Girls Aloud star Nicola Roberts and award-winning singer songwriter Laura Mvula have spoken about the impact of therapy on their lives as they helped launch a new mental health campaign.

They鈥檙e among a number of famous faces reciting lyrics to the Beatles classic song Help! in a new NHS campaign video.

The video includes other music stars Craig David, Max George and Ella Henderson and aims to encourage people struggling with their mental health to see how talking therapies can help.

Laura Mvula says it's okay to ask for help

Speaking about her experience of therapy, Laura said it was okay to ask for help.

She said: 鈥淭hrough my own personal experience of when I had therapy on the NHS, it did so much for my emotional well-being just to know that someone was truly caring for me on a regular basis.

Trust

鈥淚t helped me see that things are temporary and however bad and permanent your situation feels, reaching out and sharing with someone you can trust is so important. It鈥檚 okay to ask for help 鈥� everybody needs it.鈥�

Nicola added: 鈥淚鈥檓 someone that has benefited hugely from talking therapy.

鈥淚 think there is such a taboo around it that people almost feel like they鈥檝e failed or they weren鈥檛 strong enough to figure out a situation by themselves.

鈥淏ut if you鈥檙e feeling like you can鈥檛 see the wood from the trees or light at the end of the tunnel, it鈥檚 imperative to reach out because you can鈥檛 always do it alone.

鈥淚t鈥檚 about saying this is what is happening to me, it鈥檚 not my fault, but my happiness matters and I鈥檓 going to put my hand up and say I need some help. I wouldn鈥檛 be where I am now without therapy鈥�.

Nicola Roberts says she's "benefited hugely" from therapy

Nicola Roberts says she's "benefited hugely" from therapy

Since the start of the pandemic some 2.3 million people have come forward for NHS talking therapies, but with new figures out today showing that more than 50% of people were concerned about their mental health last year 鈥� and around half also experiencing stress, anxiety, low mood or depression, and the majority not seeking professional help 鈥� many more could benefit.

Now the NHS is encouraging anybody experiencing anxiety, depression, or other common mental health concerns to come forward and see how talking therapies can help them.

Expand therapy

Matt Smith-Lilley, our policy and engagement lead (mental health), said: "It鈥檚 fantastic to see such high-profile figures sharing their positive experiences of therapy as part of this campaign.

鈥淭he more people who talk about therapy positively, the more people in need can realise this is something that can help them.

鈥淏ut the reality is that mental health services are already facing a workforce shortage and struggling to meet existing demand for services.

鈥淲e need to see further action to expand the mental health workforce alongside the vital work of encouraging more people to seek counselling and psychotherapy.

鈥淭o achieve this the government needs to invest more in counselling and psychotherapy and recognise the vast, largely untapped potential of the existing counselling and psychotherapy workforce and to bring more of these therapists into the workforce so that people have access to a wider choice of effective therapies, and can also access therapy quicker.

鈥淲e鈥檒l continue to campaign on behalf of our members and the public for more investment in therapy, for more choice and for greater access.鈥�

Don't suffer in silence

NHS mental health director Claire Murdoch said: 鈥淭he pandemic has taken a toll on the nation鈥檚 mental health, and we know January can be a particularly tough month for many.

鈥淥ver a million people already use NHS talking therapies every year, but we know we can help millions more just by telling them it鈥檚 there for them and that is exactly what this campaign is all about.

鈥淚f you're experiencing anxiety, stress, or are feeling low, it鈥檚 important you know you are not alone and that it is okay to get help. No one should suffer in silence.

鈥淣HS staff have pulled out all the stops throughout the pandemic to keep mental health care services open, and it鈥檚 fantastic to see some of the biggest names in music back our campaign and encourage people to get the support they need.鈥�

The campaign will run across radio, social media, and on demand.