Course Descriptions and Timetable
Course and Workshop Descriptions August 2022
NEW!!! Finding the Off Switch
One-off taster session on Thursday August 11th at 20:45.
Followed by a course each Monday throughout September at 20:45
Online – Zoom Meeting
Guided self-care sessions to help you wind down in just fifteen minutes, hosted by Neil Cunningham, carer, yoga and breath instructor. Please join us if you’ve been busy caring for others, are having a challenging time, or are looking to ground, decompress and find the off switch at the end of a full-on day. Perhaps you need a soft reset, a full reboot or maybe you just want to be part of breathing together, creating a calmer present and a healthier future.
Open to all. No equipment or special clothing is needed. Each session is unique, so join us anytime in the course. Easy to access at a click of a link, this experience is ‘live’ via Zoom only; bringing fresh energy as we participate in community.
There’s no requirement to learn, no need for a notebook, no need to move, talk or turn your camera on. The aim is to just be present, be comfortable and follow Neil’s voice.
NEW!!! News, Social Media, and Mental Health
Wednesday 24th August from 11:00am – 4:00pm
Online – Microsoft Teams Meeting
In this workshop we are going to explore the news and social media in relation to our mental health and wellbeing.
The course covers four main areas:
1. Mainstream and Social Media as News Sources
2. Mainstream and Social Media as a Stressors
3. Mainstream and Social Media as a Coping Strategy and Wellbeing Support
4. Moving forward with Mainstream Media and Social Media
The course will include looking into the history of news, what “news” is and what is “fake news”, cyberbulling (among adults) and the general impact of the news and social media on mental health. In addition, we will look at how we can use mainstream and social media to support our wellbeing, and how we can move forward with our use of mainstream and social media in the context of mental health.
Bereavement: coming to terms with loss
Tuesday 23rd August from 11:00am -3:30pm
Online – Microsoft Teams Meeting
This stand-alone webinar gently leads us through the four phases (or ‘layers’) of mourning as described by John Bowlby, the founder of attachment theory. We will be thinking about, and sharing, ways of supporting the grieving process.
We realise that, taking part in this session, you may recently have been bereaved, or know someone who has and would like to help them. Your emotional wellbeing at this sad time is of absolute importance to us. With this in mind, we ask you to let someone who you trust know that you will be doing this webinar - this person will be your support contact.
When you join us, please keep your mobile beside you in case you need to call or text your support contact. Ask them to check how you are when you start watching, and when it ends. Perhaps your contact might be able to join with you online. We want you to know that you are warmly welcome, and that you are not alone in your grief.
Recovery Yoga
Online – Microsoft Teams Live Event and Q&A on Mondays from 10:00am – 11:00am
Online -Microsoft Teams Live Event on Wednesdays 8:00am -8:45am and Fridays from 2:00pm -2:45pm
Please note: these sessions are recorded so you can participate live at the advertised times or at a time that suits you best. No students will be seen or heard on the recordings.
Tess has worked for many years as an Occupational Therapist in specialist NHS Mental Health Services alongside her Yoga and Mindfulness Teaching. She has also trained in Yoga Therapy for several complex Mental Health Conditions for with the renowned Minded Institute of London. Recovery Yoga weaves yoga, yoga therapy and mindfulness together to offer an accessible yoga practice which supports and promotes healing and recovery.
Recovery Yoga is designed for all levels, whether you are yoga curious, a complete beginner, or a more seasoned yogi looking to deepen and develop your yoga practice.
Tess attributes her many years of studying and practising yoga as critical to her own recovery from mental and physical health challenges and is delighted to be sharing the ancient practice of yoga with you.
Walk into Your Week
Tuesday 16th, Tuesday 23rd and Tuesday 30th August
In person at Ruskin Park
The NHS recommends a 40 minute walk a day, five times per week. But when we are struggling with our mental health this can feel less like a walk in the park and more like climbing a mountain. Leaving the house can be nerve-racking, so how is walking accomplished when our mood is low? This three-part course (with an optional fourth session) takes you on a journey from thinking about walking to doing it.
SLaM Recovery College's Digital Inclusion Project
Venue: Maudsley Hospital Restaurant until September 5th when the sessions return to ORTUS
Every Monday, between 1pm and 3pm, we will be running Digi Drop-Ins at the Ortus for anyone connected to SLaM (service users, carers, staff etc.).
We will be there to offer you one-to-one support to improve your digital skills and increase your confidence with:
· Using mobile phones, laptops, and tablets
· Using video calling services (e.g., Zoom and MS Teams)
· Using social media (e.g., Facebook, lnstagram and Twitter)
· Using other internet-based services (e.g., email, Google and online shopping)
To find out more, or to book a slot, email us at hello@slamrecoverycollege.co.uk or call or text Storm on 07969 587 052
Running for Recovery
Running for Recovery takes place on Mondays from 11:00am-12:00pm, at the Ruskin Park Bandstand, Camberwell
9 weeks plus a Park Run date negotiated with students
Join members of the Recovery College team and fellow students in Ruskin Park opposite the Maudsley and Kings College Hospitals to complete the Couch to 5K programme over 9 weeks & do a 5Km park run at the end of your course, if you choose to (there’s no pressure to do so)
You don't have to be an athlete to take part. Everyone is welcome and you will be supported on the fitness journey! Please enrol before attending. Trainers will contact you to discuss your needs.
Resilience
A Seven Part Course (Started in June and Closed to New Enrolments)
Online- Microsoft Teams Meeting
This new course will explore our understanding of what resilience means and offer strategies to cope with and bounce back from difficult experiences.
Wednesday 10th August from 11:00am – 13:00pm: Session 7: Cultivating Acceptance
The Comedy School
Improvisation 7 Week Course
Online – Microsoft Teams Meeting
This course is fully booked. However, if you are interested in taking part later in 2022, please do email the Recovery College to register your interest at hello@slamrecoverycollege.co.uk
Improvisation Course Information:
The Comedy School and SLaM Recovery College, are offering an exciting opportunity for 16 students who want to develop confidence, learn skills to work alongside others, and think on their feet, by using improvisation as the learning method.
Our expert tutors will guide you through the fundamentals of improv unblocking the imagination, making offers, positivity, listening, collaborating) all the way to basic performance readiness. No previous experience of improvisation or performing is required. If you wish to take part in the seven-week course you will first have to enrol on a taster session. Following these, 16 students will be offered places on the full course.
Understanding Bipolar Disorder
Monday 22nd August from 1:00pm to 3:00pm
Online – Microsoft Teams Meeting
Bipolar is a mood disorder characterised by extreme changes in mood. Although we all have mood swings, in bipolar disorder these can become unmanageable and overwhelming - individuals can experience severe and/or rapid mood swings that can last several weeks or months, far beyond the normal ups and downs.
We will explore how bipolar is diagnosed, and what the symptoms and early warning signs are. We will also look at how bipolar is treated and explore self-help ideas and how to manage during the current uncertain times due to the Covid pandemic.
Understanding Anxiety
Tuesday 2nd August from 1:00pm to 4:00pm
In person at Mosaic Clubhouse
Anxiety is something we all experience from time to time. Most people can relate to those anxious, butterfly feelings when doing something which feels uncertain or feeling fearful about sitting exams, having a medical, going to the dentist. It is a natural feeling and can be useful, as it warns us when we need to act, when we may be in danger or can even help us to perform better. This workshop will examine the facts about anxiety, how it is diagnosed and what it feels like to experience anxiety. We will discuss professional support available, practical techniques to help to relieve anxiety as well as lifestyle changes for wellbeing.
Ayurveda Self Massage for Hands and Feet
Friday 19th August from 2:00pm-4:00pm
Online – Microsoft Teams Meeting
In these sessions you will learn about the soothing benefits of self-massage for your hands and feet. You will learn how to do this with oil. You will need a towel and some warm sesame or sunflower oil to take part
Understanding Health Anxiety
Tuesday 16th August from 10:30am – 1:30pm
Online – Microsoft Teams Meeting
Health anxiety is the name used when you spend so much time worrying that you are ill, or about getting ill, that it starts to take over your life; for many people, the Covid-19 pandemic has increased these types of worries.
Hearing Voices
Wednesday 10th August from 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Online – Microsoft Teams Meeting
During this two-hour workshop we will be exploring the experience of voices hearing and of supporting people who hear voices. We will consider how voices can be both a hindrance and an asset, and how to constructively respond to them. Enabling students to utilise self-management techniques, we will also help people find organisations and sources of support.
Understanding Depression
Tuesday 16th August, 1.00-4.30pm
In person at Mosaic Clubhouse, Brixton
Depression is a common mental health condition which can take hold of your life and just won’t go away. Understanding the signs, symptoms and causes of depression is the first step to overcoming the problem. This course will explore what depression is, its causes and how it is diagnosed. We will discuss what can help overcome the hurdles to recovery such as negative thinking and what professional support is available. We will offer practical tools to help overcome depression as well as how we can support others.
Understanding Personality Disorder
Tuesday 23rd August from 10:00am -4:00 pm
In person at Mosaic Clubhouse, Brixton
Personality disorder is a phrase used to describe a group of common, long-lasting conditions that affect how people view and manage their emotions and how they relate to other people. This course explores what is meant by personality disorder in general and how it can affect other aspects of a person’s mental and physical health. We will also discuss specific treatments and how people can help themselves to regain a measure of control in their lives.
Introduction to Self-Compassion
17th and 24th August from 11:30am to 3:00pm at
Manor House Library, Lewisham
We hope this course would be of interest to, and be of benefit to, anyone who might struggle with perfectionism, self-criticism or difficulties with identity. It would also support anyone with caring responsibilities at work or at home, as the course material generates a greater awareness of and capacity for self-care. We also warmly welcome anyone curious about this subject, and who enjoys reflecting on what it means to be human.
Please see the enrolment form for further information about this course
Working Together: Co-production in action
Monday 22nd August from 10:00am – 1:00pm
In person at The Wellness Centre, Croydon
Co-production is a way of working together which has gained momentum in many health and social care settings. Coproduction is now used extensively across mental health settings to recognise the value and importance of involving service users in planning, designing, decision making, and evaluating. This is the approach that the Recovery College uses to develop its course content and service. This workshop will explore the role of collaborative working between people who have used mental health services and people who have experience by profession and the values and philosophies that underpin the approach.
Understanding Psychosis
Wednesday 17th August 2:00pm -4:00pm
Online – Microsoft Teams Meeting
This workshop will enable you to have a broader understanding of psychosis, including examples of lived experience and information on supporting someone else. In the first session we will explain what psychosis is, explore the different experiences of psychosis, and share information about psychotic episodes and examples of lived experiences. In the second session will explore schizophrenia more specifically, looking at the meaning of positive and negative symptoms and different types of recovery. In the final session will look at supporting someone who is experiencing psychosis and how we can help ourselves as a supporter.
Coaching Courses with SLaM Recovery College and SLaM Partners
Coaching is a way of opening spaces for personal reflection, helping people become aware of their strengths and resourcefulness, and supporting them to achieve their goals. Coaching is a series of conversations between a coach and another person aimed at bringing out the best in the person being coached. Whether we are mental health professionals, people who use services, or carers and supporters, we all know that the quality of the relationships and the conversations we have are very important. Coaching tools and techniques can support people’s recovery by helping them tackle the challenges and everyday stresses of life. SLaM Recovery College currently offers the following opportunities with our colleagues from SLaM Partners, our organisations’ team of improvement experts, experienced organisational consultants, and coaches:
Basic Coaching Skills – a two-part course
August 1st and 8th August from 10:30am to 12:30am – Microsoft Teams Meeting
Coaching is a way of opening spaces for personal reflection, helping people become aware of their strengths and resourcefulness, and supporting them to achieve their goals. Coaching is a series of conversations between a coach and another person aimed at bringing out the best in the person being coached.
Whether we are mental health professionals, people who use services, or carers and supporters, we all know that the quality of the relationships and the conversations we have are very important. Coaching tools and techniques can support people’s recovery by helping them tackle the challenges and everyday stresses of life. These sessions include the content of the new ‘Introduction to Coaching’ session and teach the REACH’ model describing the skills needed for each stage through demonstration and more in-depth discussion. Any student is welcome to enrol.
Understanding Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Friday 12th August from 2:00pm – 4:30pm
Online – Microsoft Teams Meeting
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a surprisingly common anxiety disorder and there are lots of different types. At its worst it can be extremely debilitating.
The good news is there is help available. This introductory workshop covers essential information about OCD, how it is diagnosed and how it can affect different people. Together we will explore the signs and symptoms of OCD and what it might feel like to suffer from it.
Communication for Resilient Relationships
A three-part course: Online - Webinar
Monday 1st August, 8th August, and 15th August from 10:30am to 12:00pm
Please note: this workshop focuses primarily, though not exclusively, on relationships between couples. Communicating is more than just what we say. It is how we say things and what we understand from what is said to us. Sometimes it can be difficult to know how to communicate with the people around us, especially when you need to discuss something unpleasant, or there is a power imbalance in the relationship, or you are from different social backgrounds, or the language and terms being used are not familiar to us. This workshop will explore active listening skills and the barriers which impact on the way we communicate with the aim of reducing misunderstanding & conflict.
Eating Healthily to Look After Your Weight
A two-part course: Online – Microsoft Teams Meeting
Tuesday 2nd August and Tuesday 9th August from 2:00pm to 3:30pm
This two-part course focuses on how to work towards a healthier lifestyle, and diet. Many of us struggle to understand the reasons why it is so hard to eat a healthy diet, and also to manage our weight. We will explore what is effective healthy eating to support your physical, and mental wellbeing. We will discuss the environmental, and personal issues that affect our food choices. The second part of the course will outline how to monitor, and measure, weight, make dietary changes, and consider broader lifestyle issues. Setting realistic weight goals, and developing sustainable, and personal, action plans, will also be discussed.
The course facilitators will be the Trust Head of Nutrition & Dietetic Services, and a peer recovery trainer and a practitioner trainer from the Recovery College.
Making Changes: Where to Start and How to Maintain
Wednesday 10th August from 10:00am to 4:00pm
In person at The Wellness Centre, Croydon
The aim of this workshop is to enable participants to explore, embrace and prepare for the challenges involved when embarking on a change of lifestyle. We will look at decision making and managing and maintaining the process of recovery as it applies, for example, to relapse prevention.
Managing Your Mood
A two-part course on Thursday 4th August and Thursday 11th August from 10:30am – 12:00pm
Online - Webinar
This course will help students explore practices around managing our moods. Learning to improve the way we manage our emotions is often an important first step for many people with mental health difficulties. Topics covered will include: the evolutionary context of moods & emotions, influencing mood changes, self-compassion, behavioural activation and gut & mood. Coproduction of some content in this workshop was in collaboration with staff from the Centre for Anxiety Disorders and Trauma (CADAT).
Perfectionism
A two-part course: Online – Microsoft Teams Meeting
Thursday 4th August and Thursday 11th August from 11:00am to 4:00pm
This new course will explore the concept of ‘perfectionism’, consequences for our wellbeing and look at ways of managing and overcoming its impact
Mental Health Disclosure: Your Rights at Work
A two-part course: Online - Microsoft Teams Meeting
Wednesday 24th August, 10.30am-12.30pm and 1.30-3.30pm
The aim of this course is to help participants gain a better understanding of their rights with regards to disclosure of their mental health condition to employers. This is an area that people often feel very confused about, and it is hoped that by the end of the sessions participants will feel more equipped to make an informed choice as to whether to disclose their condition or not. We will cover the advantages and the disadvantages of disclosure, how to disclose, and the role of the Equality Act (2010) and how it can protect the individual if they do choose to disclose.
Mental Health Act: The Basics
Thursday 25th August, 1.00-2.00pm and 3.00-4.00pm
Online -Microsoft Teams Meeting
A course about the Mental Health Act (1983, amended 2007) The workshop aims to support students to:
Harnessing Emotional Contagion for Recovery
Friday 26th August, 10.30am-1.30pm
Online - Microsoft Teams Meeting
This workshop builds upon emotional intelligence and supports recovery, self-management, and wellbeing by recognising the impact our emotions have on others, and the impact of others' emotions on self. It will explore ways of managing both by coping.
Objectives:
-To understand what 'emotional' contagion' is
-To discover the positive and negative impacts of emotional contagion
-To explore the impact of diagnosis on emotional contagion
-To discuss which environments nurturing our well-being
-To find out how to use this information to benefit our recovery
A Guide to the Independent Mental Health Advocate
Tuesday 30th August, 11.00-12.30
Online -Microsoft Teams Meeting
An introductory workshop about Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA) which will give you a basic overview of the advocate’s role. The right to an IMHA was introduced in2007 under amendments to the 1983 Mental Health Act. This gave legal rights to IMHA‘s which are not available to other advocates. The session will help you to understand these rights.
Traumas of Racism
(part of SLaM Recovery College’s Community Inclusion curriculum)
A four-week course from Friday 5th August to Friday 26th August from 10:00am-4:00pm
In Person at Mosaic Clubhouse
This innovative course is being offered by the Recovery College in person for the first time with thanks to our community partners, Mosaic Clubhouse in Brixton. The experienced facilitators have coproduced this course from various stakeholder perspectives: service users, carers, and SLaM staff members with support from the SLaM Staff BME Forum and Maudsley Cultural Psychiatry Group. Students must be able to demonstrate an active connection to South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust due to high demand and limited course places.
Across eight-units, the course explores how the experience of racism can be helpfully understood as trauma. We use a trauma-informed approach to making sense of the many impacts of racism on the mental health of people of colour. We draw particularly on the work of Camara Jones, Farhad Dalal, Guilaine Kinouani and Judith Herman, but the course is also profoundly informed by the lived experiences of our service users, parents and carers of services users, clinical and non-clinical colleagues.
The course gently leads us through the continuing effects of transgenerational racial trauma (historical as well as familial), as well as the everyday impacts of institutional, interpersonal, and internalised racism. We will explore what each of these means, what it feels like to experience them and how to recognise them when they happen. We will also think about how we can minimise the traumatic impact of these experiences.
If you’d like to take part in the course, please complete this online expression of interest/participation agreement form: https://forms.office.com/Pages/DesignPageV2.aspx?subpage=design&FormId=SuTPoS5olUqOctA7m1iHqgmyKPB4GLVHori7bpbnOyxUOUE3U1I5OVdJQ0VFTk1YMkNTVEg2SkhNQiQlQCN0PWcu&Token=334e25d72dc9491daa7484f762c50c9f
Course and Workshop Format Explanations:
Webinar (Microsoft Teams Live Event): You will not be seen or heard by others. However, you will be able to ask questions by typing into the chat function. The session is recorded automatically so you can watch it in your own time if you are unable to join the live session. This is also called a ‘webinar’.
Microsoft Teams Meeting: An online course or workshop format where you will be seen and heard by other students and trainers, if you have your camera and microphone on. You may be asked to turn your microphone off when you aren’t speaking. The session will not be recorded, unless for a specific reason where your consent will be gained first.
If you would like any support to use Microsoft Teams, please consider using our Digital Inclusion service at ORTUS on Mondays (please see the timetable and course descriptions for further information).
Venues:
Mosaic Clubhouse
65 Effra Road
London
SW2 1BZ
Mosaic Clubhouse supports people who are living with a mental health condition in Lambeth. The clubhouse is in Brixton, a short walk from the underground station and is on local bus routes. You do not have to be a Lambeth resident to attend SLaM Recovery College workshops at Mosaic Clubhouse.
Manor House Library
34 Old Road
London
SE13 5SY
Manor House is a beautiful Grade II Listed building in Lewisham, home to one of the community libraries. SLaM Recovery College has delivered courses and workshops at the library for many years, taking advantage of its peaceful and well-known location.
The Wellness Centre
First Floor, Unit 1040/42 Whitgift Centre
Opposite Waterstones Bookstore
Croydon
CR0 1LP
The Wellness Centre is a safe and comfortable space to access free wellness interventions and to get information about mental health and wellbeing in Croydon. The Wellness Centre is part of the Croydon BME Forum who work in partnership with a diverse group of mental health providers including SLaM NHS Foundation Trust, to support the Black Minority and Ethnic communities in Croydon and South East London. All eligible SLaM Recovery College students are welcome to enrol in courses and workshops held in this venue
Ruskin Park
Denmark Hill
London
Ruskin Park has a rich history dating back to 1907 and is named after the Victorian writer and naturalist John Ruskin, who grew up locally and often wrote about its wild beauty. Ruskin Park is adjacent to King’s College Hospital and the Maudsley Hospital, and plays a crucial role in providing hospital staff, patients, and visitors with a safe and welcoming space to exercise and relax. Ruskin Park was recently declared a ‘Health Park’ in recognition of its health benefits, along with numerous on-site initiatives including a new outdoor gym, partnerships with mental health groups and an active volunteering programme. SLaM Recovery College is working in partnership with Friends of Ruskin Park to make use of the fantastic outdoor spaces to support student wellbeing.
NEW!!! Finding the Off Switch
One-off taster session on Thursday August 11th at 20:45.
Followed by a course each Monday throughout September at 20:45
Online – Zoom Meeting
Guided self-care sessions to help you wind down in just fifteen minutes, hosted by Neil Cunningham, carer, yoga and breath instructor. Please join us if you’ve been busy caring for others, are having a challenging time, or are looking to ground, decompress and find the off switch at the end of a full-on day. Perhaps you need a soft reset, a full reboot or maybe you just want to be part of breathing together, creating a calmer present and a healthier future.
Open to all. No equipment or special clothing is needed. Each session is unique, so join us anytime in the course. Easy to access at a click of a link, this experience is ‘live’ via Zoom only; bringing fresh energy as we participate in community.
There’s no requirement to learn, no need for a notebook, no need to move, talk or turn your camera on. The aim is to just be present, be comfortable and follow Neil’s voice.
NEW!!! News, Social Media, and Mental Health
Wednesday 24th August from 11:00am – 4:00pm
Online – Microsoft Teams Meeting
In this workshop we are going to explore the news and social media in relation to our mental health and wellbeing.
The course covers four main areas:
1. Mainstream and Social Media as News Sources
2. Mainstream and Social Media as a Stressors
3. Mainstream and Social Media as a Coping Strategy and Wellbeing Support
4. Moving forward with Mainstream Media and Social Media
The course will include looking into the history of news, what “news” is and what is “fake news”, cyberbulling (among adults) and the general impact of the news and social media on mental health. In addition, we will look at how we can use mainstream and social media to support our wellbeing, and how we can move forward with our use of mainstream and social media in the context of mental health.
Bereavement: coming to terms with loss
Tuesday 23rd August from 11:00am -3:30pm
Online – Microsoft Teams Meeting
This stand-alone webinar gently leads us through the four phases (or ‘layers’) of mourning as described by John Bowlby, the founder of attachment theory. We will be thinking about, and sharing, ways of supporting the grieving process.
We realise that, taking part in this session, you may recently have been bereaved, or know someone who has and would like to help them. Your emotional wellbeing at this sad time is of absolute importance to us. With this in mind, we ask you to let someone who you trust know that you will be doing this webinar - this person will be your support contact.
When you join us, please keep your mobile beside you in case you need to call or text your support contact. Ask them to check how you are when you start watching, and when it ends. Perhaps your contact might be able to join with you online. We want you to know that you are warmly welcome, and that you are not alone in your grief.
Recovery Yoga
Online – Microsoft Teams Live Event and Q&A on Mondays from 10:00am – 11:00am
Online -Microsoft Teams Live Event on Wednesdays 8:00am -8:45am and Fridays from 2:00pm -2:45pm
Please note: these sessions are recorded so you can participate live at the advertised times or at a time that suits you best. No students will be seen or heard on the recordings.
Tess has worked for many years as an Occupational Therapist in specialist NHS Mental Health Services alongside her Yoga and Mindfulness Teaching. She has also trained in Yoga Therapy for several complex Mental Health Conditions for with the renowned Minded Institute of London. Recovery Yoga weaves yoga, yoga therapy and mindfulness together to offer an accessible yoga practice which supports and promotes healing and recovery.
Recovery Yoga is designed for all levels, whether you are yoga curious, a complete beginner, or a more seasoned yogi looking to deepen and develop your yoga practice.
Tess attributes her many years of studying and practising yoga as critical to her own recovery from mental and physical health challenges and is delighted to be sharing the ancient practice of yoga with you.
Walk into Your Week
Tuesday 16th, Tuesday 23rd and Tuesday 30th August
In person at Ruskin Park
The NHS recommends a 40 minute walk a day, five times per week. But when we are struggling with our mental health this can feel less like a walk in the park and more like climbing a mountain. Leaving the house can be nerve-racking, so how is walking accomplished when our mood is low? This three-part course (with an optional fourth session) takes you on a journey from thinking about walking to doing it.
SLaM Recovery College's Digital Inclusion Project
Venue: Maudsley Hospital Restaurant until September 5th when the sessions return to ORTUS
Every Monday, between 1pm and 3pm, we will be running Digi Drop-Ins at the Ortus for anyone connected to SLaM (service users, carers, staff etc.).
We will be there to offer you one-to-one support to improve your digital skills and increase your confidence with:
· Using mobile phones, laptops, and tablets
· Using video calling services (e.g., Zoom and MS Teams)
· Using social media (e.g., Facebook, lnstagram and Twitter)
· Using other internet-based services (e.g., email, Google and online shopping)
To find out more, or to book a slot, email us at hello@slamrecoverycollege.co.uk or call or text Storm on 07969 587 052
Running for Recovery
Running for Recovery takes place on Mondays from 11:00am-12:00pm, at the Ruskin Park Bandstand, Camberwell
9 weeks plus a Park Run date negotiated with students
Join members of the Recovery College team and fellow students in Ruskin Park opposite the Maudsley and Kings College Hospitals to complete the Couch to 5K programme over 9 weeks & do a 5Km park run at the end of your course, if you choose to (there’s no pressure to do so)
You don't have to be an athlete to take part. Everyone is welcome and you will be supported on the fitness journey! Please enrol before attending. Trainers will contact you to discuss your needs.
Resilience
A Seven Part Course (Started in June and Closed to New Enrolments)
Online- Microsoft Teams Meeting
This new course will explore our understanding of what resilience means and offer strategies to cope with and bounce back from difficult experiences.
Wednesday 10th August from 11:00am – 13:00pm: Session 7: Cultivating Acceptance
The Comedy School
Improvisation 7 Week Course
Online – Microsoft Teams Meeting
This course is fully booked. However, if you are interested in taking part later in 2022, please do email the Recovery College to register your interest at hello@slamrecoverycollege.co.uk
Improvisation Course Information:
The Comedy School and SLaM Recovery College, are offering an exciting opportunity for 16 students who want to develop confidence, learn skills to work alongside others, and think on their feet, by using improvisation as the learning method.
Our expert tutors will guide you through the fundamentals of improv unblocking the imagination, making offers, positivity, listening, collaborating) all the way to basic performance readiness. No previous experience of improvisation or performing is required. If you wish to take part in the seven-week course you will first have to enrol on a taster session. Following these, 16 students will be offered places on the full course.
Understanding Bipolar Disorder
Monday 22nd August from 1:00pm to 3:00pm
Online – Microsoft Teams Meeting
Bipolar is a mood disorder characterised by extreme changes in mood. Although we all have mood swings, in bipolar disorder these can become unmanageable and overwhelming - individuals can experience severe and/or rapid mood swings that can last several weeks or months, far beyond the normal ups and downs.
We will explore how bipolar is diagnosed, and what the symptoms and early warning signs are. We will also look at how bipolar is treated and explore self-help ideas and how to manage during the current uncertain times due to the Covid pandemic.
Understanding Anxiety
Tuesday 2nd August from 1:00pm to 4:00pm
In person at Mosaic Clubhouse
Anxiety is something we all experience from time to time. Most people can relate to those anxious, butterfly feelings when doing something which feels uncertain or feeling fearful about sitting exams, having a medical, going to the dentist. It is a natural feeling and can be useful, as it warns us when we need to act, when we may be in danger or can even help us to perform better. This workshop will examine the facts about anxiety, how it is diagnosed and what it feels like to experience anxiety. We will discuss professional support available, practical techniques to help to relieve anxiety as well as lifestyle changes for wellbeing.
Ayurveda Self Massage for Hands and Feet
Friday 19th August from 2:00pm-4:00pm
Online – Microsoft Teams Meeting
In these sessions you will learn about the soothing benefits of self-massage for your hands and feet. You will learn how to do this with oil. You will need a towel and some warm sesame or sunflower oil to take part
Understanding Health Anxiety
Tuesday 16th August from 10:30am – 1:30pm
Online – Microsoft Teams Meeting
Health anxiety is the name used when you spend so much time worrying that you are ill, or about getting ill, that it starts to take over your life; for many people, the Covid-19 pandemic has increased these types of worries.
Hearing Voices
Wednesday 10th August from 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Online – Microsoft Teams Meeting
During this two-hour workshop we will be exploring the experience of voices hearing and of supporting people who hear voices. We will consider how voices can be both a hindrance and an asset, and how to constructively respond to them. Enabling students to utilise self-management techniques, we will also help people find organisations and sources of support.
Understanding Depression
Tuesday 16th August, 1.00-4.30pm
In person at Mosaic Clubhouse, Brixton
Depression is a common mental health condition which can take hold of your life and just won’t go away. Understanding the signs, symptoms and causes of depression is the first step to overcoming the problem. This course will explore what depression is, its causes and how it is diagnosed. We will discuss what can help overcome the hurdles to recovery such as negative thinking and what professional support is available. We will offer practical tools to help overcome depression as well as how we can support others.
Understanding Personality Disorder
Tuesday 23rd August from 10:00am -4:00 pm
In person at Mosaic Clubhouse, Brixton
Personality disorder is a phrase used to describe a group of common, long-lasting conditions that affect how people view and manage their emotions and how they relate to other people. This course explores what is meant by personality disorder in general and how it can affect other aspects of a person’s mental and physical health. We will also discuss specific treatments and how people can help themselves to regain a measure of control in their lives.
Introduction to Self-Compassion
17th and 24th August from 11:30am to 3:00pm at
Manor House Library, Lewisham
We hope this course would be of interest to, and be of benefit to, anyone who might struggle with perfectionism, self-criticism or difficulties with identity. It would also support anyone with caring responsibilities at work or at home, as the course material generates a greater awareness of and capacity for self-care. We also warmly welcome anyone curious about this subject, and who enjoys reflecting on what it means to be human.
Please see the enrolment form for further information about this course
Working Together: Co-production in action
Monday 22nd August from 10:00am – 1:00pm
In person at The Wellness Centre, Croydon
Co-production is a way of working together which has gained momentum in many health and social care settings. Coproduction is now used extensively across mental health settings to recognise the value and importance of involving service users in planning, designing, decision making, and evaluating. This is the approach that the Recovery College uses to develop its course content and service. This workshop will explore the role of collaborative working between people who have used mental health services and people who have experience by profession and the values and philosophies that underpin the approach.
Understanding Psychosis
Wednesday 17th August 2:00pm -4:00pm
Online – Microsoft Teams Meeting
This workshop will enable you to have a broader understanding of psychosis, including examples of lived experience and information on supporting someone else. In the first session we will explain what psychosis is, explore the different experiences of psychosis, and share information about psychotic episodes and examples of lived experiences. In the second session will explore schizophrenia more specifically, looking at the meaning of positive and negative symptoms and different types of recovery. In the final session will look at supporting someone who is experiencing psychosis and how we can help ourselves as a supporter.
Coaching Courses with SLaM Recovery College and SLaM Partners
Coaching is a way of opening spaces for personal reflection, helping people become aware of their strengths and resourcefulness, and supporting them to achieve their goals. Coaching is a series of conversations between a coach and another person aimed at bringing out the best in the person being coached. Whether we are mental health professionals, people who use services, or carers and supporters, we all know that the quality of the relationships and the conversations we have are very important. Coaching tools and techniques can support people’s recovery by helping them tackle the challenges and everyday stresses of life. SLaM Recovery College currently offers the following opportunities with our colleagues from SLaM Partners, our organisations’ team of improvement experts, experienced organisational consultants, and coaches:
Basic Coaching Skills – a two-part course
August 1st and 8th August from 10:30am to 12:30am – Microsoft Teams Meeting
Coaching is a way of opening spaces for personal reflection, helping people become aware of their strengths and resourcefulness, and supporting them to achieve their goals. Coaching is a series of conversations between a coach and another person aimed at bringing out the best in the person being coached.
Whether we are mental health professionals, people who use services, or carers and supporters, we all know that the quality of the relationships and the conversations we have are very important. Coaching tools and techniques can support people’s recovery by helping them tackle the challenges and everyday stresses of life. These sessions include the content of the new ‘Introduction to Coaching’ session and teach the REACH’ model describing the skills needed for each stage through demonstration and more in-depth discussion. Any student is welcome to enrol.
Understanding Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Friday 12th August from 2:00pm – 4:30pm
Online – Microsoft Teams Meeting
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a surprisingly common anxiety disorder and there are lots of different types. At its worst it can be extremely debilitating.
The good news is there is help available. This introductory workshop covers essential information about OCD, how it is diagnosed and how it can affect different people. Together we will explore the signs and symptoms of OCD and what it might feel like to suffer from it.
Communication for Resilient Relationships
A three-part course: Online - Webinar
Monday 1st August, 8th August, and 15th August from 10:30am to 12:00pm
Please note: this workshop focuses primarily, though not exclusively, on relationships between couples. Communicating is more than just what we say. It is how we say things and what we understand from what is said to us. Sometimes it can be difficult to know how to communicate with the people around us, especially when you need to discuss something unpleasant, or there is a power imbalance in the relationship, or you are from different social backgrounds, or the language and terms being used are not familiar to us. This workshop will explore active listening skills and the barriers which impact on the way we communicate with the aim of reducing misunderstanding & conflict.
Eating Healthily to Look After Your Weight
A two-part course: Online – Microsoft Teams Meeting
Tuesday 2nd August and Tuesday 9th August from 2:00pm to 3:30pm
This two-part course focuses on how to work towards a healthier lifestyle, and diet. Many of us struggle to understand the reasons why it is so hard to eat a healthy diet, and also to manage our weight. We will explore what is effective healthy eating to support your physical, and mental wellbeing. We will discuss the environmental, and personal issues that affect our food choices. The second part of the course will outline how to monitor, and measure, weight, make dietary changes, and consider broader lifestyle issues. Setting realistic weight goals, and developing sustainable, and personal, action plans, will also be discussed.
The course facilitators will be the Trust Head of Nutrition & Dietetic Services, and a peer recovery trainer and a practitioner trainer from the Recovery College.
Making Changes: Where to Start and How to Maintain
Wednesday 10th August from 10:00am to 4:00pm
In person at The Wellness Centre, Croydon
The aim of this workshop is to enable participants to explore, embrace and prepare for the challenges involved when embarking on a change of lifestyle. We will look at decision making and managing and maintaining the process of recovery as it applies, for example, to relapse prevention.
Managing Your Mood
A two-part course on Thursday 4th August and Thursday 11th August from 10:30am – 12:00pm
Online - Webinar
This course will help students explore practices around managing our moods. Learning to improve the way we manage our emotions is often an important first step for many people with mental health difficulties. Topics covered will include: the evolutionary context of moods & emotions, influencing mood changes, self-compassion, behavioural activation and gut & mood. Coproduction of some content in this workshop was in collaboration with staff from the Centre for Anxiety Disorders and Trauma (CADAT).
Perfectionism
A two-part course: Online – Microsoft Teams Meeting
Thursday 4th August and Thursday 11th August from 11:00am to 4:00pm
This new course will explore the concept of ‘perfectionism’, consequences for our wellbeing and look at ways of managing and overcoming its impact
Mental Health Disclosure: Your Rights at Work
A two-part course: Online - Microsoft Teams Meeting
Wednesday 24th August, 10.30am-12.30pm and 1.30-3.30pm
The aim of this course is to help participants gain a better understanding of their rights with regards to disclosure of their mental health condition to employers. This is an area that people often feel very confused about, and it is hoped that by the end of the sessions participants will feel more equipped to make an informed choice as to whether to disclose their condition or not. We will cover the advantages and the disadvantages of disclosure, how to disclose, and the role of the Equality Act (2010) and how it can protect the individual if they do choose to disclose.
Mental Health Act: The Basics
Thursday 25th August, 1.00-2.00pm and 3.00-4.00pm
Online -Microsoft Teams Meeting
A course about the Mental Health Act (1983, amended 2007) The workshop aims to support students to:
- Explore the purpose and principles of the Mental Health Act (1983)
- Understand how and why someone may be detained for assessment and treatment using the Mental Health Act (1983) and what this experience is like for service users and carers
- Gain a better understanding of the rights of people being ‘sectioned’ and the responsibilities of the health professionals, family members and advocates who might be involved in this process.
- Learn about the role of mental health tribunals and how sections are lifted/ended
- Understand steps that can be taken to plan for ill health and potentially prevent being admitted under the Mental Health Act.
Harnessing Emotional Contagion for Recovery
Friday 26th August, 10.30am-1.30pm
Online - Microsoft Teams Meeting
This workshop builds upon emotional intelligence and supports recovery, self-management, and wellbeing by recognising the impact our emotions have on others, and the impact of others' emotions on self. It will explore ways of managing both by coping.
Objectives:
-To understand what 'emotional' contagion' is
-To discover the positive and negative impacts of emotional contagion
-To explore the impact of diagnosis on emotional contagion
-To discuss which environments nurturing our well-being
-To find out how to use this information to benefit our recovery
A Guide to the Independent Mental Health Advocate
Tuesday 30th August, 11.00-12.30
Online -Microsoft Teams Meeting
An introductory workshop about Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA) which will give you a basic overview of the advocate’s role. The right to an IMHA was introduced in2007 under amendments to the 1983 Mental Health Act. This gave legal rights to IMHA‘s which are not available to other advocates. The session will help you to understand these rights.
Traumas of Racism
(part of SLaM Recovery College’s Community Inclusion curriculum)
A four-week course from Friday 5th August to Friday 26th August from 10:00am-4:00pm
In Person at Mosaic Clubhouse
This innovative course is being offered by the Recovery College in person for the first time with thanks to our community partners, Mosaic Clubhouse in Brixton. The experienced facilitators have coproduced this course from various stakeholder perspectives: service users, carers, and SLaM staff members with support from the SLaM Staff BME Forum and Maudsley Cultural Psychiatry Group. Students must be able to demonstrate an active connection to South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust due to high demand and limited course places.
Across eight-units, the course explores how the experience of racism can be helpfully understood as trauma. We use a trauma-informed approach to making sense of the many impacts of racism on the mental health of people of colour. We draw particularly on the work of Camara Jones, Farhad Dalal, Guilaine Kinouani and Judith Herman, but the course is also profoundly informed by the lived experiences of our service users, parents and carers of services users, clinical and non-clinical colleagues.
The course gently leads us through the continuing effects of transgenerational racial trauma (historical as well as familial), as well as the everyday impacts of institutional, interpersonal, and internalised racism. We will explore what each of these means, what it feels like to experience them and how to recognise them when they happen. We will also think about how we can minimise the traumatic impact of these experiences.
If you’d like to take part in the course, please complete this online expression of interest/participation agreement form: https://forms.office.com/Pages/DesignPageV2.aspx?subpage=design&FormId=SuTPoS5olUqOctA7m1iHqgmyKPB4GLVHori7bpbnOyxUOUE3U1I5OVdJQ0VFTk1YMkNTVEg2SkhNQiQlQCN0PWcu&Token=334e25d72dc9491daa7484f762c50c9f
Course and Workshop Format Explanations:
Webinar (Microsoft Teams Live Event): You will not be seen or heard by others. However, you will be able to ask questions by typing into the chat function. The session is recorded automatically so you can watch it in your own time if you are unable to join the live session. This is also called a ‘webinar’.
Microsoft Teams Meeting: An online course or workshop format where you will be seen and heard by other students and trainers, if you have your camera and microphone on. You may be asked to turn your microphone off when you aren’t speaking. The session will not be recorded, unless for a specific reason where your consent will be gained first.
If you would like any support to use Microsoft Teams, please consider using our Digital Inclusion service at ORTUS on Mondays (please see the timetable and course descriptions for further information).
Venues:
Mosaic Clubhouse
65 Effra Road
London
SW2 1BZ
Mosaic Clubhouse supports people who are living with a mental health condition in Lambeth. The clubhouse is in Brixton, a short walk from the underground station and is on local bus routes. You do not have to be a Lambeth resident to attend SLaM Recovery College workshops at Mosaic Clubhouse.
Manor House Library
34 Old Road
London
SE13 5SY
Manor House is a beautiful Grade II Listed building in Lewisham, home to one of the community libraries. SLaM Recovery College has delivered courses and workshops at the library for many years, taking advantage of its peaceful and well-known location.
The Wellness Centre
First Floor, Unit 1040/42 Whitgift Centre
Opposite Waterstones Bookstore
Croydon
CR0 1LP
The Wellness Centre is a safe and comfortable space to access free wellness interventions and to get information about mental health and wellbeing in Croydon. The Wellness Centre is part of the Croydon BME Forum who work in partnership with a diverse group of mental health providers including SLaM NHS Foundation Trust, to support the Black Minority and Ethnic communities in Croydon and South East London. All eligible SLaM Recovery College students are welcome to enrol in courses and workshops held in this venue
Ruskin Park
Denmark Hill
London
Ruskin Park has a rich history dating back to 1907 and is named after the Victorian writer and naturalist John Ruskin, who grew up locally and often wrote about its wild beauty. Ruskin Park is adjacent to King’s College Hospital and the Maudsley Hospital, and plays a crucial role in providing hospital staff, patients, and visitors with a safe and welcoming space to exercise and relax. Ruskin Park was recently declared a ‘Health Park’ in recognition of its health benefits, along with numerous on-site initiatives including a new outdoor gym, partnerships with mental health groups and an active volunteering programme. SLaM Recovery College is working in partnership with Friends of Ruskin Park to make use of the fantastic outdoor spaces to support student wellbeing.
