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Local Update, 15 August 2022
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.
Please note there will be no newsletter next week due to staff annual leave. The newsletter will return on Monday 29 August.
Inclusion Barnet News and Events
Staff blog: Using poetry to help with mental health
In a recent blog, I wrote about how I found that inspirational quotes could help to improve my mental health, by providing positive truths which have helped others too. Following on from this, I decided to see whether other forms of the written word could have a similar effect. I thought that poetry might be an interesting case, as poems are generally brief, evocative and the poet takes great care in the use of language.
Join our FREE membership
If you’re not already a member and would like to be, you can sign up today!
If you have:
- lived experience of disability (including long-term conditions or mental health issues), or:
- care for a disabled family member of a friend who does, and:
- are aged 18 or over, and you live, work or study in Barnet
then you are eligible to join. You can choose how much or little you want to be involved, including the option to be a silent supporter.
You will already be supporting disabled people’s rights just by signing up.
Events and News from the Web
Barnet Service User and Carer Forum
Date: 18th August 2022
Runs on the third Thursday of every month
Time: 14:00 – 15:30
Topic: ‘What is effective communication?’
Speaker: Kim Jolliffe, Psychological Therapies Lead
Kim will open up a discussion about how we can effectively communicate with people we care about when you/they are experiencing mental health difficulties.
Barnet Mental Health services want to hear what you have to say about Adult Mental Health services. We are setting up a regular forum and need you to get involved to feedback your experiences and share your ideas. The forum encourages and promotes service users and carers working alongside staff to coproduce services.
Venue: Microsoft Teams, join by clicking the link or entering the details below. MS Teams link is also available on the BEH trust website.
Click here to join the meeting
Or call in (audio only) +44 20 3321 5208,,325359623# United Kingdom, London Phone Conference ID: 325 359 623#Contact Jess Lashko at [email protected] to request the MS Teams link, or if you need additional support to attend the virtual forum.
Results Day Ready? Managing your mental health around A Level Results Day (From Rachel Vora), Wednesday 17 August, 5.00 - 5.30pm
Anxious about Results Day? You are not alone! Join this webinar to discover top tips and strategies to manage Results Day.
Book webinar on Managing your mental health around A Level Results Day
Free Community Health Screenings
The Community Health Screening service is a free service for anyone over the age of 40 who lives, works or studies in Barnet. Sessions will take place in community settings throughout the borough.
Healthcare professionals will check your blood sugar levels, cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and height, weight and body mass index (BMI). They will also ask a few questions about your lifestyle, including diet, smoking and alcohol intake. Following the screening, you’ll be offered advice and signposting to local services that can support you to reach your health goals.
The service is free, open to anyone over 40 and will take around 20 minutes. You do not need to be registered with a GP and no booking is required.
Pop up events will be taking place in various locations across the borough, further dates will be added as confirmed.
Who Cares for The Carers? (From Hourglass), Thursday 18 August, 10.00 - 11.30am
Who Cares for The Carers? A webinar hosted by Hourglass discussing how we can ensure the mental health of our carers is a priority.
Open Door Charity - Colours Session (ONLINE) (From ODC), Tuesdays, 23 August to 13 September, 2.00 - 3.00pm
Need support with managing your stress and building your resilience? Colours is a 4-week long programme that focuses on new ways of thinking
Wellbeing Norfolk & Waveney Virtual Café (NHS Wellbeing Norfolk and Waveney), Mondays at 1.30pm
These wellbeing socials are open to anyone aged 16+ to chat, bring a cuppa, get comfy and get connected!
Stress Management - Maintain your wellbeing at work. (From Heather Stewart), Tuesday 16 August, 7.00 - 8.30pm
Practical guidance towards maintaining your wellbeing. Friendly, fun, facilitated by people who are making their way through a workplace environment with advice offered by people with significant business experience.
Age UK Barnet activities for over 55s.
A range of activities including chair movement to music, walking group and online poetry sharing.
Move To Your Mood (From We Are Undefeatable)
Videos of three different physical activity routines, to get you moving whatever mood you’re feeling.
A student's life: Coping with stress surrounding exam results, Wednesday 17 August, 1.00 - 2.00pm, Wednesday 24 August 2.00 - 3.00pm
Getting the #examresults you weren't hoping for can be a shock. Your world may have felt turned upside down.
These are two free webinars to give you the means to process and harness such a setback positively.
Meridian Wellbeing Activities and Events
Based in Hendon, including Better Together Wellbeing Cafe every Friday during August and Tai Chi beginners classes.
Read more information on Meridian Wellbeing activities and events
Wellbeing Arts & Crafts Group (From NHS Wellbeing Norfolk and Waveney), Tuesdays at 2.30pm
From calligraphy to crocheting, come and join this group for some mindful creativity alongside like-minded people.
Feel free to share what you’re working on, or just enjoy being creative in company.
Online mental health and wellbeing workshops available to all adults anywhere from Mid West Aries
Book Mid West Aries online mental health and wellbeing workshops
Podcasts
PODCAST: Understanding Depression - What It Is and What It Isn't (From Psych Central)
Despite hundreds of millions of people worldwide suffering from depression, the average person still thinks of depression as nothing more than “sadness.”
Podcast: James Bay: Imposter Syndrome, Trauma & Controlling The Voice In Your Head (From The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett)
James Bay is a BRIT-award winning musician who’s sold over 5 million records, and one of the most personal and authentic artists working in the field today. Never afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve in his work, his artistry has helped millions of people articulate feelings in their own heart of love, regret, and friendships made and ended.
Happy Place Podcast (From Fearne Cotton)
Fearne talks personal, spiritual and the big picture with her amazing guests as she reveals what happiness means to them.
Articles
The drugs don’t work (and other mental health myths) (From the Guardian)
Our attitudes to mental health are changing but much of the stigma that surrounds conditions such as schizophrenia remains – along with some enduring and often damaging untruths.
Houseplants don’t just look nice—they can also give your mental health a boost (From the Print)
Not having access to nature can affect our health adversely. It’s been linked to symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as other conditions.
Four ways we can recover from the loneliness of the COVID pandemic (From East Mojo)
Loneliness has been a huge concern since the start of the COVID pandemic. One review published in May, which looked at loneliness studies across many countries, found loneliness was more common since the start of pandemic.
Tips for Parenting with a Mental Illness (From Psych Central)
Parenting is a difficult job and a juggling act no matter what. It requires balancing your own needs with those of your child. It involves managing your time, having adequate resources and supporting your child.
For parents coping with a mental illness, “these issues are amplified”
Association of compliance with COVID-19 public health measures with depression (From Nature)
Although previous studies have demonstrated increased depression related to COVID-19, the reasons for this are not well-understood.
Read article on compliance with Covid public health measures and depression
How to Help a Loved One With Mental Illness (From Psych Central)
Supporting a loved one with mental illness presents many challenges.
9 Ways to Cope with Having a Mental Illness (From Psych Central)
The world is pretty much in the Stone Age when it comes to psychiatry. This makes it hard for people with any degree of mental illness. It’s especially hard if you’re not quite able to function like other people but you do well enough so that your problems don’t show every day.
4 ways employers can improve support for mental and physical health (From Open Access Government)
Two-thirds of employees feel uncomfortable raising mental and physical health issues with employers – here’s how employers can improve their support
Read article on 4 ways employers can improve support for mental and physical health
Barnet young people's social media film wins award (From Barnet Post)
Generation Verified sees local young people tackle the mental health impact of the digital age
Regular Events in Barnet
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
Mind & Mood Support Group has returned to face to face meetings at 55 Christchurch Avenue, London N12 0DG. To enquire about becoming a new member, please contact either Peter or Sandra below.
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.
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
- 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
- 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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