WellCAM Events 2020-2021
(Thu 10 Sep 2020 - Fri 10 Sep 2021)
September 2020
| Thu 10 |
This year, to mark World Suicide Prevention Day, Yvonne McPartland, Deputy Head of the Staff Counselling Centre, will be delivering a session on suicide prevention for staff in Cambridge. The shocking reality is that suicide is the most common cause of death in men aged under 50 and the suicide rate is currently increasing after many years of decline. This equates to more than 6,000 deaths by suicide annually in the UK and Ireland. What impact will Covid-19 have on suicide numbers? The session is designed to give staff the confidence to challenge the taboo around suicide that makes it such a difficult subject to broach, with colleagues, family members, friends and even total strangers: what is it OK to say, what should I be looking for and what should I do next? The session will increase awareness around suicide, dispel some myths and share some lessons from experience at the Staff Counselling Centre. It will also remind staff what the centre can offer them. The message is that having a conversation could really save a life. Resources and further information:
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October 2020
| Fri 2 |
Workshop 1: The Concept of Wellbeing
Finished
A series of four, hour-long workshops facilitated by Kate Ahl of the Staff Counselling Centre, designed to help participants build sustainable practices to support their wellbeing and resilience in the face of life's inevitable stresses. These sessions were designed as stand-alone workshops that complement one another - so anyone may attend all four workshops or just one on its own. The workshops are delivered via Zoom as a mixture of informational slides and reflective activities to give participants a chance to explore aspects of wellbeing in the context of their own lives. Each workshop begins and ends with a brief guided mindfulness or relaxation exercise. Workshop 1: The Concept of Wellbeing This workshop starts from the premise that wellbeing is not the absence of suffering, but a sustaining engagement with activities that buffer us against life's stressors. In this workshop, we will focus on wellbeing in the context of our own lives, taking in our interactions with others; our engagement with the time and place we live in; our relationship with ourselves; and the values, principles, and beliefs that make life meaningful for us. Through reflective exercises, we will consider what we might like to do differently, to support our long-term wellbeing. Zoom joining link will be provided on your booking confirmation email. |
| Fri 9 |
Workshop 2: Self-Compassion
Finished
A series of four, hour-long workshops facilitated by Kate Ahl of the Staff Counselling Centre, designed to help participants build sustainable practices to support their wellbeing and resilience in the face of life's inevitable stresses. These sessions were designed as stand-alone workshops that complement one another - so anyone may attend all four workshops or just one on its own. The workshops are delivered via Zoom as a mixture of informational slides and reflective activities to give participants a chance to explore aspects of wellbeing in the context of their own lives. Each workshop begins and ends with a brief guided mindfulness or relaxation exercise. Workshop 2: Self-Compassion Self-compassion is a way of relating to ourselves with kindness, even when we experience the inevitable failures and setbacks that are part of life and learning for everyone. In this workshop, we will consider how self-compassion can help with nervous system regulation and increase our resilience. We will address common points of resistance to the idea of self-compassion, and introduce some simple ways to cultivate a compassionate relationship to ourselves. Zoom joining link will be provided on your booking confirmation email. |
| Fri 16 |
Workshop 3 : Mindfulness and Emotion
Finished
A series of four, hour-long workshops facilitated by Kate Ahl of the Staff Counselling Centre, designed to help participants build sustainable practices to support their wellbeing and resilience in the face of life's inevitable stresses. These sessions were designed as stand-alone workshops that complement one another - so anyone may attend all four workshops or just one on its own. The workshops are delivered via Zoom as a mixture of informational slides and reflective activities to give participants a chance to explore aspects of wellbeing in the context of their own lives. Each workshop begins and ends with a brief guided mindfulness or relaxation exercise. Workshop 3: Mindfulness and Emotion We often regard emotions as inconvenient, or unprofessional. But our emotions can give us important information about our environment, and if we are able to identify them and tolerate them, we are less likely to 'act out', to become overwhelmed, or to get stuck in cycles of unhelpful behaviour. This workshop invites us to expand our emotional vocabulary and to be curious and non-judgmental about our emotions, with the view that the more we know about how we feel, the more choice we have in how we respond to our feelings. Zoom joining link will be provided on your booking confirmation email. |
| Fri 23 |
A series of four, hour-long workshops facilitated by Kate Ahl of the Staff Counselling Centre, designed to help participants build sustainable practices to support their wellbeing and resilience in the face of life's inevitable stresses. These sessions were designed as stand-alone workshops that complement one another - so anyone may attend all four workshops or just one on its own. The workshops are delivered via Zoom as a mixture of informational slides and reflective activities to give participants a chance to explore aspects of wellbeing in the context of their own lives. Each workshop begins and ends with a brief guided mindfulness or relaxation exercise. Workshop 4: Freedom and Responsibility The feeling of being 'stuck' can cause great distress. This workshop looks at how we can identify opportunities for choice and freedom even in situations where our options may seem very limited. We will consider ways to take up our responsibility to ourselves, by making deliberate choices about how to use our time and emotional energy, bolstering our sense of dignity and autonomy. Zoom joining link will be provided on your booking confirmation email. |
November 2020
| Fri 6 |
Stress and Anxiety Workshops Overall Aims of 4 weeks
Week 1 - This first workshop will be an opportunity to learn about stress and anxiety and begin to think about our own experiences. Come prepared with a pen and paper as there will be some self-reflective exercises.
Delivered by Euan Ambrose from the University Counselling Centre Joining instructions will be provided on your booking confirmation email. |
| Fri 13 |
Stress and Anxiety Workshops Overall Aims of 4 weeks
Week 2 - The focus of this workshop will be on worry and anxious thoughts and how they impact on our wellbeing. We will look at strategies to help address worries directly as well as activities to distract and soothe us. There will be two relaxation exercises and time for Q&A at the end.
Delivered by Sarah Hughes from the University Counselling Centre Joining instructions will be provided on your booking confirmation email. |
| Fri 20 |
Stress and Anxiety Workshops Overall Aims of 4 weeks
Week 3 - This week we will take a deeper look at stress and anxiety, work on what our triggers are, and any behaviours that might maintain an anxious state.
Delivered by Euan Ambrose from the University Counselling Centre Joining instructions will be provided on your booking confirmation email. |
| Wed 25 |
Anxiety and depression is high and we're looking for new ways to take back control of our lives. New ways to become resilient and bounce back. Whether you've been dealt a good or bad hand in life, now is the time to take charge and bounce back to get closer to the life you want. Dr. Olivia Remes will be sharing tips on overcoming obstacles in life and becoming resilient, based on research. This is especially important now that we're dealing with a second lockdown and our mental health has been affected in more ways than one. Her work has been featured by the BBC and she's been invited to give TED talks on anxiety and loneliness. Zoom joining instructions will be provided on your booking confirmation email. |
| Fri 27 |
Stress and Anxiety Workshops Overall Aims of 4 weeks
Week 4 - In this final workshop we will take a look at the various causes of workplace stress, its tell-tale symptoms, and ideas for stress-management and self-care. There will be reflective-practice exercises and time for Q&A.
Delivered by Sarah Hughes from the University Counselling Centre Joining instructions will be provided on your booking confirmation email. |
January 2021
| Wed 20 |
Life can at times feel relentless, overwhelming and draining. We can become so caught up in our thoughts and feelings that they entangle us in ways that are harmful. Mindfulness is recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) as clinical trials show that it works to halve the risk of depression in those who have experienced illness (Professor Mark Williams). Mindfulness practice can help us become more present in the moment, increase our awareness of feelings and help us notice signs of stress, low mood and anxiety so we can take steps to address them. These sessions are offered to help staff experience the benefits of Mindfulness practice as a way of supporting health and wellbeing. Join Esther Hunt, for a series of six standalone weekly sessions. Book into as many or as few as you wish. No materials necessary, although you may wish to be seated in an upright chair with a blanket around you to maximise the benefits. Esther Hunt trained as a Mindfulness Teacher with the British Mindfulness Institute and was taught by Dr Patrizia Collard. She is a Registered and Accredited Psychotherapist with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and an Affiliated Lecturer in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapeutic Counselling in the Faculty of Education. Zoom joining instructions will be provided in your booking confirmation email. |
| Wed 27 |
Life can at times feel relentless, overwhelming and draining. We can become so caught up in our thoughts and feelings that they entangle us in ways that are harmful. Mindfulness is recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) as clinical trials show that it works to halve the risk of depression in those who have experienced illness (Professor Mark Williams). Mindfulness practice can help us become more present in the moment, increase our awareness of feelings and help us notice signs of stress, low mood and anxiety so we can take steps to address them. These sessions are offered to help staff experience the benefits of Mindfulness practice as a way of supporting health and wellbeing. Join Esther Hunt, for a series of six standalone weekly sessions. Book into as many or as few as you wish. No materials necessary, although you may wish to be seated in an upright chair with a blanket around you to maximise the benefits. Esther Hunt trained as a Mindfulness Teacher with the British Mindfulness Institute and was taught by Dr Patrizia Collard. She is a Registered and Accredited Psychotherapist with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and an Affiliated Lecturer in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapeutic Counselling in the Faculty of Education. Zoom joining instructions will be provided in your booking confirmation email. |
| Thu 28 |
Workshop 1: The Concept of Wellbeing
Finished
This series of four workshops is designed to help participants build sustainable practices to support their wellbeing and resilience in the face of life's inevitable stresses. Each session in the series is designed as a stand-alone workshop, so anyone may attend all four workshops or just one on its own. The workshops give participants a chance to explore aspects of wellbeing in the context of their own lives. Originally run in October 2020, and being repeated due to their popularity, Kate Ahl of the Staff Counselling Centre, will introduce each session - an edited recording of the original event - and will be available to answer questions. Workshop 1: The Concept of Wellbeing This workshop starts from the premise that wellbeing is not the absence of suffering, but a sustaining engagement with activities that buffer us against life's stressors. In this workshop, we will focus on wellbeing in the context of our own lives, taking in our interactions with others; our engagement with the time and place we live in; our relationship with ourselves; and the values, principles, and beliefs that make life meaningful for us. Through reflective exercises, we will consider what we might like to do differently, to support our long-term wellbeing. Zoom joining link will be provided on your booking confirmation email. |
February 2021
| Wed 3 |
Life can at times feel relentless, overwhelming and draining. We can become so caught up in our thoughts and feelings that they entangle us in ways that are harmful. Mindfulness is recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) as clinical trials show that it works to halve the risk of depression in those who have experienced illness (Professor Mark Williams). Mindfulness practice can help us become more present in the moment, increase our awareness of feelings and help us notice signs of stress, low mood and anxiety so we can take steps to address them. These sessions are offered to help staff experience the benefits of Mindfulness practice as a way of supporting health and wellbeing. Join Esther Hunt, for a series of six standalone weekly sessions. Book into as many or as few as you wish. No materials necessary, although you may wish to be seated in an upright chair with a blanket around you to maximise the benefits. Esther Hunt trained as a Mindfulness Teacher with the British Mindfulness Institute and was taught by Dr Patrizia Collard. She is a Registered and Accredited Psychotherapist with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and an Affiliated Lecturer in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapeutic Counselling in the Faculty of Education. Zoom joining instructions will be provided in your booking confirmation email. |
| Thu 4 |
Workshop 2: Self-Compassion
Finished
This series of four workshops is designed to help participants build sustainable practices to support their wellbeing and resilience in the face of life's inevitable stresses. Each session in the series is designed as a stand-alone workshop, so anyone may attend all four workshops or just one on its own. The workshops give participants a chance to explore aspects of wellbeing in the context of their own lives. Originally run in October 2020, and being repeated due to their popularity, Kate Ahl of the Staff Counselling Centre will introduce each session - an edited recording of the original event - and will be available to answer questions. Workshop 2: Self-Compassion Self-compassion is a way of relating to ourselves with kindness, even when we experience the inevitable failures and setbacks that are part of life and learning for everyone. In this workshop, we will consider how self-compassion can help with nervous system regulation and increase our resilience. We will address common points of resistance to the idea of self-compassion, and introduce some simple ways to cultivate a compassionate relationship to ourselves. Zoom joining link will be provided on your booking confirmation email. |
| Wed 10 |
Mindfulness Practice - Session 3
Finished
Life can at times feel relentless, overwhelming and draining. We can become so caught up in our thoughts and feelings that they entangle us in ways that are harmful. Mindfulness is recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) as clinical trials show that it works to halve the risk of depression in those who have experienced illness (Professor Mark Williams). Mindfulness practice can help us become more present in the moment, increase our awareness of feelings and help us notice signs of stress, low mood and anxiety so we can take steps to address them. These sessions are offered to help staff experience the benefits of Mindfulness practice as a way of supporting health and wellbeing. Join Esther Hunt, for a series of six standalone weekly sessions. Book into as many or as few as you wish. No materials necessary, although you may wish to be seated in an upright chair with a blanket around you to maximise the benefits. Esther Hunt trained as a Mindfulness Teacher with the British Mindfulness Institute and was taught by Dr Patrizia Collard. She is a Registered and Accredited Psychotherapist with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and an Affiliated Lecturer in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapeutic Counselling in the Faculty of Education. Zoom joining instructions will be provided in your booking confirmation email. |
| Thu 11 |
Workshop 3 : Mindfulness and Emotion
Finished
This series of four workshops is designed to help participants build sustainable practices to support their wellbeing and resilience in the face of life's inevitable stresses. Each session in the series is designed as a stand-alone workshop, so anyone may attend all four workshops or just one on its own. The workshops give participants a chance to explore aspects of wellbeing in the context of their own lives. Originally run in October 2020, and being repeated due to their popularity, Kate Ahl of the Staff Counselling Centre, will introduce each session - an edited recording of the original event - and will be available to answer questions. Workshop 3: Mindfulness and Emotion We often regard emotions as inconvenient, or unprofessional. But our emotions can give us important information about our environment, and if we are able to identify them and tolerate them, we are less likely to 'act out', to become overwhelmed, or to get stuck in cycles of unhelpful behaviour. This workshop invites us to expand our emotional vocabulary and to be curious and non-judgmental about our emotions, with the view that the more we know about how we feel, the more choice we have in how we respond to our feelings. Zoom joining link will be provided on your booking confirmation email. |
| Wed 17 |
Mindfulness Practice - Session 4
Finished
Life can at times feel relentless, overwhelming and draining. We can become so caught up in our thoughts and feelings that they entangle us in ways that are harmful. Mindfulness is recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) as clinical trials show that it works to halve the risk of depression in those who have experienced illness (Professor Mark Williams). Mindfulness practice can help us become more present in the moment, increase our awareness of feelings and help us notice signs of stress, low mood and anxiety so we can take steps to address them. These sessions are offered to help staff experience the benefits of Mindfulness practice as a way of supporting health and wellbeing. Join Esther Hunt, for a series of six standalone weekly sessions. Book into as many or as few as you wish. No materials necessary, although you may wish to be seated in an upright chair with a blanket around you to maximise the benefits. Esther Hunt trained as a Mindfulness Teacher with the British Mindfulness Institute and was taught by Dr Patrizia Collard. She is a Registered and Accredited Psychotherapist with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and an Affiliated Lecturer in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapeutic Counselling in the Faculty of Education. Zoom joining instructions will be provided in your booking confirmation email. |
| Thu 18 |
This series of four workshops is designed to help participants build sustainable practices to support their wellbeing and resilience in the face of life's inevitable stresses. Each session in the series is designed as a stand-alone workshop, so anyone may attend all four workshops or just one on its own. The workshops give participants a chance to explore aspects of wellbeing in the context of their own lives. Originally run in October 2020, and being repeated due to their popularity, Kate Ahl of the Staff Counselling Centre, will introduce each session - an edited recording of the original event - and will be available to answer questions. Workshop 4: Freedom and Responsibility The feeling of being 'stuck' can cause great distress. This workshop looks at how we can identify opportunities for choice and freedom even in situations where our options may seem very limited. We will consider ways to take up our responsibility to ourselves, by making deliberate choices about how to use our time and emotional energy, bolstering our sense of dignity and autonomy. Zoom joining link will be provided on your booking confirmation email. |
| Wed 24 |
Life can at times feel relentless, overwhelming and draining. We can become so caught up in our thoughts and feelings that they entangle us in ways that are harmful. Mindfulness is recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) as clinical trials show that it works to halve the risk of depression in those who have experienced illness (Professor Mark Williams). Mindfulness practice can help us become more present in the moment, increase our awareness of feelings and help us notice signs of stress, low mood and anxiety so we can take steps to address them. These sessions are offered to help staff experience the benefits of Mindfulness practice as a way of supporting health and wellbeing. Join Esther Hunt, for a series of six standalone weekly sessions. Book into as many or as few as you wish. No materials necessary, although you may wish to be seated in an upright chair with a blanket around you to maximise the benefits. Esther Hunt trained as a Mindfulness Teacher with the British Mindfulness Institute and was taught by Dr Patrizia Collard. She is a Registered and Accredited Psychotherapist with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and an Affiliated Lecturer in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapeutic Counselling in the Faculty of Education. Zoom joining instructions will be provided in your booking confirmation email. |
| Thu 25 |
Stress and Anxiety Workshops Overall Aims of 4 weeks
Week 1 - This first workshop will be an opportunity to learn about stress and anxiety and begin to think about our own experiences. Come prepared with a pen and paper as there will be some self-reflective exercises. Delivered by Euan Ambrose from the University Counselling Centre Joining instructions will be provided on your booking confirmation email. |
March 2021
| Tue 2 |
A series of four workshops designed to help participants build sustainable practices to support their wellbeing and resilience in the face of life's inevitable stresses. Each session in the series is designed as a stand-alone workshop, so participants can book on to all four workshops or just one on its own. Kathrin Hicks is a clinical psychologist who has worked with many different patient groups in the NHS. Her most recent focus has been staff working on the Covid front line. Workshop 1: How mind and body interact in long term health conditions Delivered by Kathrin Hicks from the University Counselling Centre Kathrin will present a framework for understanding how physical and mental factors interact in the experience of long term health conditions, drawing on ideas from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Mindfulness. This framework will provide the rationale for the interventions presented across the sessions – understanding how and why a technique works will increase the motivation to try it out. In a nutshell, the experience of long term physical health problems can set in motion a vicious cycle of thought processes, emotions and behaviours that makes it even harder to live with the symptoms of the condition. This is not our fault but a consequence of the way the human brain is wired to respond to stressful situations. If we can understand and manage this response better, we can work towards a way of living well with our health problems, rather than feeling like we are in a constant battle. Concepts to be covered include:
Joining instructions will be provided on your booking confirmation email. |
| Wed 3 |
Life can at times feel relentless, overwhelming and draining. We can become so caught up in our thoughts and feelings that they entangle us in ways that are harmful. Mindfulness is recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) as clinical trials show that it works to halve the risk of depression in those who have experienced illness (Professor Mark Williams). Mindfulness practice can help us become more present in the moment, increase our awareness of feelings and help us notice signs of stress, low mood and anxiety so we can take steps to address them. These sessions are offered to help staff experience the benefits of Mindfulness practice as a way of supporting health and wellbeing. Join Esther Hunt, for a series of six standalone weekly sessions. Book into as many or as few as you wish. No materials necessary, although you may wish to be seated in an upright chair with a blanket around you to maximise the benefits. Esther Hunt trained as a Mindfulness Teacher with the British Mindfulness Institute and was taught by Dr Patrizia Collard. She is a Registered and Accredited Psychotherapist with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and an Affiliated Lecturer in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapeutic Counselling in the Faculty of Education. Zoom joining instructions will be provided in your booking confirmation email. |
| Thu 4 |
Stress and Anxiety Workshops Overall Aims of 4 weeks
Week 2 - The focus of this workshop will be on worry and anxious thoughts and how they impact on our wellbeing. We will look at strategies to help address worries directly as well as activities to distract and soothe us. There will be time for Q&A at the end.
Delivered by Sarah Hughes from the University Counselling Centre Joining instructions will be provided on your booking confirmation email. |
| Tue 9 |
Workshop 2: Physiological responses and relaxation Delivered by Kathrin Hicks from the University Counselling Centre The most straightforward way of interrupting the vicious cycle of negative thoughts and feelings associated with long term health conditions is to start with the physical processes involved in the fight/flight stress response, particularly breathing and muscle tension. If we can slow down our breathing and reduce muscle tension, this sends the message to the brain that we are safe, which has a calming influence on our thoughts and feelings. Concepts to be covered include:
Joining instructions will be provided on your booking confirmation email. |