HG Newsletter - February 2021

In this issue:

• Let the Children Play
• The Lifting Depression Summit – one week to go!
• Help Frontline Workers
• Creativity corner
• Train with us – live online
• Food for thought
   

‘Let the children play…’

And now for some good news!

Extrapolating from the many reports and articles currently available, three out of four of our children and young people will come through the Covid pandemic in good physical and mental health.

Reframing is a powerful concept and being able to get the big picture in these challenging times is central to wellbeing. 

You may have spotted that the actual headlines declare one in four children will suffer from anxiety and depression, maybe in the long-term: this is cause for concern yet for each of us with the organising ideas of Human Givens at our disposal we can make a real difference to these numbers...    [Read article]

Lifting Depression Summit – final call

It’s not too late to book your place at the HGI’s Lifting Depression Summit – which is taking place online next Saturday, 27th February.

This one-off event brings together highly experienced HG practitioners and experts in the field of depression – as well as HG co-founders Joe Griffin and Ivan Tyrrell – all of whom are looking forward to sharing their knowledge and insights with you. 

Looking at depression from a wide range of angles, and using real life examples, they will show how it is possible to help most people overcome depression often surprisingly quickly – you will be able to ask questions during via the Q&A panel and the day is being recorded if you can't attend it all.

The day also gives you important information about antidepressants, young people’s mental health, depression at work (including remote working due to Covid-19), building resilience, preventing people from becoming depressed – and the latest 

neuroscientific perspectives on serotonin and inflammation in relation to depression. It provides excellent CPD for welfare and mental health professionals as well as invaluable information for anyone interested in depression for personal reasons.  View the final programme >

Help frontline workers

Frontline19 is an independent, confidential and UK-based nationwide service delivering free psychological support to people working for the NHS and other frontline services.The majority of frontline workers seeking psychological help are suffering with symptoms of trauma, and human givens therapy would be highly beneficial to them.

It's fantastic to hear that some of you have already volunteered your services - if you would like to be a volunteer therapist with Frontline19, you can do so via their website at: www.frontline19.com.

As part of the volunteer registration process, you are able to select how much time and how many clients you're able to take on. I understand that benefits for volunteers are being developed and no doubt further details will be available once you have registered.

Creativity corner

It’s always a pleasure to hear from HG therapists about their application of the approach in their work. Corinne Marsh in Hampshire has been in touch to tell me about her work in the community with disadvantaged adults.

Corinne’s ArtWell Studios, which she established in 2013, combine her work as a professional sculptor and artist with human givens to help meet the needs of those whom society has marginalised. Engaging with and encouraging people in this way teaches them social as well as artistic skills. Their needs for belonging to the wider community, for friendship, status, competence, stretch and purpose may all be met through Corinne’s project. She says: 'art uses the imagination positively. My aim is to build a better more cohesive community where marginalised groups are bought back into the community and have opportunities to give their perspective on life'. By applying HG principles, she demystifies mental health needs for her clients, helping them to feel secure and in control - and to understand themselves better. In a co-productive environment, clients can go on to become peer mentors and in turn help others.

Corinne’s enthusiasm is infectious; her multi-disciplinary approach includes the performing arts as well as art and sculpture. Her ability to write funding bids must be phenomenal given her track record and, most importantly, the success she has with her clients speaks not only for itself but also as recorded on Pragmatic Tracker. She has worked with men on probation, the homeless, victims of domestic abuse and, in the spring, she is reaching out to women with autism (women are less likely than men to be diagnosed).

Just What We Need update

I have heard also from Linda Hoggan and Carmen Kane, whose Just What We Need training has benefited many hundreds of people around the British Isles, and is based on their practice of human givens. Linda explained that the ‘low key’ course was produced as a series of one-hour webinars for a village community, and was funded by the local church and faith group. Specific information had been requested on understanding and managing anxiety in children for parents; and Carmen also delivered a session on depression.

Linda tells me that, although they have always resisted delivering JWWN remotely, she and Carmen are now looking at how they might adapt their train the trainer course as well as the programme itself. Although the success of JWWN is due to its dynamic approach, with COVID-19 restrictions persisting, adapting to online will help to meet the increased need for the course.

These are great opportunities to promote the bio-psychosocial ideas of the human givens approach and its therapeutic effectiveness.

Please get in touch to tell me how you are applying HG principles in your communities!

Train with us – live online

As we all await news on the lifting of lockdown restrictions, don’t forget that you can continue your mental health training, and benefit from the knowledge of our expert tutors, through a selection of live online training events.

Upcoming live online workshops include:

• The Mind-Body Connection – Fri 26th February
• Couples Therapy – a practical online masterclass – Wed 3rd March
• How to lift depression (Diploma-linked) – Tues 9th March
• How to Reduce Suicide Risk – Tues 23rd March
• Understanding and Treating Anxiety in Children and Teens – Tues 30th March. 

Spaces are limited to ensure there is plenty of time for discussion and questions, so please book soon to avoid disappointment. 

You can also continue to SAVE 20% off our online courses and webinars. Please note that this offer excludes the live online workshops. More online courses are currently being developed, and we’ll let you know as soon as they are available.

Food for thought

“ The most important question we must ask ourselves is, ‘Are we being good ancestors?' ”

Jonas Salk (developer of the first safe polio vaccine)