Support for all during Christmas at Cygnet Hospital Bierley
The psychology team and Carina, an Expert by Experience, at Cygnet Hospital Bierley, have been working together to provide additional support for staff and service users around the festive period.
Caroline Clare, Head of Psychology said: “We recognise that the festive period can be a time of joy and celebration, but it can also be a difficult time of year for many. We wanted to help people feel supported to navigate through the various challenges people may face around this time. It was great to have Carina in the team to give her perspective and help recognise the challenges individuals in services can face at this time of year, and to work together to develop ideas to help people feel supported”.
Chloe Austin, Forensic Psychologist in Training, developed a resource pack that has been offered to all service users across all four wards at Cygnet Hospital Bierley. The packs include well-being advice, tips for self-care around Christmas, coping with social media, managing financial stress, and some mindfulness-based activities. Chloe and Carina also worked together to develop some ‘coping with Christmas’ groups which all service users were invited to attend. These were an informal opportunity for people to share their thoughts and feelings around Christmas, to help reduce people’s sense of isolation that they may have and also to share different tips and resources to support.
Additional individual psychology sessions are also being held to offer service users the chance to develop cope ahead plans. The resource packs have been adapted for staff and placed in the staff rooms, in recognition that it’s not just service users who may face additional challenges during this time.
It was also requested that all wards have a ‘Christmas-free Zone’ where people could take time out or avoid potentially being triggered by signs of Christmas. Each ward also has their own memory tree, where staff and service users could commemorate a loved one who is no longer here to celebrate Christmas with them.
