Evidence from the Frontline: Mental Health in Crisis Affected Contexts, episode 1: Self-Help Plus Artwork

Heartbeat of Humanity

Heartbeat of Humanity is a podcast about mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS). The podcast is mainly for staff and volunteers in the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement, especially staff and volunteers working in mental health and psychosocial support services.

The podcast is produced by the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement MHPSS Hub supporting the RCRC Movement by providing mental health, psychosocial support, and capacity-building initiatives. Hosted by the Danish Red Cross (DRC), the Hub is a collaborative partnership involving the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and the DRC.

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Heartbeat of Humanity

Evidence from the Frontline: Mental Health in Crisis Affected Contexts, episode 1: Self-Help Plus

August 01, 2025 • The Red Cross Red Crescent Movement MHPSS Hub

The topic of this 1st episode of Evidence from the Frontline: Mental Health in Crisis Affected Contexts is Self-Help Plus (SH+), a stress management course developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) supported by Elrha’s Research for Health in Humanitarian Crises (R2HC) and the EU Horizon 2020 programme.

SH+ is based on cognitive behavioural therapy and aims to reduce psychosocial distress and improve coping. SH+ has been implemented in humanitarian settings such as Ukraine, Uganda, and South Sudan. Sarah Harrison, Acting Director of the RCRC Movement MHPSS Hub, explores SH+ through interviews Ken Carswell and Lidiia Kasianchuk. Ken is a Mental health Specialist from WHO and Lidiia is a psychologist from Ukraine with experience of implementing SH+.

Key resources practitioners

Psychological interventions implementation manual: integrating evidence-based psychological interventions into existing services

Self-Help Plus (sh+): a group-based stress management course for adults

The Self-Help Plus (‎SH+)‎ training manual: for training facilitators to deliver the SH+ course

Self-Help Plus (SH+) online orientation course

Doing What Matters in Times of Stress

Research & further reading

Self-Help Plus (SH+): a new WHO stress management package

Guided self-help to reduce psychological distress in South Sudanese female refugees in Uganda: a cluster randomised trial

Effectiveness of a WHO self-help psychological intervention for preventing mental disorders among Syrian refugees in Turkey: a randomized controlled trial

Effectiveness of a WHO self-help psychological intervention to alleviate stress among healthcare workers in the context of COVID-19 in China: a randomised controlled trial

Effectiveness of Self-Help Plus in its digital version in reducing anxiety and post-traumatic symptomatology among nursing home workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: secondary analysis of randomised controlled trial data

Highlighting Complementary Benefits of Problem Management Plus (PM+) and Doing What Matters in Times of Stress (DWM) Interventions Delivered Alongside Broader Community MHPSS Programming in Zummar, Ninewa Governorate of Iraq

“Doing What Matters in Times of Stress” to Decrease Psychological Distress During COVID-19: A Randomised Controlled Pilot Trial

Evidence from the Frontline: Mental Health in Crisis Affected Contexts is a six-episode mini-series produced in collaboration between the MHPSS Hub and Elrha for practitioners working in humanitarian and crisis contexts, the series highlights interventions and practical insights from experts in the field. It will explore critical topics including effectiveness, implementation, adaptation, integration into existing programmes, human resources, costs, and the importance of cultural and contextual relevance.