Course descriptions

Introduction to Webinars

This session is an opportunity to see and test GoToWebinar software and explore the functions of our standard webinars. You will be given the option during the session to move to Teams and trial the functions of our enhanced Webinars too. This is also a chance to test the compatibility of your chosen device.

What is Recovery?

This one session course will start to explore what recovery means to individuals through shared learning, reflection, definitions and models. There is opportunity to think about your own strengths, skills, values and recovery journey, whilst acknowledging the challenges.

Our Mental Health

This introductory one session course explores a shared understanding of how we can support ourselves and others. We will consider different approaches to mental health and recovery thinking about what good mental health looks like for us. Using the window of tolerance, we will create our own toolkit to support us to manage our own distress and that of others. The course encourages us to start thinking about what it means to feel safe.

Connecting around Caring and Supporting

Connecting around Caring and Supporting is delivered in two sessions. Session 1 will explore the experience of being a carer and share our learning around that experience, both as individuals and in relation to services. We will also look at what support is available to carers locally. In session 2 we will think about the recovery journey for carers, the importance of boundaries and how we, as carers, can keep going!

Understanding Young Person's Recovery: A Course for Supporters of Young People

This webinar is delivered by the Discovery Project for parents, carers and supporters of young people. It aims to share and explore an understanding of young people’s mental health, the challenges they face and how the concept of recovery can translate to them. There will be an opportunity to start exploring how supporting a young person can affect your own wellbeing and ways to look after ourselves.

Student Space

The student space provides an opportunity for existing students to join us in reflecting on their learning journey with the Recovery Education Centre. It will provide you with an opportunity to celebrate with us as well as talk about any of our courses you have attended and/or online resources you have used. We very much value all of our student feedback, and it is a chance to share your learning with us. We would welcome any ideas you may have for the future of our REC. This term our feedback space will be offered as an Enhanced Webinar.

Learn with Confidence

This one session course is all about helping you feel more confident and motivated to learn. We’ll look at how we learn, what can sometimes get in the way, and how to tackle those challenges. We will discuss how to build confidence in sharing your thoughts and learning with others. We will also think about how we can use reflection as a tool for looking at your progress, goal setting and deciding what to do next.  Whether you’re new to the REC or have been a student for a while, this session is here to help you get the most out of your learning experience.

Finding Your Perspective

Do you ever think about all the different views, beliefs and perspectives there are on mental health? Do you wonder how this might impact upon your own understanding of mental health and your recovery journey? Finding Your Perspective is a three session course; in this we will explore many different ways of viewing mental health and consider their positive and negative impacts upon ourselves and the
society we find ourselves in. We will spend time looking at the influence of cultural, social, personal, clinical and media perspectives among others, and will encourage discussion and respect for differing opinions. In doing so, we will explore what influences our own view of mental health and recovery.

Valuing Ourselves as Carers and Supporters

In this course we recognise the crucial contribution of unpaid Carers. Our intention is to bring Carers together to feel visible, valued and supported in their roles. If you give care or support to someone who would otherwise not manage, this course gives a little time to consider your own wellbeing and build on your resources and resilience. This single session course compliments our Connecting around Carers and Supporters course.

Introduction to ADHD

In this introductory session we will explore the strengths and challenges of living with ADHD, the diagnostic process, facing change and what might support us.

Understanding ADHD

This course is split into four sessions. In session one we will define ADHD and create a shared understanding of what this means. In session two we will explore what it's like living with ADHD and think about the impact upon our identity and various life factors. In the third session, we look at what living well with ADHD means to you and how we could live well with ADHD. In the final session we will reflect on what we have learnt and think about plans for moving forward.

Understanding Autism

“If you’ve met one person with Autism, you’ve met one person with Autism.” (Dr. Stephen Shore) Each person’s experience of Autism is unique, as are the ways in which they can be supported. On this course we aim to explore our understanding of Autism, the impacts, what that means for wellbeing, coping skills, communication and living with Autism. The course will be run over four sessions. 

Building Safer Connections

This introductory one session course explores how and why safer connections and relationships can enhance our wellbeing. We will begin to study different types of connection and the things that can make them feel safe. We acknowledge that creating and maintaining these connections can feel challenging at times and we will look at some different ways of managing this.

Community and Belonging

This three session course will help us understand what we mean when we talk about community. We will think about different types of communities and how we use our individual strengths, values, and interests to build a sense of belonging. We will look at the strengths and resources that are in our local communities and how these can support us to thrive. There will be opportunities to hear about and share some of the things happening within your area, and a chance to discover new activities. We will
explore how we can establish and nurture connections which we can use to support our own recovery and to build the life we want. This term the course will be running in Dorchester.

Recognising My Strengths

This one session course aims to help us to recognise what strengths are and how we might identify our own. We will do this together by exploring how using our strengths makes us feel, how we have used strengths when we have been challenged, and how we might build on the strengths we have. Throughout, we will “focus on what is strong, not what is wrong”.

Self-Compassion

This two session course explores ways we can bring more self-compassion into our lives. We will discuss the concept of being kind to yourself, exploring how we can set boundaries and build resilience and you will learn ways that you can practice self-compassion.

Spirituality

Spirituality is about identifying the meaning and purpose in our lives helping us to find hope and direction. This one session course explores what we see as spirituality and offers resources and ideas to share, aiming to help us develop spiritual practice and awareness in the everyday.

Tackling Loneliness & Making Connections for Young Adults (18-25 Years)

This course is delivered by the Discovery Project for adults aged 18-25. This two session course will build an understanding of connection and think about the differences between belonging and fitting in. We will myth bust loneliness and think about how it effects our wellbeing, whilst exploring the challenges to feeling connected as a young adult. We will also think about how we can plan to overcome barriers to establish a sense of connection. 

Understanding My Values

Values are linked to what is important to us and can be guiding principles to how we live our lives. This one session course aims to explore what values are and the impact these have on our wellbeing and recovery. We will explore ways that we can connect with our own values.

Boundaries

In this one session course we look at what we mean by boundaries and how they can help maintain healthy relationships. We discuss how it can sometimes feel difficult to set boundaries, then we go on to explore ways that can help us put them in place.

Building Confidence with Work

This one session course explores what impacts on our confidence with work and helps to identify strengths, build an understanding of the workplace and develop self compassion. It is a course for both those who are in work and those who are contemplating work.

Navigating change

Change happens all the time. This course explores how we experience change. We will look at the challenges, benefits, opportunities and how we cope with change in our lives. We will practice trying something new and start to think about how we might make longer term changes. The course will be delivered across two sessions. This course title has been updated this term but the course content remains the same. This course was previously titled ‘Change.’

Early Warning Signs

Being able to identify our early warning signs can help us to manage our own mental health. This one session course will describe what they are and why they are important. We will start to identify possible early warning signs alongside thinking about what helps.

Coping at Christmas

Christmas can be a difficult time for many people. Our Coping at Christmas one session course aims to explore ways that we can cope during this time. We will recognise some of the challenges and discuss ways that we can look after ourselves through self-compassion and self-management.

Exploring Boundaries for Young Adults

Delivered by The Discovery Project, this one-session course will explore what boundaries are, why they matter, and how they support healthy relationships. We’ll also look at why setting boundaries can sometimes feel uncomfortable or challenging for young adults, and for those who are supporting young people. We will share practical ways to build confidence in putting boundaries into place. Two of the sessions we are running this Autumn term are designed specifically for young adults aged 18-25 years. Our December session is designed to be accessible to everyone, including young adults and their supporters, families and carers.

Exploring Emotions

In this two session course we’ll look at the role and purpose of emotions; helping us to understand and balance our emotional lives. We’ll explore the full spectrum of emotions, learning about where they come from and getting curious about what it feels like to experience them. We’ll look at ways we can navigate difficult emotions as well as how to encourage more pleasant ones!

Exploring Sleep

We know sleep is important for our mental and physical wellbeing, but many people find it difficult to sleep. This two session course explores how sleep works, why it can be difficult and how we might overcome the barriers to sleep. We will be looking at sleep routine and other tools we can use to get a better night’s sleep.

Introducing Mindfulness

What is Mindfulness and how can it help with recovery? This single session course will bust the myths, explore the potential, and address any questions you have about this approach. You will have the opportunity to try some everyday mindfulness practices and find out how to learn more.

Introducing Pain Management

Persistent pain affects approximately 1 in 3 of the UK adult population. This course will explore the complexity of personal experience with persistent pain and its impact on daily life. Recognising the physical and emotional challenges of living with daily pain and sharing experiences can build confidence to use in self management. The information is aimed at anyone who is affected by persistent pain, for example, carers, professionals and those living with the condition. The trainers are unable to provide a diagnosis or answers about individual treatments. This course is delivered in one session.

Managing Mood

The managing mood course is delivered across two sessions. Many people experience changes in their mood which in turn has an effect on their day-to-day routines and wellbeing. We explore mood and discuss how identifying anchor points can connect us with helpful coping strategies and build resilience when things feel more challenging.

Mindful Living

Have you ever wondered how we can bring mindfulness into our everyday lives? This four session course gives lots of opportunities to understand what it means to be mindful. We will try different practices and help you find what’s supportive for you.

Self-Management

This one session course aims to explore what we mean by self-management, and why and how we might do it. We will explore identity, the importance of building a routine, and self-advocacy and how they can enable us to self-manage. We will start to think about building a toolbox of skills and coping strategies.

Window of Tolerance

This one session course aims to provide an understanding of the Window of Tolerance model. The session will explore the three different zones, thinking about what this looks like and feels like for us as individuals, and how we can nurture the zone where we feel calm and safe. The course will also consider how we can compassionately support ourselves and others. This course builds upon the introduction to the Window of Tolerance which you may find in other courses.

Anxiety

This one session course starts by asking what we mean by anxiety and how it feels. We go on to think about what we might know already about how to manage it and why it can feel hard to do sometimes. Together we will explore the importance of what is in and out of our control, what it means to ‘step out of our comfort zone’ and finally to look at some more techniques to manage anxiety.

Depression

This one session course aims to explore depression and enable us to share our experiences. We will discuss symptoms and experiences of depression and how they impact on us. We identify strategies that may help including recognising the importance of connections and self-care.

Dissociation

This course aims to raise awareness and encourage discussion about dissociative conditions and experiences. We will introduce concepts about the origins and symptoms of dissociation as well as exploring barriers to diagnosis and common myths about dissociative disorders. We will also start to explore some basic tools to help self manage dissociative symptoms. This course is delivered face to face.

Introduction to Bipolar

This one session course aims to support individuals, families, and supporters to understand a bipolar diagnosis. We will discuss some experiences of high and low mood whilst exploring the impact this may have on daily living. We will start to identify what recovery and wellbeing might look like.

Exploring Bipolar

Living with Bipolar can sometimes feel like you're on a roller coaster with little control. You can lose sight of who you are, your connections and what is important to you. The course builds on our Introduction to Bipolar course and aims, over four sessions, to explore how we can live well with Bipolar, reconnecting with ourselves and our wellbeing. It includes exploring mood, early warning signs, coping, wellbeing, recovery, communication, supporters and moving forward. This will be running as an online enhanced webinar.  Please note this course is only accessible to students who have a diagnosis of Bipolar.

Living Well with Bipolar

This course builds on our introductory session ‘Introduction to Bipolar’ and is delivered over ten sessions. The course aim is to explore the potential impact that a diagnosis of Bipolar can have on those with the diagnosis as well as the impact on people around them. The sessions will include sharing and learning from personal experiences, identifying and managing mood cycles, recognising early warning signs
and exploring helpful coping strategies. Students will start to build ‘Staying Well Plans’ to support their Recovery and wellbeing which will include strategies such as recognising and accessing support, exploring the role of medication, and practicing self-compassion. Please note this course is only accessible to students who have a diagnosis of Bipolar.

Making Sense of Grief

Many people believe that grief is a single emotion, but grief is a powerful, multifaceted and often uncontrollable response to profound losses of many kinds. People often find they can become stuck in the grieving process when they cannot make sense of their losses. This course hopes to provide a road map to help navigate the grief journey from loss toward recovery and a life re-made. This course is
delivered across two sessions.

Managing Anxiety as a Young Adult (18-25 Years)

This course is delivered by the Discovery Project for adults aged 18-25. The world today presents a unique set of challenges for this generation. Together over two sessions, we will explore what anxiety is and how it can show up in our daily lives. We will share strategies and think about how we can start to build a tool kit to support us in managing anxiety.

OCD - Ruminations, Compulsions and Obsessions

This two session course looks at what we mean by OCD, ruminations, compulsions and obsessions. We look at different types of OCD and the OCD cycle, and what other mental health conditions may affect our OCD. We look at beginning an OCD diary and explore options and strategies which can help us manage, including self-care tools.

Understanding 'Personality Disorder' Diagnosis and Complex Trauma

This introductory course provides space to consider different perspectives on ‘personality disorder’ diagnosis and complex trauma, over three sessions. The first session considers emotional pain and distress and the window of tolerance as a tool for making sense of our experiences. The second session considers the role of trauma and the resources that can anchor us in wider living. The third session explores what humans need to feel safe and how we negotiate this in order to live rather than survive.

Unusual Experiences

Psychosis, Hearing Voices, Paranoia and other unusual experiences

This course explores possible unusual experiences and our own understanding of them. We will look at the impact stress has on them and our wellbeing, and start to identify things that can help us to manage.

Understanding Unusual Experiences

Unusual experiences can mean a lot of different things. We think of experiences such as hearing voices or seeing things other people can’t see, as well as feeling suspicious and paranoid. These experiences can be part of a diagnosis like psychosis. On this course, we will talk about how we can build an understanding of unusual experiences, as well as ways to move towards the things in life that are important to us. We look at the reasons why we can have these experiences, as well as things like warning sign s when things are getting worse, coping skills and strategies, the bigger picture of change and living a life that is meaningful to you. We also look at things like the cycle of change and acceptance, sleep and other factors that can make a big difference to our overall wellbeing. We think about things from the biological side, the psychological side and also the social side of life.

The course runs for 8 weeks online and is hosted by the Recovery Education Centre. It has been co produced and will be co fa cilitated by the Dorset Mental Health Forum and local psychology services. This course is only accessible to students who have lived experience of unusual experiences.