Need support? Find help now
Changing Lives through Changing Minds
Changing Lives through Changing Minds provides a therapeutic, alternative education service to children and young people who have difficulties in, or are disengaged from, mainstream education due to mental health difficulties, or have an identified therapeutic need. The service identifies and works to resolve underlying psychological and emotional difficulties that impact on education. Our Interventions are tailored to meet the individual needs of children and young people and vulnerable adults, parents and carers to increase resilience, improve emotional health and wellbeing, reduce vulnerabilities and prevent abuse and exploitation.
Our work in suicide prevention
As a therapeutic/counselling support service, at Changing Lives through Changing Minds, we contribute to reducing suicide and improving support for those bereaved or affected by suicide by understanding, listening, empathising and responding our service users individual’s needs. We hold and promote positive activities, increasing self-worth and self-esteem aiming to give them a sense of belonging, increasing opportunities to lead a more stable and secure life.
The referral and assessment process ensure the service users voice is heard throughout, we check out what they understand about our project and why they believe they have been referred. We wonder what they would like to be different and goals they may have. We use therapeutic skills to explore what lies beneath their behaviour and advocate on their behalf.
Our therapeutic support work includes:
> Communication
> Relationships
> Self-harm
> Anxiety/stress and depression
> Bereavement, loss and grief
> Trauma and abuse
> Bullying and peer relationships
> Family difficulties
> Sex and relationships, including Child Sexual Exploitation
> Body Image, sexuality, health and hygiene
> Disability and additional health needs
> Anger and self-regulation
Our therapy interventions encompass a wide range of approaches designed to meet diverse needs. These include Equine Assisted Psychotherapy and Learning (EAP/L), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), and trauma-focused methods such as Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR). We also offer Therapeutic Play, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP), and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). Our services extend to Person-Centred Counselling, group therapy sessions like Wellness Recovery Action Planning (WRAP), and various creative therapies. Additionally, we provide psychoeducation on stress management, relaxation techniques, self-regulation, and the development of practical skills, strategies, and coping mechanisms.
The aim of this initiative is to support service users in developing their emotional intelligence and resilience, ultimately promoting improved emotional health and overall well-being. Key outcomes include helping service users recognise and achieve their full potential, increasing resilience and protective factors, and ensuring they feel safe and are safe. Additionally, the programme contributes to fostering placement or family stability, improving educational attendance, attainment, and employability, and enhancing emotional health and well-being. An essential component of the service is the development of a comprehensive Aftercare Plan.
Our current priorities
Our approach involves assessing and tailoring interventions to improve mental health while fostering multi-agency collaboration to ensure individuals’ needs are fully met. We provide resources and strategies to support those at risk of suicide and their families as a whole. We are taking a proactive stance in encouraging open and honest conversations about self-harm and suicide, aiming to reduce stigma, eliminate shame, and increase awareness. Additionally, we are prioritising responding to individuals’ needs promptly, ensuring they receive the right support at the time it is needed most.
Our current challenges
As a Community Interest Company (not for profit) one of our biggest challenges is funding. At present we are rely on commissioning, donations or self-funded interventions to provide services to our service users. This is a challenge as some referrals we receive we may not be able to provide a service due to funding not being available.