Jeremy’s* history

Jeremy grew up at home with his parents and sibling. During his adolescence, he experienced a profound trauma outside the family home. This experience caused Jeremy considerable distress, which led to him misusing substances to help him cope. He spent time in and out of acute hospitals, where teams attempted to support Jeremy to work through his trauma and learn to manage his mental health.

In his thirties, Jeremy spent time in a medium secure hospital and progressed to a point where the team felt he may benefit from a move to a low secure setting. His family and care team agreed that a placement out of his home area would be the safest way to support him.

When Jeremy came to us

When Jeremy first came to Shelley Ward at Cygnet Hospital Bierley, he was reluctant to accept help and refused medication. He struggled to come to terms with his diagnosis and had fixed ideas about the therapies he thought would help him, and would refuse to try alternatives. This led to him wanting to spend considerable amounts of time on his own, away from others. Jeremy experienced ups and downs during his recovery, but staff were consistent in their support to diminish his emotional dysregulation, violent incidents, and delusional beliefs.

Recognising his history of disengagement with previous services, the team adopted a flexible and person-centred approach. Their priority was to build a trusting relationship with Jeremy by listening to his needs and what he felt would be helpful for him in his recovery. Jeremy expressed that he didn’t know what his next steps were yet, but he was clear that he didn’t want to return to places where he might relapse into substance abuse.

Jeremy’s care

Building trust and encouraging Jeremy’s engagement took time. The team proceeded slowly, focusing on developing therapeutic relationships. Staff noticed that Jeremy had difficulty processing large amounts of information at once, so they adapted care plans and other information to support his understanding. Ward round summaries were kept concise and were tailored to what Jeremy was comfortable with.

Jeremy’s relationship with the staff strengthened, and he gradually became more open to engaging in structured interventions. A key focus of his care was to facilitate positive family contact. Initially, Jeremy targeted his mother, feeling she was to blame for his hospitalisation. However, through consistent support and the team’s dedicated efforts, they helped him to be more open. Firstly, video calls between Jeremy and his mum took place due to their locations, and then in-person visits were arranged for them to spend time together. This regular contact meant their relationship significantly improved. The efforts made to re-establish and strengthen this relationship were particularly impactful, leading to a more supportive family dynamic. His mother is now a strong source of support for him.

Another of Jeremy’s biggest achievements whilst on Shelley Ward included his newfound openness about his experiences, enabling him to talk through his past trauma and apply the intervention skills he learned. He also developed a strong sense of trust in others, which was vital for his continued recovery.

Jeremy achieved significant personal goals related to his physical health, something which he’d never previously been motivated to address. He set a goal to lose weight and engage in more physical activity. With the support of the team’s healthy living advisor, Occupational Therapist and access to the on-site gym, he actively participated in a fitness program, engaging in low impact activities to help him develop his fitness in a way that felt achievable and realistic for him. He also discovered a love for walking and sports, which further supported his goal. His passion for music also provided another avenue for engagement and connecting with others who shared similar interests. The team’s approach was always to manage expectations and work at Jeremy’s pace, which allowed him the space to make progress without feeling overwhelmed.

Jeremy today

Jeremy has made remarkable progress. He has now successfully transitioned from the low secure ward to a local rehabilitation service, a step down that has brought him closer to his goal of rebuilding community links and living independently.

Jeremy’s journey highlights the profound impact of a flexible, patient, and trust-based approach to care in empowering individuals to make significant strides towards recovery and build a more stable future.

*Name has been changed to protect their identity