Health Behaviour Change

Aim: One of the major aims of this group is to encourage clients to explore factors that impact on their own wellness and to increase awareness and empowerment to make positive lifestyle changes. The health behaviour change group is based on promoting clients’ health in a more general lifestyle sense, acknowledging the physical aspects of mental illness.

What does the group consist of: The program looks at defining health and wellness as well as factors that influence current and future wellness. Additionally we are using motivational interviewing strategies to look at stages of behavioural change. This will cover diet and exercise as well as coffee, tobacco and alcohol consumption.

Expected outcomes: Participants will gain knowledge and understanding around health behaviour and decision making. Promote exercise and dietary improvement as well as general reflection on personal health.

Who is the group suitable for: Clients who have health risk factors and have needs around behaviour change and the skills to make it happen.

Stress Management

Aim: This structured skills based group recognises the importance of managing stress both along the road to recovery as well as maintaining wellness.

What does the group consist of: The group includes an educational component exploring triggers for stress and common symptoms as well as more practical strategies for reducing stress including formal relaxation techniques, overcoming procrastination, time-management and goal setting. Stress management group draws from theory and research relating to effective stress reduction including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.

Expected outcomes: The group will enhance individuals understanding of stress, common symptoms of stress as well as internal and external triggers of stress. When applied consistently the skills and strategies covered in the group will assist individuals in reducing their levels of stress and / or anxiety and help them achieve lifestyle balance and maintain wellness.

Who is the group suitable for: The group is suitable for those individuals who would to like to enhance their ability to manage stress and/or anxiety and achieve lifestyle balance and reduce their vulnerability to future relapses in their mental health condition.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Aim: This structured skills based group focuses upon managing mood and emotion through looking at patterns of thinking and behaviour.

What does the group consist of: The group includes an educational component exploring common symptoms of anxiety and depression and how such can impact upon our thinking and behaviour. The group also teaches evidence based skills and strategies for managing emotions including identifying and labelling emotions, being aware of triggers of emotions as well as the common negative thinking traps and get out of these traps and think in a more balanced and realistic manner.

Expected outcomes: The group empowers the individual with the knowledge and skills to strengthen their ability to manage the day to day difficulties associated with depression, anxiety and stress. When applied consistently the skills and strategies covered in the group will assist the individual to understand their illness and its symptoms, increase motivation, activity and mood and reduce negative thinking.

Who is the group suitable for: The group is suitable for those individuals with symptoms of Depression, Anxiety or Stress.

Mindfulness

Aim: For people to experience moments of peace, reconnect their mind and body and gain insight into their ability to manage reactions to thoughts and emotions.

What does the group consist of: This is a practical group in which meditation techniques, body/somatic techniques, self soothing strategies, and skills to manage emotions and tolerate distress, are taught and practiced. Parts of the group are based on DBT principles.

Expected outcomes: To understand how emotions and thoughts influence the mind and body. To understand our bodies better and gain a sense of control over responses to emotions and thoughts. To be able to ground yourself in present moments. To increase your ‘tool box’ of activities to use to sooth yourself in distressing moments.

Who is the group suitable for: Those who would like to learn practical skills that can assist with managing reactions to thoughts and emotions. Be prepared to lay on mats, please wear comfortable clothing.

Self Esteem

Aim: For people to increase their view of themselves as worthy and deserving of happiness and competent to cope with challenges in life.

What does the group consist of: This is a skills teaching group which assists people to establish accurate self reflections, develop assertiveness, gain a sense of life direction and self responsibility, and manage perfectionism, mistakes and criticism. Self Esteem Group is based on Interpersonal Therapy and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy.

Expected outcomes: To form a more balanced and accurate self reflection, to gain tools to combat negative thinking and increase effective communication, to prioritise personal values, and create realistic, motivating goals.

Who is the group suitable for: People who want to increase their self esteem and feel ready to challenge their self reflections and learn concepts and skills related to this.
Belief Systems to Improve Self-Management

Aim: This group examines current belief systems for family, work, marriage and spirituality and their helpfulness in managing current life issues. Spirituality has been extensively researched as beneficial to mental health.

What does the group consist of: explores systems of belief, spiritual values and concepts to help clients cope better, relieve symptoms and find hope as a pathway to fullfilment.

Expected outcomes: this group will increase coping strategies giving hope and meaning to current suffering and distress. It will also help clients understand and manage adverse symptoms they may be experiencing.

Who is the group suitable for: Clients experiencing: addictions, compulsions, anxiety and/or depression.