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Local Update, 28 April 2025
Barnet Voice for Mental Health
020 3475 1314
[email protected]
Welcome to our weekly newsletter about mental health services and support available in Barnet and beyond. Also bringing you updates on Inclusion Barnet mental health news. Produced by Ed Peston, Communications Assistant.
Events and news from the web
Move for your mental health - the benefits of activity (webinar from Mid West Aries), Wednesday 30 April, 2.00 - 3.00pm
This webinar will explore simple ways to stay active, lift your mood, and reduce stress.
Supporting student mental health: Leveraging digital tools for wellbeing (webinar from Mental Health Innovations), Wednesday 30 April, 1.00 - 2.00pm
As students face increasing academic and personal pressures, maintaining mental wellbeing has never been more critical. In this free webinar, they'll explore the key challenges students face, trends seen in Mental Health Innovations digital services and hear from Dr Dominique Thompson, an award-winning GP, young people's mental health expert, TEDx speaker, author and educator with over two decades of NHS clinical experience.
Book Supporting student mental health: Leveraging digital tools for wellbeing
Navigating work-life balance (webinar from Mindspring Mental Health Alliance), Thursday 1 May, 4.00 - 5.00pm
Achieving a balance between personal and professional responsibilities helps people to avoid job burnout and promotes employee engagement, retention, and productivity. Explore what work-life balance truly means and the common obstacles that keep us from achieving it. Learn practical strategies to create and maintain balance in your busy life, with actionable tips and inspiration to prioritize what matters most, in this one-hour seminar.
Substance abuse and the impact on families (webinar from Mindspring Mental Health Alliance), Monday 5 May, 6.00 - 7.00pm
Explore the impact of substance use on family dynamics and the emotional and psychological effects on children. This webinar is designed for caregivers, parents, mental health professionals and educators, and will include tips for effective communication and boundary setting, practical strategies for supporting recovery, and tools for creating a supportive family environment.
Beyond the page (online event from Zen Mushin), Tuesday 20 May, 7.00 - 10.00pm
An opportunity to explore the power of writing for self-care and personal growth.
Monthly ME/CFS peer support group (online support group from Brain Health Breakthrough CIC), Tuesday 13 May, 2.00 - 3.00pm
Peer support sessions for people who have or care for someone who has a diagnosis of ME/CFS.
Mindfulness and breathwork for people with MS (online event from Regina Beach), Monday - Thursday, 12.30 - 1.00pm
A 30-minute meditation, gentle movement, and breathwork session for people with Multiple Sclerosis and related conditions
Got a relevant event to share in this newsletter?
Let us know by emailing the details to [email protected]
Podcasts
Podcast: Northern gardening: gardening for mental health (from North Shore Community Radio)
You often hear gardeners say they love to spend time in their gardens because they find it relaxing or because it makes them happy. What are the mental health benefits of spending time gardening?
Listen to Podcast: Northern gardening: gardening for mental health
Podcast: Cuddle therapy changed her life. Now she’s a professional cuddler – and part of a growing field (from KUNC)
There are many types of mental health therapy you can access these days: talk therapy, art therapy, even music therapy.
Jen Ikuta leads sessions in what's called cuddle therapy. It’s a growing field.
Articles
'Running helped us recover from addiction' (from BBC)
A running club that helps people overcome drug and alcohol addiction is hosting an Easter race to raise money for charity and support its local community.
Birdwatching keeps citizen scientists 'happy and healthy' as they track species (from ABC news)
Birdwatching is soaring in popularity worldwide, with research studies finding the practice can reduce psychological distress and increase mental wellbeing.
Read Birdwatching keeps citizen scientists 'happy and healthy' as they track species
The forest as physician and therapist (from Psychology Today)
Here's why a walk in the woods might be a good thing to do for mental health.
Loneliness: don't ask, don't tell? (From Centre for Mental Health)
Research shows that long-term loneliness leads to a 26% greater odds of early death, along with much higher risk of illness such as heart disease, stroke, dementia, depression and anxiety.
Regular Events on the Web
Online wellbeing workshops from Mid West Aries
Offering a range of free courses online via Zoom. Anyone over the age of 18 with an interest in mental health and well-being can sign up for the courses.
International wellbeing support group (From Rain on Me), Monday 5 May, 6.00pm
A free, international safe space to vent and grow with people who understand and accept you.
Regular Events in Barnet
Barnet Depression Alliance Peer Support Group
A local self-help group for people suffering from depression or depression with anxiety.
Meets twice a month – on a Tuesday evening in North Finchley and on a Monday evening online via Zoom. The group also runs social events throughout the year.
Address: North Finchley
Phone: 0754 118 7907
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.barnetdepressionalliance.org/
For more details of times and venue please telephone or email
Sanctuary in Barnet (from Mind in Enfield and Barnet)
Sanctuary in Barnet is a short-term crisis intervention and prevention service. They are open every day of the year, 4:30pm-10pm weekdays and 12-6pm weekends. They act as an A&E and Emergency services alternative, providing support to individuals in the Barnet Borough aged 18+.
Andy's Man Club in Barnet, Every Monday at the Meritage Centre, 7.00 - 9.00pm
Andy's Man Club run talking groups for men who have either been through a storm, are currently going through a storm, have a storm brewing in life or just want to meet a good group of people with the aim of improving one another. No referral, no registration and no charge. Even the brew and biscuits are free!
The Meritage Centre,
Church End,
London
NW4 4JT
Meridian Wellbeing in Barnet
A range of events and activities in Barnet and online including Barnet Wellbeing Hub, Barnet IAPT, Wellbeing Cafe, Wellbeing Workshops, Chinese Wellbeing Services, Supportive Online Communities
More information about Meridian Wellbeing events and activities
Barnet Carers
Barnet Carers provides support and information for unpaid, informal, carers across the London Borough of Barnet. Includes yoga, meditation and mindfulness.
Building Friendship
Building Friendship is a free weekly drop in every Friday for those with mental health difficulties.
Meet at East Barnet Baptist Church hall, EN4 8PS. Come along for a cup of coffee and a friendly chat between 10am and 12noon.
For more information email: [email protected]. Or leave a message with your name and contact number on 020 8449 5320.
Mind and Mood Support Group
We celebrated our eighth successful year on 4th January 2023 and have a group of regular attendees (usually around 6, but this may vary). The first half of the meeting our Guest Speaker speaks (on the day we have one) for approx. 20 mins, following this members are free to ask questions. Then half-way through, about 6.45 we have a comfort break with tea, coffee and biscuits. The second half, we all share our experiences of where we are since the last meeting.
The group is facilitated by Sandra Turner and Peter Sartori, both with considerable experience of the mental health system.
Fortnightly meetings will now be held at Friern Barnet Community Library,
Friern Barnet Road, N11 3DS.
Bus routes 221, 382 & 43 stop nearby.
If there is anything else you wish to know, please do not hesitate to contact:
Peter Sartori e: mailto:[email protected] m: 07947 713306 Sandra Turner e: [email protected]
If you wish to subscribe to our monthly “Creativity & Wellbeing Newsletter” please email Sandra with “Subscribe to Newsletter” in the subject of your email.
About Inclusion Barnet
We are a Peer-Led Deaf and Disabled People’s Organisation (DDPO).
Nearly all of our directors and staff have lived experience of disability, including mental health issues and/or long-term health conditions.
We believe that learning to use our lived experience for social change is a skill. We have become experts in harnessing the lived experience of our staff, members, volunteers and the people who use our services to design and deliver higher quality, more person-centred services.
Other services run by Inclusion Barnet that you might be interested in are:
Benefits Advice Service (supporting Disabled people in Barnet to access the benefits they are entitled to).
Touchpoint (supports people experiencing any form of disability in Barnet to access the services and resources they need).
Healthwatch Barnet (an independent, statutory organisation dedicated to improving health and social care services in Barnet).
For more information about the wider range of other work we do please visit our website www.inclusionbarnet.org.uk
Useful links for mental health and wellbeing
Click on the title to go to the individual websites.
LOCAL
- Mind in Barnet - counselling
- Mind in Barnet Sanctuary - find calm, make space, move forward
- Barnet Wellbeing Service
- BEH-MHT* crisis helpline 0800 151 0023 24/7, 365 days a year.
(*BEH-MHT = Barnet, Enfield Haringay - Mental Health Trust)
LONDON & NATIONAL
- Good Thinking - free online Mental Wellbeing for London
- Kooth - free, safe and anonymous online support for young people
- Qwell - free online safe and confidential space to share & support
Shout - free, 24/7 text messaging support - text SHOUT to 85258 - Samaritans - free phone & email support in a crisis
Independent Living Centre, c/o Barnet & Southgate College,
7 Bristol Avenue, Colindale, London NW9 4BR
Inclusion Barnet is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation.
Registered Charity Number: 1158632
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