) contact information. Individuals and organizations that could potentially become secondary referrers include:

Mental Health & Addictions Services
Public health nurse
Home care nurse
Social worker
Case manager
Psychologist
Counsellor

A Glance at the materials

The workbooks are adaptable and flexible in order to meet individual needs. Adults can choose from over 20 workbook titles in either a long-form or short-form versions. Our youth program includes 9 workbooks that use youth-friendly scenarios and graphics.

Contact us for more information, resources or to order materials.

What others thought about BounceBack®

“Without BounceBack® there is a huge gap for patients with mental health issues – [BounceBack] meets a critical piece of that gap.”

Primary Care Physician

“Easily and quickly accessible; for a busy family practitioner having someone who can work with CBT is great.”

Primary Care Physician

“[BounceBack] gives people support who don’t have access to psychological care, it is a good resource that is consistently well applied. If a person participates in it, I always get positive feedback.”

BC Secondary School Counsellor

“You have done such a great job for so many of my patients. It’s a delight to hear all the great reviews and appreciation from patients. Thanks!”

Kamloops Psychiatrist

“I’m so pleased to see this is now available for youth. It’s been a great resource for my patients so far and I’m excited to be able to offer it to some of my youth patients now.”

Pitt Meadows Physician

“I like that the program is low barrier, no cost and that it is easily accessible for youth.”

BC Secondary School Counsellor

“As a GP we frequently see patients who present symptoms of anxiety and depression. It has made a great difference to my practice to be able to refer these patients to BounceBack® for some cognitive training rather than reaching for my prescription pad.”

Duncan Physician

Program effectiveness:

BounceBack® has shown to help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety by half, and over 90% of participants say they would recommend it to a friend or family member. Numerous research studies have found BounceBack® to be clinically effective.

Read more about the clinical effectiveness of the BounceBack® BC program in the BC Medical Journal (Vol. 61, No, 1, Jan Feb 2019) here. BounceBack® was also awarded the Doctors of BC award in 2014.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What is the key difference between the mental health coaching that BounceBack® provides and counselling services?

The main objective of the BounceBack® telephone coaching sessions is to help individuals get the most out of the program by providing them with educational and motivational support. Individual coaching sessions are shorter (usually 15-20 minutes), compared to hour-long counselling sessions. This shorter timeframe does not give coaches enough time to get into the details of the individuals’ experiences. Rather, coaches guide participants in working through the program materials, checking in with them, answering their questions, and helping them to problem-solve if they have trouble applying what they’re learning. This single flow of communication is also different from the open conversation typical of therapy sessions.

How do you ensure the quality of telephone coaching?

All coaches complete an intensive training program to deliver CBT. BounceBack® coaches are trained and overseen by registered clinical psychologists, who provide clinical support as well as reinforce their CBT knowledge and skill development once formal training is complete.

How do you assess and manage risk of clients harming themselves or others?

Every telephone coaching session begins with a mood rating and a routine risk assessment by the coach. BounceBack® coaches are required to contact clinical psychologists at any time an issue arises that would put the participant at risk of harming themselves or others.

As the primary care provider, you remain in control of the participants care. Family doctors and nurse practitioners who refer individuals to the BounceBack® program will be notified if risk is identified during any of the routine assessments. They will also receive progress reports detailing the work completed, the workbooks used, and the final outcomes.

What does BounceBack® Coaching entail?

The BounceBack® program usually involves three to six telephone sessions with a coach. The first session lasts about 45 minutes and includes an assessment to ensure program eligibility. After the first call, the participant is sent a package of materials, which includes a program information sheet and introductory workbooks. Subsequent calls are 15-20 minutes in length, with the coach providing additional workbooks that best support the individuals’ current needs. The program takes anywhere from three to six months to complete.

Are individuals eligible for BounceBack® if they are on anti-depressant medication or participating in other mental health support programs?

Yes. The use of mental health medications or involvement in other mental health support programs does not preclude individuals from participating in BounceBack®. You decide if BounceBack® is a useful addition to, or replacement for, other treatments or services you’re offering.

Is BounceBack® included in the Community Patient Conferencing Fee?

Yes. Family physicians who consult with a BounceBack® Coach as part of collaborative care planning for a patient with complex needs may bill the Community Patient Conferencing fee (Fee Code 14016).

What is my level of involvement after I submit the referral form?

BounceBack® coaches work in partnership with the participant’s primary referrer should a participant require care that is beyond the program’s reach. Coaches ensure that referrers are updated on the participants’ progress and notified if any level of risk is detected at any point during the sessions. Based on the level of risk that is detected, a primary referrer may be asked to follow-up with the participant. A coach will also notify the primary referrer if a participant in no longer interested in participating in BounceBack®, is no longer eligible for the program, or is unreachable. In such cases, we would ask that the primary referrer follow-up with the individual to explore alternative programs and resources that may be a better fit.

I’m a school counsellor, will students still be able to participate in the program over summer break while I am on break?

BounceBack® coaches will work with school counsellor referrers to create a Summer Transition Plan for any students that will continue to participate in the program over the summer. This will ensure that an alternative service provider takes over the responsibility and oversight of the participant. Coaches will work in partnership with students and counsellors to determine if the participant has an existing relationship with a primary care provider (i.e. physician, nurse practitioner, or psychiatrist). If not, we ask you to help identify another service provider within your region who can take on this responsibility.

All referrals made between March-June may require a summer transition plan, depending on how many sessions the student would like.

Do you have questions that are not listed above?

Check out the FAQ pages on the adult and youth website pages. You can also contact us for more information.