Courses that explore mood, thinking and behaviour’s which will help to develop understanding and improve your recovery and wellbeing

Anger Management
This workshop looks at what anger is, and overview of anger management problems. It provides practical strategies and tools for individuals looking to manage and understand anger in a healthy and constructive way. Through interactive sessions, participants will learn anger management techniques, communication skills, and coping mechanisms. Topics covered include identifying triggers, assertive communication, relaxation techniques, and conflict resolution.

Living Well with Anxiety
This two session workshop will help students to develop an understanding of what anxiety is and how it effects our physical & emotional wellbeing. Helping students to understand that anxiety is a part of our normal experience, and it will introduce them to strategies and techniques to build skills to live a more meaningful life.

Five Ways to Wellbeing
This workshop will guide students to identify the five ways to wellbeing and explore and identify small steps they can put in place to improve their wellbeing.

The session will identify the five different ways to wellbeing and invite students to identify their current level of wellbeing in each of the five areas. Empowering them to put in place a small step towards improving an area of wellbeing that they would like to develop.

Students will be able to take away tips and strategies for motivation and goal planning.

Introduction to Recovery
Recovery is the process of rebuilding a satisfying, hopeful and contributing life
after receiving a mental health diagnosis.

Recovery can be as challenging as it is rewarding, with each person’s journey being different. This introductory workshop will explore the concept and reality of recovery, through videos, examples of personal stories and discussions. The session looks at what recovery means in the context of mental health, and where the ideas originated from. We will discuss how different people around the individual might support them to live a more hopeful and empowered life.

Recovery College is a way of thinking about mental health education and a place where individuals can learn and grow together, the session will provide an overview of key principles associated with mental health recovery education and as well as an introduction to how Recovery Colleges work.

Men and Mental health
Designed to provide participants with an understanding of the unique challenges, stigmas, and factors that affect men’s mental health. This session is aimed at raising awareness and promoting a healthier dialogue around men’s mental well-being. It covers various aspects of men’s mental health, including the factors that contribute to mental health issues, effective coping strategies, and avenues for seeking support.

“The New Me” – Living Well with Mental Health
Exploring the CHIME factors (connection, hope, identity, meaning and empowerment) to understand what recovery means to you and how you can move towards a fulfilling life. Identifying personal barriers and how to overcome these. Exploring tools and

strategies to improve emotional resilience & mindset. Utilising lessons learnt and experiences as strengths. Reconnecting with ourselves & others. Setting personal goals and lifestyle changes to explore the “new” you!

Sleep and Mental Health
This workshop is an introduction to understanding adult sleep and its close relationship with mental health. We will look at what is sleep hygiene, share tips and explore why sleep is important for our health & wellbeing.

Finding your voice as a Carer
For anyone in a caring role who would like to develop their confidence and gain assertiveness skills to support them in everyday situations. Students will explore their own levels of confidence and assertiveness, how they can include assertive behaviours in their everyday life and develop tools and strategies to support their confidence. They will discuss the benefits of using assertive behaviour particularly when communicating with professionals involved in their caring roles.

Self Care for Carers
A workshop for anyone that is in a caring role and who would like to learn tools and strategies to support themselves in their own wellbeing. It will explore different ways for managing your own self-care whilst caring for others and explore how this can improve your physical and mental wellbeing. The workshop will support students to identify what self-care means to them, explore what the barriers are practising self-care and find solutions. To understand the importance of looking after ourselves and what the impact can be if we neglect to do this and to share current self-care practices and explore new activities that can promote positive wellbeing.

Finding and Retaining Employment
This workshop is aimed at those people looking to find work and those currently employed who have or have had mental ill health. The workshop is co designed and presented by an Employment Specialist and a Peer Support Worker with lived experience and is designed to empower people to find employment, how to sustain that employment and what support is available to help them.

Loss and Bereavement
Delivered over two sessions this course will explore bereavement as a process, the impact it has on our lives, relationships and well-being. The course will look at how bereavement affects the brain and aim to deepen our understanding of it. Students will explore ways of living with bereavement in an integrated, authentic way which is unique to each individual experiencing it. 

Dismantling Stigma
This workshop will explore ‘Stigma’ in detail – understand it’s meaning and its effect. The course will aim to raise awareness, promote compassion and the use of recovery-oriented language.

Self care tools for Anxiety and Stress
An interactive group session allowing attendees to learn several self-care tools (from the Managing Health Programme) that can help with ‘day to day’ feelings of anxiety and stress. You will have the opportunity to participate in breathing techniques and activities that support mindfulness.

Train the Trainer
This is a four day course delivered over four weeks that aims to equip students with the skills and knowledge needed to deliver training in a Recovery College setting. This is not an accredited course, however will provide a foundation for anyone who may be interested in contributing to Mid-Essex Recovery College delivery.

New Beginnings
These sessions aim to assist those who are experiencing or have experienced immigration. We will look at some of the emotional difficulties that you might feel, being far away from your country of birth and upbringing. If you are an asylum seeker, refugee, a recent or long-term immigrant, this course is designed to provide tools for living in a positive, hopeful way.

Stepping Stones to Wellbeing
A two-session workshop supporting students to explore the nature of change & providing opportunities to create effective change to their wellbeing. The course will support students to create small changes in their everyday lives, that will gradually empower them to manage their wellbeing. In an informal & supportive group setting, students can identify habits that work well versus those that do not. Learners will also explore opportunities to make personal goals & build on their wellbeing.

Closing the Gap – the effect of Physical Health on Mental HealthAimed at those who live with long term pain or support someone who does and want to learn more about how physical health can affect mental health.

This workshop will explore the connection between physical and mental health and the effect that long term pain can have on mental health.

There will be discussions around the impact of long term pain on mental health and exploring various coping strategies

Navigating Services
The process of getting help or support for your mental or physical health can often be confusing and stressful. This online workshop will support you in navigating health services to either self-refer, be referred, find out support options in your community and become more confident with accessing help.

New Beginnings – English for Wellbeing
This course is designed for speakers of other languages, who would like to improve their English ability and to be able to talk about well-being of body and mind and the relationship between the two. Each session will focus on a topic that promotes well-being, healthy lifestyle, and a healthy mindset as well as the English needed to talk about these. It aims to empower you by enriching your language, vocabulary and grammar while also increasing your understanding of how to create conditions for a healthy body and mind.

Recovery College Walking Group
It is a well recognised fact that walking in nature can improve mental health and general wellbeing and help support mental health recovery.
The College staff have been building walks that explore the beautiful Mid Essex countryside and would like to share those with you.
If you would like to become part of our College walking group exploring the beautiful Mid Essex countryside and also gain an understanding of how connecting with nature and the outside can support your mental health and wellbeing

To find out more contact the College to speak to a walk leader

Living with Awareness
With mindfulness practices, we learn to recognise and acknowledge what is going on in the mind and body moment by moment. Increasing self awareness of thoughts, emotions and sensations that arise. Studies have shown that mindfulness helps people to feel more connected to themselves, others & nature thus supporting mental wellbeing. Join us to explore a variety of mindfulness practices, discussion groups and reflections to reconnect and live with greater awareness.

Therapeutic Filmmaking
We aim to break the myth that filmmaking is expensive! Instead, we would like to explore and demonstrate how filmmaking can be ‘therapeutic’. In this four day course, you will learn how to create short films using your own equipment (be it mobile phone/camera) and use free editing tools to edit your film. There will also be opportunity to collaborate with other students to co-produce a film. A fun course exploring both the theory and practical side of making a film.

Therapeutic Photography
Delivered over two sessions this course offers a unique blend of photography and connecting with nature, designed to support individuals in their recovery journey. Participants will learn the therapeutic benefits of photography. This will be demonstrated through practical photography exercises, group discussions, and creating a safe space to create and share works.

Films and Discussions
This programme aims to provide a supportive online space to explore cinema, discuss individual responses to the films people have seen, and to share recommendations. Films or film excerpts will be chosen for their potential, followed by an open discussion in which all members of the audience are welcome to participate. Screenings and discussion will be hosted online through MS Teams.

Writing for Self Expression
Everyone’s words are meaningful and everyone’s words matter.
Co-produced and co-Facilitated with the Royal Literary Fund (RLF)
This course is co-created and co-facilitated by a professional writer, during the sessions we reflect on how words affect us, how we use them and how they can help us to explain ourselves to ourselves. Through the shared reading and discussion of a poem or short piece of prose, we look at how writing can capture a mood, feeling or memory, encourage participants to do their own writing, and listen to what is written, if they want to share, and tease out how writing can produce enlightening new insights, and change the way we think about ourselves and each other.

Art for Mental Health & Wellbeing (online)
Any type of art can enhance your mental health because it can lower stress, boost happiness, promote social relationships, and aid in self-discovery. Whether or not you consider yourself an artist, creative expression is great for your health. There is an artist in all of us! Join us to learn about some simple but effective techniques that can be included in your daily or weekly routine!

Creating Art (face to face)
If you have an urge to explore your creative side & would like to have a go at some basic art techniques in a friendly, informal setting, this course may be for you. The course may have elements of being outdoors, weather permitting. We will take inspiration from nature & it’s therapeutic effects whilst immersing ourselves in creative process by exploring different mediums. Overall, we hope the course gives students access a sense of wellbeing though connecting with their creative nature, the landscape & each other.

Introduction to Therapeutic Filmmaking and Photography
Providing an overview of the principles and techniques for utilising filmmaking and photography as a therapeutic tool. Students will be introduced to topics such as the history of using filmmaking and photography therapeutically, the benefits and applications, self-reflection and expression and will explore case studies and examples. The session is designed to provide students with an understanding of using these art forms and their applications in promoting mental health and wellbeing.