Mental Health special

27.03.2020

This week’s newsletter is a Mental Health special and is brought to you by our Mental Health Mentoring Project Lead,  Tania Towns

Dear Mentors, Befrienders, funders, people using our services and community members,

We are saddened to share the news that we have suspended all of our face-to-face work, until further notice due to the pandemic.

It’s an incredibly distressing and uncertain time, but all of us staff and volunteers remain dedicated to creating opportunities for connection – connection to ourselves, to one another and to the world around us.

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be looking at ways to inspire creativity and support wellbeing. We’ll be working to identify the best ways of supporting community members and those of us who are most vulnerable right now.

Currently we are keeping in touch with everyone on a weekly basis by phone.  We are asking Mentors to continue connecting with the people they are working alongside using the phone, WhatsApp, Skype, Messenger or Facetime.  I have put a list of some resources that might be helpful to have look at below.

To find out more about looking after yourself,  and your loved ones, and supporting your mental health at this time, you can visit:

For Brent Residents:

Brent Council: Covid-19 useful page that has some helpful local links about where to get help, including the Wellbeing Duty phone line:

If you are worried about a vulnerable person and don’t think they have existing support, you can call the helpline on 020 8937 6589 between 8am and 8pm, seven days a week. Services they can offer include:

  • Shopping/meal delivery/access to food
  • Help with collection/arranging medication
  • Outreach and peer support for the socially isolated

IAPT (Independent Access to Psychological Therapies) are working on a day by day basis. Their service is adapting and changing to the situation on a daily basis.  They are not seeing people on a face to face basis, speaking to people on the phone or by Skype.

They are, however, offering brief Covid-19 specific interventions, if people are specifically anxious, experience grief and bereavement, finding it difficult to cope with the isolation, may find a brief specific intervention helpful in managing.

People in Brent can self-refer either online at the above link or, by phone:  020 8206 3924. 

This service may not suit everyone as IAPT have strict criteria around suitability, however, they may take on people experiencing more complex difficulties if they are experiencing specific Covid-19 problems.

IAPT have a good track record for interventions around anxiety and depression and OCD.  Sessions are usually time limited to 6-8 sessions using CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy). 

For a supportive conversation you can contact: 

  • The Mix (support for under 25s) is available on 0808 808 4994 every day from 4pm-11pm.
  • The Listening Place, for anyone who is struggling with suicidal thoughts, 020 3906 7676 for phone appointments,  every day from 9am-6pm

Useful websites to have a look at:

NB: Please note some important temporary changes to the Mental Health Act due to Coronavirus: 

 

Many thanks,

Tania Towns

Mental Health Mentoring Project Lead 020 8208 8590 ext. 205/ 07813642797

Email [email protected]