Tackling Life Building Resilience

Tackling Life – Building Resilience

Insch Group

26January – 22 March

2016

Report Compiled by:

Christine Herron

Mental Health Lead

Pathways

Tel: 01224 682939

Email:

March 2016

Background

Pathways is a community based organisation which has worked in disadvantaged areas of Aberdeen to support people into employment, encourage participation in lifelong learning and promote positive mental health

Pathways has been delivering Tackling Life-Building Resilience (TLBR) Courses since 2013. The course offers six sessions covering stress management & relaxation, managing feelings, improving communication, improving communication, looking at lifestyles, building self-esteem and motivation, planning for change and pulling it all together. Each session is evaluated individually and all the sessions are collectively evaluated at the end of the course.

Tackling Life- Building Resilience is constructed to be accessible to ALL participants at any educational level and assistance is given to those with literacy issues to help them complete the evaluations and one written exercise for which completion is essential if required.

The course consistently evaluates positively with many participants noting significant changes to the way they manage their lives.

In September 2015 Aberdeenshire ADP Central Forum approved funding in principle for a course to be run in 2016 providing there was interest from participants.

“Inspire Insch” expressed an interest in hosting the course if there were participants willing to undertake the sessions. The Central Forum encouraged them to submit a bid for crèche funding if required.

By December there were a number of people submitted an interest in participating, crèche funding was secured and it was agreed that the course would start in January 2016.

Course Delivery

Session 1 stress Management & Relaxation

“I enjoyed it, I do it in the bath” – Course Participant

A glitch in communication regarding the venue resulted in the course being a week late in starting.

Seven participants attended the first session, they came from a variety of backgrounds and there were some family connections within the Group.

During the introductions, two participants described themselves as having been diagnosed with mental health difficulties, another was a drinker who had regular lapses, another was in recovery from heroin use, one said that she had been married to an alcoholic and her children had substance misuse problems, another had come to see what it was all about on behalf of Inspire Insch and the last participant who was late in arriving described herself as suffering from chronic loneliness since having to retire from her job on grounds of ill health.

One participant had been referred from Criminal Justice Social Work through the Central Forum, the others had opted to attend of their own accord

The Group participated well in the ice breaker, using ‘Kerplunk’ to identify things that stress us out the mood was light and they got the message that stress in itself isn’t a problem but the build-up of stress that isn’t dealt with can lead to catastrophe as everything falls apart.

The arrival of the last participant wasn’t as disruptive to the Group as it might have been as they discussed stress, its causes and how it can affect our bodies, our minds and our behaviour.

The relaxation exercise at the end of the session was warmly received.

Session 2 Managing Feelings

“It’s ok to feel angry” – Course Participant

Four members attended Session 2, one from Session 1 said it wasn’t for her, one had to see to another Group that was taking place and one was attending recovery training.

During feedback all of the participants reported being more aware of their stress levels and using some of the exercises they had learned, one reported that she had used the breathing exercises to calm her down on a bus journey that regularly raises her anxiety levels and had arrived calm and able to cope.

There was some discussion regarding the funeral of an active member of another Group the participants were involved in which they were all going to be attending and we agreed to finish the Session at 11.30.

The four Group members actively participated in this Session, enthusiastically exploring aspects such as Fear, choosing our reactions and not getting caught up in feelings, despite it being difficult for some to share or express feelings – the small group seemed to make it feel safer to share.

The whole Group was very open and discussed and debated new concepts, eg ‘no-one can make you feel anything’, ‘it’s absolutely fine to feel whatever you feel, it’s not ok to blame or take it out on another person’ etc.

Session 3 Communication

“It’s worked for me, I’ve stopped taking on everyone’s problems” – Course Participant

Four participants attended the session, one from last session was unable to come as she was ill, the Chairperson of the funding body had come along and took an active part in the Session.

One of the Participants was clearly having a difficult time and was very vocal throughout the session, the others seemed to accept that she was having difficulty and her behaviour was not as disruptive to the Session as it might have been and there was some good quality communicative interaction throughout the session.

Participants were able to identify aspects of their own methods of communication they could improve and all were interested in the subject of Passive-Aggression.

Session 4 Looking at lifestyles

“(I’m) not responsible for anyone else’s lifestyle”

The four “core” participants attended this session and looked at aspects of their lifestyles they wanted to change and discussed why they chose these particular aspects, was it because they really wanted to or were they trying to meet the expectations of others?

There was an interesting discussion around guilt and how people can feel responsible for the lifestyle choices of those they care about balanced against the ideology that we cannot be responsible for the behaviour of any adult but ourself.

The Group explored the difference between ‘wanting’ to do something and ‘being willing’ to do it.

There was a discussion around some aspects of lifestyle that affect people’s health that are often cited as needing to change, Increasing Physical Activity, Improving Sleep pattern & Smoking.

Each participant made a commitment to changing anaspect of their lifestyle.

Session 5 – Building Self-esteem

“I’ve learned stuff about myself, I can deal with things better than I thought I could” – Course Participant

Whilst the four participants all reported some degree of success in the changes they had committed to – all but one felt that they could not really claim success.

The group were asked to complete a questionnaire about themselves and as a result were given a letter addressed to them personally outlining the strengths they had evidenced in completing the initial questions.

All four found it difficult initially to accept the compliment even though it was evidence based, one participant was visibly moved when the letter was read out - they were all much more comfortable with criticism than praise, and it seemed to be a revelation to them that they all had similar feelings, they could all see other participants strengths but not their own and they began to accept that perhaps it was time to reassess their own opinion of themselves.

The Group discussed Prochaska and Diclemente’s Cycle of Change model and although not previously aware of it understood it from the outset as they related the patterns in their own lives, particularly lapse/relapse.

Each participant compiled an individual action plan using the LEAP (learning evaluation and planning) template, taking a long term plan and breaking it down into steps, identifying the resources they might need, the barriers they might encounter and taking the cycle of change into account, realising that if it didn’t work out as planned they had a choice as to whether to dump the whole idea or modify the plan and keep going.

It was snowing quite heavily during this session and the group were keen to finish early to ensure they got home safely.

Session 6 – Pulling it altogether

“I have enjoyed the course very much and have learned a lot about myself. I am making health changes and mind changes. I would like to do more courses” – Course Participant

Due to unforeseen circumstances the final session was delayed and took place some weeks later than planned, it was unfortunate that the participant who travelled from Huntly was unable to attend because transport was unavailable – she was sent her certificate of completion.

Three participants attended the final session and two of them reported that their action plan was successful so far, the other had been beset by family problems and felt that she had had no time to herself through dealing with family dramas that were getting in the way of her own progress, the Group was very supportive to her and offered suggestions and practical help.

Reflecting on the whole course all three participants said how much they had valued each session.

Session 1 the relaxation and stress management session was particularly helpful for one participant who suffered from anxiety on a regular bus trip, she is now able to undertake the trip without feeling anxious or distressed.

The Session 2 which focussed on managing feelings helped all of the participants change their perspective, especially when it came to taking on expectations and or judgement by others, one stated “I don’t worry about what other people think any more it’s what I think (of me) that counts” and another said that she has stopped taking on other people’s problems. Another said that she was no longer allowing family members comments to ‘get‘to her.

Everyone found Session 3 on communication has helped make them more aware of how THEY communicate as well as how others communicated with them, they were also aware of their own passive aggressive behaviour too which had surprised them.

The Group said that they had enjoyed Session 4 looking at lifestyles although one said that she hadn’t enjoyed thinking about stopping smoking another said that she had added more fruit to her diet instead of cakes and biscuits and was cooking from scratch more.

Session 5 had been of particular benefit to one participant, especially the cycle of change discussion and the realisation that a lapse needn’t take you back to where you have been, it can be an indicator of success if you decide not to continue and get back to your plan and modify it rather than slide back to the very beginning again. She had found this really helpful and hadn’t lapsed (or relapsed) since.

All of those who completed the course said that they would recommend it as they felt that they had changed as individuals and felt more able to cope with the trials of life more of the time.

When asked if they would continue to network one participant immediately offered her home as a regular venue to meet up and the group felt bonded and didn’t want to drift apart.

Conclusions

“Knowing I wasn’t going to be judged helped give me the confidence to open up and speak in the group” Course Participant

The core group of participants all reported perceptible benefits attached to the knowledge and experience and confidence they had gained as a result of attendance.

Feedback will be given to Aberdeenshire Central Forum as to the outcomes of the course.

TLBR can be recognised as a valuable tool in working with small groups of people who lack confidence and self-esteem.

Other courses delivered by Pathways may be considered in future, for example.

TLBR 2- six sessions exploring the same subjects focusing on practicalapplication.

CHEX Health Issues In the Community – building community capacity around health and wellbeing.

Building Healthy Relationships - six sessions focusing on current relationships and how they might be improved.

For further information on Pathways courses please contact Malcolm Pritchard 01224 682939

APENDIX

Collation of Insch TLBR evaluation forms

The ratings of individual sessions as they had taken place

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• I have enjoyed the course very much and have learned a lot about myself. I am making health changes and mind changes. I would like to do more courses
• I have gained confidence talking in a group and I do take more time for myself and relax
• Really trying my best to get motivated. There’s always barriers KIDS!!!

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