Counselling and Mental Wellbeing

We work by the BACP Ethical Framework that can be read here

Our Roots Counselling, Mental Wellbeing and Mental Health promotion that adopts a community counselling model where we engage the community in a dialogue that keeps them well. We advocate that we don’t have to wait for people to reach crisis level before we start thinking of the best responsive ways of engaging them. All of our clients are free to become a "wellbeing community" if they so wish.

Of course we also acknowledge the fact that some people believe that when they heal they should not be reminded of their crisis journey. A wellbeing community is where every one in our books (the board, managers, volunteers, clients/patients, the families we support and groups we run) work together, stay in touch with each other or join the various wellbeing activities that we run. These wellbeing activities include music and dance groups (Dance-Music-Therapy), reading for wellbeing, the children's Saturday club (3-14 years), the youth groups and talent development groups (aged 15+), community events (holiday trips/outings, sports, community shows such as fashion shows, concerts, significant meals such as Christmas and Easter etc). We also track all of our clients to know where they are at with their mental, psychological and emotional wellbeing.

Our Roots Community Counselling model

What it is

We seek to tickle, incite and stimulate the individual/groups into self-discovery, self-worth and self-actualisation. We adopt a psychotherapeutic and counselling approach whereby we believe that a person cannot be whole until he or she knows who actually he/she is. The knowledge or consciousness of the self forms an identity that makes one unique and that this uniqueness can best be promoted by its owner himself or herself for his or her benefit and for the benefit of their community and society. Of course we acknowledge the Ubuntu spirit of “I am because we are” and therefore support the role of other significant people in an individual's life as long as they are there and willing to be part of a person's journey of life. We also recognise the wider determinants of someone's life like spiritual and sociocultural issues; but ultimately we encourage and support the self as the beginning and end of own destiny.

Underpinning philosophy: The term "OUR ROOTS" is a philosophy more than the organisation's name. We believe every one has roots that form his frame of reference. When these roots or values are validated and acceptable in the community, society and by law, they should form the roots that an individual, community or society stand on or reverts to when they lose emotional. psychological and mental balance. These roots will make an individual be the "firm tree that will stand and bear fruits (wellbeing). It doesn't matter what community you come from: all communities have validated values/roots. Some of these values are universal for example: keeping well; helping others; striving to achieve; forgiving; looking after your family; abiding by the laws/structures; not hurting others; dressing up; eating healthy; resting enough; giving to others, learning; keeping active, admiring good things and not destroying then and connect with people. Some of these values form part of the acclaimed "Five Ways to Wellbeing". These values MUST be stimulated in individuals at any level of support before you empower the individual to look at other wider determinants of mental wellbeing and health. Our tools and approaches do the trick!

Models of work

Integrative approaches, person centred, psycho-dynamic, solution focused, African oriented (community based: Ubuntu), spiritual-socio-cultural and CBT. To these effect we have a pool of community professionals in counselling, psychotherapy, psychologists, CBT practitioners (IAPT), Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners (IAPT), Dance Music Therapists, Information Advice and Guidance workers, Social Workers, educationists and a range of health professionals always ready to be called on to support Our Roots' causes. Please note that IAPT stands for Improving Access to Psychological Therapies, a government programme aimed at emphasising talking therapies including counselling to support the population in their mild to moderate mental distress such as depression, anxiety and other common mental and emotional health issues. You can read more about IAPT and training needs (workforce) for a competent IAPT practitioner at: http://www.iapt.nhs.uk/iapt/<

Wellbeing

Wellbeing is different for each individual but generally, it incorporates a holistic approach focusing on multiple aspects that affect quality of life, ultimately leading to a balanced, healthy and happy person.

According to Wellbeing at Work Change Agenda by Certified Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), Wellbeing comes about by creating an environment to promote a state of contentment that allows an individual to flourish and achieve their full potential for the benefit of themselves and others. Well-being is more than an avoidance of physical illness. It represents a broader bio-psycho-social construct that includes physical, mental and social health.

The Wellbeing “Hatchery Model” below demonstrates the relationship between each egg and a collection of all the eggs that will hatch into an individual’s state (chicks) of wellness or wellbeing. Each individual must actively strive or be empowered to get the eggs that will hatch into a complete wellbeing state.

Wellbeing explained:

Emotional: This is the ability to recognise, understand, experience and express a full range of emotions and to channel our emotions into healthy behaviours that satisfy our personal and social goals.
Environmental: An awareness and appreciation of the critical role the environment plays in our individual wellbeing and that all human activity impacts on the environment and can jeopardise the environment's ability to provide essential services needed to sustain life.
Financial: Relates to informed decision-making and learning of how to use credit wisely, save, invest, and plan for the future.
Intellectual: An active mind is essential to overall wellness. Being open to new ideas, thinking critically, being creative and curious, and being motivated to master new skills are the keys to intellectual wellness.
Occupational: This is achieving personal satisfaction and enrichment in one's life through work and career development.
Physical: Addresses ability to achieve optimal wellness through building physical strength, flexibility, endurance, and optimal nutrition while also taking safety precautions, including medical self-care and appropriate use of a medical system. It involves making healthy lifestyle.
Social: The interaction and contributions to the community. Satisfying relationships, having support networks, participating and contributing to the community, developing the capacity for intimacy and learning good communication skills all contribute to a positive state of social wellness.
Spiritual: Finding meaning and purpose to life is the basis of spiritual wellness. Using a "world view" or even super-natural constructs to choose actions that are consistent with personal beliefs and values including religion, self-belief and a strong faith and belief system that transcends the self and the immediacy.
Mental: It is the ability to enjoy life and deal with the challenges you face every day — whether that involves making choices and decisions, adapting to and coping in difficult situations or talking about your needs and desires. Just as your life and circumstances continually change, so do your moods and thoughts, and your sense of well-being. It’s important to find a balance in your life over time and in a range of situations.

Period of support

As a solution focused underpinning model, we believe that an individual can heal at first contact with us and we aim for healing at the earliest opportunity; even at a first intervention, however, some people take long to regain their whole life. We therefore aim to cause a better transformation within 6 months. From first contact to 6 months an individual can be discharged from our support but we will continue to communicate since the individual becomes part of our community. The aim is to make it hard to distinguish between someone seeking help and the helper. We become a family and a community.

Cost to the individual

At times we may be funded to deliver this work. When this is the case the individual client pays nothing. We will always let you know that this is a free service at the beginning of the contract.

Alternatively, the following costs may apply:

For those who can afford, we will help you for free in the first contact/meeting and we will offer you all the support up to 6 months but if you decide to proceed after the initial free support you will make a monthly donation of £100 totalling £600 for 6 months;
Or if you are needy, we will offer you a free first contact/meeting service and you contribute £5 per month for 6 months totalling £30;
And if you are a destitute, we will design a way of supporting you entirely for free for the duration you are getting support from us.
In other words, no one is denied a service whether you can donate to us or not.

On top of the above, any person may (that is optional) wish to donate any amount at any time to this community organisation either because of the support he/she has received or the perceived importance of this organisation to the community. In any case this must be after discharge from the service to avoid exploiting vulnerability during the service.

Ethical practice

Our practitioners are trained in the areas of the speciality they work and are members of professional bodies like the British association for counselling and psychotherapy (BACP). We abide by BACP ethical framework including confidentiality. We cannot share your information and anything we do with you to other people/agencies even when you authorise us unless that person is part of your group/family therapy. If you want your information shared with other agencies for whatever reason, you ask for this information and we give it to you personally then you can pass it to anyone/agency by yourself.

Disclaimer

Personal circumstances can never be the same and different people may require different interventions even when they present similar concerns. We advise you to seek any other professional help if you are in doubt of any help we offer.We are also obliged by law to disclose certain information specifically if you are about to harm yourself or others or for child protection and terrorism offences. We will always let you know when such cases arise before we can discuss them with any other person.

Last Word

What makes a successful person is not how much smooth life he/she has had but rather how much challenges and obstacles he/she has overcome and therefore continued to live a balanced life no matter the circumstances (bad or good).