Learn online
We have a variety of online learning opportunities and open access resources available. Scroll down to see our headings and learn more.
We would like to share with you our bitesize skills short video on WiseMind:
(You can find the accompanying worksheet under the bitesize skills tab below)
Podcasts
The podcasts are discussions between trainers, peers or other professionals. You can listen to them through your phone, computer or tablet. To access these please see links below.
Workbooks and worksheets
These self-directed learning materials can be downloaded and completed in your own time.
Videos
We have several short films of bitesize skills and discussions between peer specialists and professionals.
Please contact us if you are struggling to access any of the resources that we have online as we can also post you copies of the workbooks and other information booklets that we make reference to.
You may also like to find out more about our courses on offer.
ADHD
Our ADHD workbooks have been developed alongside our ADHD courses. The workbooks can be downloaded and worked through in your own time for self-directed study.
First we have our 'Introduction to ADHD' workbook to provide a broad overview of ADHD.
Below is our 'Understanding ADHD' workbooks. We hope these workbooks will provide an opportunity to explore several theories, recognise the impact, challenges and strengths of living with ADHD, and to also think about what ADHD means to you.We hope these workbooks will provide an opportunity to explore several theories, recognise the impact, challenges and strengths of living with ADHD, and to also think about what ADHD means to you.
Workbook Part 1 - Defining ADHD
Workbook Part 2 - Exploring Life with ADHD
Workbook Part 3 - Living Well with ADHD
Workbook Part 4 - Support, Moving Forward and Time to Reflect
Anxiety
Download our anxiety workbook which explores management skills and recognising challenges. On the last page you can find other useful links and resources listed.
Being Heard
Sometimes it can feel that no matter how hard we try we aren't being heard. Whether it's with health care workers or organisations, as a customer, things of importance may not be considered with the importance we feel it should. There are many reasons why this might be happening, and it can happen to us all at different points.
Podcasts:
- Getting yourself heard: How can we do this? This podcast is in partnership with Citizens Advice.
- Having choices
- Seldom heard voices
Bitesize Skills
These short bitesize film clips and worksheets focus on different skills and techniques that we hope you find helpful.We have started with ones that people commonly use and often find helpful when looking after their wellbeing. They are examples of skills we often explore and practice in our Recovery Education Centre courses.
Physical Grounding clip and worksheet
Mental Grounding clip and worksheet
Self Soothe Grounding clip and worksheet
STOPP clip and worksheet
Circles of Control clip and worksheet
Comfort Zone clip and worksheet
Stress Bucket clip and worksheet
Window of Tolerance clip and worksheet
Boundaries
Download our workbook to develop your understanding of boundaries, why they are so important, how they can be set and how they impact our lives.
Building Confidence with Work
Download our workbook to begin recognising your strengths in the workplace and how you can build confidence and compassion in your profession. 
Change
Download our workbook to help develop an understanding of change as a process, to explore how motivation influences change, and to consider the impact of change on our wellbeing.
Compassion
Thinking about how we can be compassionate to ourselves and to others is an important topic for us. Compassion is one of the most powerful ways of coping and building resilience.
Podcasts:
In this set of three podcasts Tracey and Jane explore the flow of compassion which includes: compassion to others, self-compassion and the ripple effect that can be seen when we are compassionate in our communities.
You can also download our introducting self compassion workbook to explore what it means to you and how to practice it. This can be used as a stand alone resource or can be completed alongside listening to the podcasts.
Coping with COVID-19
Lockdown easing and restrictions changing will have an impact on us all. In these podcasts we discuss openly and honestly how we are finding the changes and reference how we are using some of the techniques (which you can find in Bitesize Skills) to help us cope.
Podcasts:
You can also download our coming out of lockdown workbook which explores skills, strengths and resources used to help manage our wellbeing during times of change. This can be used as a stand alone resource or can be completed alongside listening to the podcasts.
The Recovery Education Centre collaborated with the Steps2Wellbeing service, bringing together lived experience and our joint expertise, to co-develop videos. These videos look at different areas and techniques that may be helpful to use when coping with challenges or feelings of uncertainty around the COVID-19 pandemic. The Steps2Wellbeing service have other COVID-19 resources available on their webpage.
Videos:
Coping with COVID: Anxious thought
Coping with COVID: Fight or Flight
Depression
Download our depression workbook to look at symptoms and note experiences, as well as thinking about the importance of connections and self-care. 
Early Warning Signs
Download our early warning signs workbook to look at how you can begin to identify your own signs along with anchor points. 
Employment with Dorset Work Matters
Meaningful occupation or employment can look very different for everyone. We understand however that it can be incredibly positive in an individual's Recovery.
"Dorset Work Matters is a new service for individuals with a mental health condition who are under the Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) and wanting to gain PAID employment. Employment specialists work using the Individual Placement Support approach. Referrals are made through the CMHT." For more information about Employment Services visit their webpage. We have collaborated with Dorset Work Matters to co-produce a series of podcasts.
Podcasts:
Exploring Bipolar
In this short series of podcasts we explore what it means to have a Bipolar diagnosis and how during difficult or unusual
times (such as during the pandemic) some of those early, mid and late warning signs might be appearing. We also hear experiences from our trainers about an area which isn’t often covered and that is the role of that middle area, when moods aren’t either high or low but instead we feel well.
Podcasts:
We also have two workbooks available for you to download and complete in your own time:
Our Introduction to Bipolar workbook aims to support in understanding the meaning and impact of a bipolar diagnosis, both clinically and personally.
Our Exploring Bipolar workbook looks at many aspects of living with bipolar, for example, exploring mood, early warning signs and coping, wellbeing and supporters.
Exploring Emotions
Download our exploring emotions workbook to explore the role and purpose of emotions and to introduce some coping skills.
Five Steps to Wellbeing
Research has identied 5 ways which can improve our personal Wellbeing. We have developed 5 short video clips to introduce each of the areas: connect, learn, be active, take notice and give. Download our CLANG Worksheets to think about your current wellbeing in relation to the 5 ways, and how you might be able to adapt or improve in these areas.
Videos:
Introduction to Spirituality
Spirituality plays a really important part in our wellbeing. We may not see ourselves as spiritual at all, however, it can include connecting with things that make you take a breath, that make you feel a part of the world you are in, and make you light up when you share with others. These resources explore with you how you might connect with those things, and recognise them as being a fundamental part of who you are.
Podcasts:
Download our worksheet to complete a couple of activities around spirituality.
Download our spirituality workbook to further explore what this means to you.
This can be used as a stand alone resource or can be completed alongside listening to the podcasts.
Making Sense of Grief
Our making sense of grief workbook explores the various dimensions of grief and ways people can cope during the process of grieving. This workbook will also look at the impact grieving has on your life, ways to make sense of grief, and include further signposting to help you find the right support for you.
Managing Fatigue
Understanding and managing fatigue can be really important to Recovery. Causes of fatigue vary greatly, and whilst our podcasts have been developed by staff and Peers working in the Brain Injury team, the principles and techniques are applicable to many of us.
Podcasts:
We also have a fatigue management workbook which documents some of the techniques used. This can be used as a stand alone resource or can be completed alongside listening to the podcasts.
Managing Mood
Download our managing mood workbook to learn from your experiences of changing mood and explore different coping strategies.
Mentally Healthy
Looking after our physical health can really have an impact on our mental health. In this series we will begin by looking at sleep, food and mood, and exercise or activity.
Podcasts:
- Sleep: Finding those things that will help a good nights sleep
- Food & mood
- Getting active and doing some exercise
We also have a sleep workbook which looks to improve your understanding on the importance of sleep, to notice some of the difficulties around sleep, and what might cause them. This can be used as a stand alone resource or can be completed alongside listening to the podcasts.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a term that many of us have come across but it can be confusing. We have created some resources to help unpick what is meant by mindfulness and explore how you might use these skills.
Podcasts:
You can also download our brief introduction to mindfulness workbook to begin dicovering your own mindful practice. This can be used as a stand alone resource or can be completed alongside listening to the podcasts.
Personal Recovery
"Recovery is based on simple human needs: To have hope for the future; to feel somewhat in control of your life and to be able to access to the ordinary things that make life meaningful - somewhere to live, something to do, someone to care about you, and a feeling that you are a part of society, not excluded from it.” (Shepherd et al.2014. p18)
Podcasts:
- Exploring Recovery: The impact of COVID
- Exploring Recovery: The context of community
- Exploring Recovery: Hopes and aspirations
- Exploring Recovery: Wellbeing
You can also download our recovery workbook to explore recovery definitions and models whilst reflecting on what this means to you. This can be used as a stand alone resource or can be completed alongside listening to the podcasts.
Routine
In this series of 4 podcasts Marie and Kerry talk about the importance of having a balanced routine with a range of activities. They discuss why this can be difficult in these strange times and how they are adapting and creating new routines to help them manage their wellbeing.
Podcasts:
You can also download our workbook to explore the importance of a building a balanced routine which incorporates helpful coping strategies. This can be used as a stand alone resource or can be completed alongside listening to the podcasts.
Self Management
Download our self management workbook to explore how balancing our lives supports self-management and to understand
the role of self-advocacy.
Strengths
Download our strengths workbook to think about how to recognise your own strengths and how we might build upon these.
Supporting Someone’s Recovery: For carers, family member and friends
In this special series of podcasts we are bringing together staff, and carers from Rethink Mental Illness in Dorset, Dorset HealthCare and the Dorset Mental Health Forum.
Download our workbook which explores recovery for carers and supporters in order to increase understanding and confidence in the caring role. Our workbook enables an opportunity to explore your experences of being a carer and increase awareness of the support and resources available for carers. You will also look at the impact of being a carer on your own health and discover simple ways of promoting your own wellbeing.
Podcasts:
- Am I a carer, or am I just a mum, a daughter, a son, a wife, a husband, a friend?
- Looking after your wellbeing as a carer
- Looking after your wellbeing as a carer (part 2)
- Experience of a crisis when caring for someone
Video:
We recorded our trainers sharing a presentation which discusses supporting a loved one during COVID.
Understanding Autistic Spectrum Condition
In this series of podcasts we have worked with staff from the Community Adult Autism Service in Dorset to share experiences of how living with a diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Condition may be impacted on by living in a pandemic. Specifically; we look at managing worries about change and how family members or friends may be able to help.
Podcasts:
Understanding Unusual Experiences
Unusual experiences such as changes in thinking, hearing voices or seeing things that others don’t, can be scary and really difficult to manage. It can also be difficult to understand, help or offer support to people who may experience these things.
In this series of podcasts our trainers discuss what unusual experiences are, how they can be impacted on by difficult situations (such as a pandemic) and ways in which some people manage them.
Podcasts:
Download our workbook which explores unusual experiences (Psychosis, Hearing Voices, Paranoia and other unusual experiences). It is not necessary for you to listen to the podcasts to be able to use the workbook.
Values
Identifying our values can really help us to manage our wellbeing, to set goals and to make decisions. In this series of podcasts Tracey and Angela discuss how you might go about identifying or connecting with your values and when there may be barriers to acting in a way which is aligned with them.
Podcasts:
You can also download our values workbook to explore how values impact our wellbeing and ways to connect with them. This can be used as a stand alone resource or can be completed alongside listening to the podcasts.
Window of Tolerance
This downloadable workbook introduces the 'Window of Tolerance' model and how it can help ourselves and others. The workbook will begin to explore skills that help us learn to stay more within our window of tolerance.
You can also watch our short bitesize video which talks through this model in more detail, to help you complete the workbook.
