Psychology Services within the Clinical Research Unit for Anxiety and Depression (CRUfAD)

Location

Level 4, The O’Brien Centre, 390 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst 2010

About Us

CRUfAD

The Clinical Research Unit for Anxiety and Depression (CRUfAD) is a facility of the University of New South Wales and St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney, established to reduce the impact of anxiety and depressive disorders on individuals and the community. It comprises the:

1. Anxiety Disorders Clinic, 
2. The Virtual Clinic & Innovation Lab 
3. THIS WAY UP 

A leader in the field of digital mental health, the unit also has strong ties to psychopharmacogenomics and interventional psychiatry, collaborating with a wide array of clinicians, health services, community organisations, and research institutes across the nation and worldwide. CRUfAD’s full publication list can be accessed at here. 

The Virtual Clinic & Innovation Lab

CRUfAD has a strong history and track record in research and innovation, with a focus on exploring innovative approaches to psychotherapy.

Clinical researchers in The Virtual Clinic were some of the first in the world to explore the innovative use of technology in mental health treatment, by taking traditional psychological therapies and distilling these interventions into online treatment programs. Once validated in randomised controlled trials, these online treatments have been disseminated across Australia and worldwide via THIS WAY UP and delivered alongside face-to-face care in the Anxiety Disorders Clinic.

More recently, researchers have also begun exploring the use of novel pharmacological agents, such as psychedelics, to enhance the effects of psychotherapy. CRUfAD is currently conducting a trial in collaboration with the St Vincent’s Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology Department and the Black Dog Institute that is looking at the feasibility and safety of giving psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for individuals with treatment-resistant depression who are on already taking medications for depression. Recruitment is currently open and is by psychiatrist referral only. For further information about this study, please contact Corey Botansky (Clinical Trial Coordinator ): corey.botansky@svha.org.au.  

The Anxiety Disorders Clinic

The Anxiety Disorders Clinic (ADC) is a specialist service providing assessment and treatment for adults with anxiety and related disorders. 

An initial assessment at the Clinic explores possible diagnoses of an anxiety disorder and how suitable the Clinic’s face to face or online Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) programs may be for an individual. Treatment is delivered by an interdisciplinary team of clinical psychologists and psychiatry registrars. 

The Anxiety Disorders Clinic provides assessment and treatment for Social Phobia, Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Generalised Anxiety Disorder, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, Specific Phobia, and Health Anxiety. Assessment and treatment for secondary Depression is also often provided.

The ADC is a public health service for adults residing in NSW. A referral from a GP and a valid Medicare card/number is required to access the Clinic

Patients can call the clinic to discuss an assessment on (02) 8382 1400.

Patient registration forms and GP referral forms can be found here  https://crufad.org/anxiety-disorders-clinic/how-do-i-get-started/ 

THIS WAY UP

THIS WAY UP is a digital mental health service offering clinically proven online treatment programs for anxiety, depression, insomnia, and related disorders. Learn more about the treatments available here. 
There are two main ways to get started with a THIS WAY UP program:

1. Self-guided 
   Start immediately on your mental health journey without a referral. You can select a treatment program and work through at your own pace. Some of the programs are available free of charge, while others require a small one-off fee. 
   Get started immediately here. Not sure which treatment program is right for you? Take our free assessment.
2. Clinician-guided
   Get extra support by being supervised by your medical/healthcare professional. Ask your primary clinician for a referral so that they can monitor and keep you on track. There is no cost for the treatment programs with a referral. 
   
   Download a referral letter to take to your clinician