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Local Update, 28 June 2021
Free Online Mental Wellbeing Support Sessions, every Friday, 10.30am - 12.30pm and 6.00 - 8.00pm
Meet like-minded people, build confidence and share ideas. It's an opportunity to check in with yourself, speak about things you've been struggling with in a space where you'll be understood and supported, and hopefully come away with some new self-care tools.
(image below taken from above event listing)
Under Pressure – let's talk about mental health and the music/arts industry, Thursday 1st July, 6.30 - 7.30pm
An open discussion about mental health and the music/performing arts industry with KimBo Theatre and Chris Difford, chaired by Rachel Jepson
(image below taken from above event listing)
Hendon Hub Public Consultation
There are currently plans to redevelop a large area of Hendon, and this area includes the site of the Meritage Centre.
A wellbeing centre similar in scope to the existing Meritage Centre is important to be preserved for the area and for the wider Barnet Community.
Please see below a link to the Hendon Redevelopment site with details about the virtual Public Consultation sessions that the council have and will be holding.
https://hendonhub.co.uk/consultation/
The following online workshops are available to all adults anywhere.
Mind and Mood Support Group
Mind & Mood Support Group celebrated its sixth birthday on 6th January 2021.
During the Covid 19 crisis, we have been running our mental health support group via Zoom.
We are interested in setting up a group for new members via Zoom during this uncertain time. For further information, please contact
Peter Sartori e: [email protected]
Sandra Turner e:[email protected]
Both Peter Sartori and Sandra Turner have extensive experience of the mental health system.
We are an independent support group, run by ex service users, for service users, their carers and supporters.
Journaling for wellbeing
Journaling is something that I hadn't really tried before as a method to enhance wellbeing, but I recently started to do this and wanted to share with you how I have found it.
According to Wendy Fry, author of "Write from your heart. Discover your author voice through journaling":-
"By expressing our unique experiences through journaling, it will stop us feeling we are being eaten alive by our pasts, allowing us to get on with the business of living now...My best advice is if overwhelming emotions prevail in your life, journaling is one of the best ways to gain emotional catharsis and release the build up of what is left unexpressed."
I have found that the the process can be very simple, just find some journaling prompts that get you thinking and that stimulate you to write in an uninhibited way. Then reflect on what you have written, building up a body of writing that you can refer to whenever you choose. continuing with journaling for as long as you find it helpful
To be honest, I have been surprised how much of a difference writing down my responses to journaling prompts has made to how I have been feeling, and for the last period I have enjoyed doing this on an almost daily basis. It has also provided me with plenty of material about how I might improve my life and motivated me to take steps towards that.
One of the good things about journaling is that it can be a very low cost therapeutic approach. It's perfectly possible to get started just with a pen and paper and the prompts and descriptions from a free website like the following:-
https://www.theblissbean.com/blog/2018/6/18/75-journaling-prompts-for-your-best-life
If you like the idea of a video course, I found the following quite good:-
https://www.udemy.com/course/journaling-for-self-discovery/
Or, for futher prompts, try:-
https://www.amazon.co.uk/101-Creative-Journaling-Prompts-Introduction/dp/0692614605
Examples of prompts that I have found engaging are:-
What would your ideal life be like at some time in the future?
What do you wish you were able to do?
Describe your ideal day, from waking up to going to sleep.
Write a letter to your younger self at an earlier age, giving them advice
I found when I wrote about prompts like the above that I had a kind of child-like conversation with myself, and as a result I re-established contact with aspects of myself long since dormant. I think this may be because these are the sorts of questions we might ask as children, but then life subsequently gets in the way and we perhaps tend to settle for whatever life brings us as adults.
But we all have a wealth of life experiences, and journaling can be a great way to access long forgotten memories and dreams and use them to help and develop yourself now.
So, if you feel like giving it a go, what have you got to lose?
Have you completed our survey on Barnet Mental Health services yet?
Inclusion Barnet are preparing a paper on people's experiences of mental health services in Barnet, & particularly on what happens when services close. We’d love to hear your views on this topic.
Join Inclusion Barnet's Co-Produced Steering Committee
Do you, or does someone you know, currently use Barnet Social Care services? If so please share this information about Inclusion Barnet's new project "The Co-Produced Support Project". They are looking for volunteers to join their steering group as part of their peer led research, policy and campaigning project focused on improving Barnet adult social care.
For more information visit their website page The Co-Produced Support Project or contact the project lead, Banos Alexandrou 07719 105247 or email him at [email protected]
About Inclusion Barnet
www.inclusionbarnet.org.uk
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).
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
- The Help Hub - free online emotional support sessions
- 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
- Turn2Me - free online Support Groups
- Useful links from Sussex University - lots of useful links to MH resources
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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