Accessing Recovery Education

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 GoToMeeting and trial the functions of our enhanced Webinars. This is also a chance to test the compatibility of your chosen device.

Recovery

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.

Reflective Space

This reflective 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. Each term we will alternate between a face-to-face and webinar course offer.

Understanding self

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 is running in the Boscombe areat.

Self compassion

This one 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.

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”.

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.

Understanding Neurodivergence

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 three sessions. (This ran last term as Introduction to Autism and is the same course content just a new title).

Managing everyday

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.

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.

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.

Exploring Emotions

This course provides an introduction to identifying our emotions which helps us to begin to understand more about how to manage them. Session one looks at the 9 basic emotions, exploring definitions and information about how and why we experience these emotions and the impact they can have on our wellbeing. Students will have an opportunity after this session to explore how they personally experience certain emotions with the accompanying workbook. Session two will continue to build on understanding emotions and will explore some coping skills.

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.

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.

Sleep

During this one session course we will share ideas about what might help us get a better night’s sleep. We will look at why sleep is important and what may get in the way, noticing some of the difficulties around sleep and what might cause them.

Living with and understanding mental health

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 4 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.

Please note this course is only accessible to students who have a diagnosis of Bipolar.

Making Sense of Grief

Grief is a normal human response to loss of many kinds, however people can find themselves stuck in grief and it can impact their mental health. This course aims to explore the various dimensions of grief and the affect it can have on our lives: emotional, physical and social. We will look at ways we can cope during the process of grieving and suggest some tools for managing grief. This course is delive red across two sessions.

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. Please note this course is only accessible to students who have lived experience of unusual experiences.

Window of Tolerance

This one session course will introduce the Window of Tolerance model. This approach will support you to understand how to care for yourself and others. When we are inside our window, we feel calm, safe and able to make choices and decisions. When we move outside our window, we may feel overwhelmed or numb. This course will explore how and why we move outside of our window and identify things we can do to expand and return to those feelings of safety. 

Printable PDF version of course descriptions

Discovery Project Courses

Working alongside the Discovery Project, who work with young people under the age of 25, we are joint hosting the following courses:

Young Adults' Recovery

This one session course is for young adults aged 18 to 25. It aims to explore an understanding of Recovery/Discovery, what this can mean and what matters to young people. It’s an opportunity to learn more about skills, strengths, values an d shared experiences alongside Discovery NHS Trainers and Young Person’s Peer Specialists.

Young Adults' Self Management

In this one session Self Management course for young adults aged 18 to 25 , w e will start to think about building a toolbox of skills and coping strategies by exploring what we mean by self management, why and how we might do it. We consider th e importance of building a routine, self advocacy and how they can enable us to self manage.

Understanding Young Person’s Recovery - A course for supporters of young people

This one session course is for parents, carers and supporters of young people . It aims to share and explore an understanding on young people's mental health, the challenges they face, how the concept of Recovery can translate to them with an opportunity to start exploring how supporting a young person can affect sup porter’s wellbeing and ways to look after ourselves.

Follow the link to find out more about the Discovery Project.