Lights, CCAMHS, Action

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1 Lights, CCAMHS, Action The Summer Term 2013 newsletter for Community CAMHS for everyone interested in emotional health and wellbeing on the Isle of Wight

CONTENTS Useful mental health resources page 2 & 3 Getting Mental Healthy page 6-7 Community CAMHS News Flash page 3-5 Your Corner page 8-10 Jargon Buster page 5 Update on CCAMHS groups page 11 A day

2 CONTENTS Useful mental health resources page 2 & 3 Getting Mental Healthy page 6-7 Community CAMHS News Flash page 3-5 Your Corner page 8-10 Jargon Buster page 5 Update on CCAMHS groups page 11 A day in the life of...gavin Barrett page 12 Food for thought... Carrot & fig cake page 13 Brain Gym page 13 WELCOME Welcome to the fifth Isle of Wight Community CAMHS newsletter. This newsletter is produced once a term to provide news and information about child and adolescent mental health on the Island. The newsletter is for any children, young people, families or professionals with an interest in emotional health and wellbeing. We would be grateful for your contributions to our newsletter. If you would like us to include your stories, poems, pictures, photos, comments or letters, please contact the service. We would also welcome your feedback on our newsletter so that we can make it even better. Please let us know of anything you think we could improve. USEFUL MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES Talk to Frank is a website designed to give up to date and clear answers to any questions about drugs. It includes information about the effects, side effects and dangers of certain drugs as well as giving advice about what to do if you feel pressured to take drugs or if you are worried about a friend who is using drugs. 2

USEFUL MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES cont. www.nhs.

to Gavin Barrett, who started with the Community CAMHS team on 2nd April 2013.

3 USEFUL MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES cont. The Change4Life scheme is an NHS initiative aimed at helping you and your family to be healthier and happier. Visit the website to get ideas on the small changes you could make to your life to make big differences to your health and wellbeing. COMMUNITY CAMHS NEWS FLASH A big welcome to our new member of Community CAMHS We would like to extend a warm welcome to Gavin Barrett, who started with the Community CAMHS team on 2nd April Gavin is an Occupational Therapist by background and has joined the team as a Mental Health Practitioner. Find out more about Gavin on page 12 in our A day in the life of section. Goodbye to Nuria Rico We are sad to be saying our goodbyes to Nuria Rico, Systemic and Family Psychotherapist, who joined the team in October 2011 and left at the end of April We wish Nuria all the very best for the future. Hasta pronto / see you soon Nuria! 3

4 COMMUNITY CAMHS NEWS FLASH cont. We want to hear from you! We want to know from you how to make Community CAMHS even better. We ve set up an address so that you can us your suggestions. if you ve got any ideas for us. We will read through all your suggestions and think carefully about whether we can make changes in line with what you tell us. Even if we can t do exactly what you suggest, your ideas can help to give us a different perspective on how people experience our service. Please be aware that this does not replace any of the other ways you can give us feedback (e.g. talking directly to the clinician you are working with or to any member of the team; our complaints procedure; and our Experience of Service Questionnaire). We will not share your details or any information you give us with anyone outside of the service unless you give us consent to do so. Duncan Fleming s visits to GP s Over the last month I have been attending GP's meetings across the Island. It has been really good to meet GP's and to get an insight into what they know about Community CAMHS. A number of topics have been discussed, including our referral process, the consultation we offer and how Community CAMHS has transformed over the past couple of years. I have had lots of questions, suggestions and feedback from GP's, which has been very useful. We have taken these on board and discussed these within the team. In due course, I will be informing GP's of the changes we have made as a result of their suggestions, as well as giving them answers to their questions. In future GP's will also be able to give us feedback via our new suggestions mailbox, which is being launched in this newsletter above. By Duncan Fleming 4

5 Summer Term 2013 COMMUNITY CAMHS NEWS FLASH cont. Mental Health Awareness Week: 13-19th May Every May since 2000, the Mental Health Foundation campaigns for one week around a specific theme for Mental Health Awareness week. Some of the themes from previous years have been sleep, loneliness, fear, stigma and friendship. This year their theme was physical activity and exercise. For more information visit their website at So what physical activity are you going to do this summer to get mental healthy? Here s a photo of Gavin Barrett and Chandra Shaw getting active at Walk the Wight. JARGON BUSTER Q: What is DBT? A: DBT stands for Dialectical Behaviour Therapy Dialectical Behaviour Therapy is a structured treatment approach that draws upon elements of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and upon concepts of acceptance and mindfulness. The overall goal is to support people to effectively manage strong emotions and to develop greater satisfaction in their relationships with others. The treatment often comprises of telephone consultation, individual therapy and skills training in a group format. 5

GETTING MENTAL HEALTHY SURVIVE EXAM STRESS Exams and studying are a well known source of stress, so knowing how to recognise and manage your stress levels is a really important part of being a

6 GETTING MENTAL HEALTHY SURVIVE EXAM STRESS Exams and studying are a well known source of stress, so knowing how to recognise and manage your stress levels is a really important part of being a student. What s going on?: Is all stress bad? We all get stressful times and most symptoms are short lived and manageable. A small amount of stress can actually motivate and challenge us, this is called eustress. Running away from what is stressing us - e.g. an assignment - can result in a vicious circle and cause more stress long term. So how do we cope with stress in a way that lets us get on with what we need to do rather than avoid it? Remember you are not alone: Most people feel stressed around exam times THIS IS NORMAL. To manage these stresses firstly figure out your learning style: Know your best time to study: not everyone can get up first thing in the morning and concentrate! Then structure and organise your time in a way that suits you. Work out how you best remember things pictures, colours, rhymes, mind maps? Then use these techniques are part of your revision. Find a place that you find easy to relax and concentrate in your bedroom, the library, the garden shed, wherever. This might be different for different people. Some people like quiet places, whereas other people like to listen to music what works for you? Some common hurdles to effective studying: Family Work or other commitments Worries Friends Fear of the blank page Not understanding what is expected of you Being distracted by noise or other people when trying to study Work out what gets in the way for you and see if there is anything you can do to reduce those hurdles. 6

7 GETTING MENTAL HEALTHY SURVIVE EXAM STRESS cont. You have the power top stress busting tips: Exercise this can decrease 'stress hormones' and increase your body's 'feel-good' chemicals, giving your mood a natural boost. Relaxation try out different techniques and find one that works for you breathing, visualisation, progressive muscle relaxation. Eat well a healthy diet will boost your energy levels and make it easier to handle stresses you may face. Talk A problem shared is a problem halved. Get support this can be from friends, family, teachers Keep a stress diary this can be really helpful if you are feeling overwhelmed. Keep perspective despite popular belief it is NOT the end of the world. Allow time for rest and fun it is important you reward yourself for good work! All work and no play makes jack a dull boy Sleep well make sure you re getting enough sleep Study tips: Organise your revision don t hide under a pile of paperwork! Practice mock exams Test yourself use prompt cards with your friends or family Study buddies are great ways of learning Plan ahead: work out what you need to do, how long this will take and set aside time to do this. Then make a revision timetable and make time for hobbies/fun Break big topics down so they feel less overwhelming Take regular breaks Don t leave things to the last minute- rushing adds to stress If you find your mind drifting, a change is as good as a break change the subject or change location. Make your notes memorable colour and highlight. Use revision techniques to remember things such as mind maps, acronyms, rhymes/songs, and perhaps make posters to put on the wall. Remember, if you re feeling stressed, DON T SUFFER IN SILENCE! Talk to your family, friends, teachers or other support staff at school and ask for help. By Rachel Pullinger, Student Mental Health Nurse 7

8 CORNER YOUR A space for children, young people, parents and carers to share your experiences of mental health or of life in general in whatever way you like, e.g. poetry, pictures, photos, stories. Please contact the team if you would like to contribute. Thank you to all the young people who have contributed this term. Yet again, fantastic creative work! By Charlie, 13 8

9 CORNER YOUR By Kai, 14 A close up on some of the detailing 9

10 CORNER YOUR A poem to be spoken silently It was so quiet that I heard a mouse s heartbeat. It was so quiet that I heard somebody s hair wave. It was so quiet that I heard the earth s crust rubbing. It was so quiet that I heard the world spinning around. It was so quiet that I heard someone pushing their glasses into place. It was so quiet that I heard a raindrop dripping down a pane of glass. It was so quiet that I heard a ladybird flying across the world. It was so quiet that I heard someone typing a poem. It was so quiet that I heard someone flick a page of a book. It was so quiet that I heard the next line of this poem slip into my buzzing mind and spill onto the silent page. By Grace and Antonia, 8 This poem was written as part of Grace and Antonia s classwork at Queensgate Primary School. The last line of the poem is taken from A poem to be spoken silently by Pie Corbett. 10

UPDATE ON CCAMHS GROUPS Groups running at CCAMHS There are four groups running at the CCAMHS clinic at the moment. Here is an update on their progress.

We have now completed our second group and would like to thank all the parents who have attended for their hard work and supportive attitude towards their fellow members.

11 UPDATE ON CCAMHS GROUPS Groups running at CCAMHS There are four groups running at the CCAMHS clinic at the moment. Here is an update on their progress. The Timid to Tiger group is a group for parents of primary school children who are experiencing anxiety. We have now completed our second group and would like to thank all the parents who have attended for their hard work and supportive attitude towards their fellow members. We hope to run our third group in September FRIENDS for Life is a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy based group for children experiencing anxiety and/or low mood. The group is a 10-week programme plus a booster session and parent session. We are due to begin our next group for 7-12 year olds from the end of June Self esteem group: The first Self esteem group has now been completed and was hailed a success. The group finished on a high note with certificates and a celebration drink at the Foundation Bakery. Well done to all group members for their hard work! After this successful pilot, the group is due to be repeated in September Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) skills group: We are now coming to the end of the 8 sessions of the pilot group. So far we have introduced the DBT model and begun to look at Emotional Regulation and Mindfulness in more depth. Thank you to the group members for their commitment to the group so far. 11

12 A DAY IN THE LIFE OF...GAVIN BARRETT Q. What is your job title? A. Mental Health Practitioner Q. Describe a typical day doing your job A. Having joined the team about a month ago, my days have been spent familiarising myself with the service and joining other team members in working with young people and their families. My days typically start with checking my s and my diary for the day s appointments and a cup of tea of course! I recently qualified as an occupational therapist and a key part of my work involves working with young people out in the community to help them to do what s important to them so this part of my work is really practical and activity-focused. Q. Name one of the best things about doing your job A. I d have to say the varied nature of my work and the opportunity to meet and work with young people towards meaningful goals. TOP TIPS FOR LOOKING AFTER HIS MENTAL HEALTH Having recently moved to the island, it s really important to me to set aside time to explore different places lots of walking! When I m out, I try to be really mindful of and take in my surroundings. Switching off can be difficult sometimes but the stunning scenery certainly helps! 12

13 FOOD FOR THOUGHT...CARROT & FIG CAKE Here is a recipe from Gemma Fenton for you to try at home Ingredients: 6oz dried figs 1/2 pint apple juice 3oz butter 2 eggs 6oz self-raising wholewheat flour 2tsp all spice 1/2 tsp fennel seeds 8oz grated carrot Instructions: Soak the figs in the apple juice for 30 minutes then remove them from the juice and puree them. Preheat oven to 160ºC. Beat the butter until creamy. Beat the eggs and mix with flour and all spice. Then beat this mixture into the butter. Stir in the carrot and the fig puree. Spoon into a greased baking tin. Bake for one hour. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before turning out. BRAIN GYM: FILL IN THE GAPS Can you fill in the gaps to work out this mental health tip? F L T _ E _ E A _ A _ D D _ I _ A N _ W! Clue: This tip might motivate you to do something you re worried about. Remember that whilst anxiety feels uncomfortable, it doesn t do you any harm. Missing letters: N, T, A, H, R, Y, E, O, F, Y, E 13 Answer: Feel the fear and do it anyway!

14 AND THAT S A WRAP!! Please feel free to contact the service if you have any ideas, pictures or stories for us to include in our next newsletter. We hope you have enjoyed reading our newsletter! 14

POsitive mental health for young people. What you need to know about Children and Adolescent s Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in Buckinghamshire

POsitive mental health for young people What you need to know about Children and Adolescent s Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in Buckinghamshire 1 CONTENTS PAGE 3 AND 4 When to ask for help PAGE 5 AND 6