The Ostrich Community Internet-Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Program for Distress Related to Carrying Debt: A Digital Hand to Help People to Face up to and Cope With Debt

Introduction

People who carry financial debt can easily become overwhelmed and not be able to see their way out of it, thereby leading to denial as a defence mechanism against debilitating anxiety, but this pattern only leads to a spiral of intensifying the problems because strategies for coming out of excessive debt require direct confrontation and planning and calm, clear thinking. During the COVID pandemic, many people lost their jobs and therefore even more people have incurred debt.

The second author created an internet based cognitive behaviour program, called The Ostrich Community Internet-Cognitive Behaviour Therapy program which was designed specifically to aid individuals to manage their distress and to facilitate them to move away from denial of their financial problems. The goal was to help people to manage their stress symptoms and mobilize to be able to cope more effectively with their financial problems. In effect, the program offers a digital hand to help people to face up to and cope with debt.

This chapter will provide the background for the creation of this program, explain how it was designed, and describe the impact and outcomes of this digital intervention, which has been piloted in a range of settings including health care centres, unemployment services, and a university. Evidence from research conducted by the authors including a mixed methods study of feasibility and a qualitative research study which examined the range of difficulties experienced by individuals with debt related stress and depression based on the CBT Five Factor Model will be presented. The chapter will conclude with a consideration of future research and applications of the intervention, especially in light of the effects of the pandemic in exacerbating problem debt levels.