Adults
For more than 20 years our adult programmes have brought together a diverse community from all ages, backgrounds and experiences. Members have grappled with issues such as HIV and poor physical health; bereavement; unstable or violent relationships; isolation, anxiety and depression; debt or financial hardship; worries about housing, benefits or immigration status; and past trauma.
Here at Body & Soul we work passionately to create a space where you can connect, grow and heal. We treat each person as an individual and tailor our services to meet your unique practical, emotional and physical needs. We work in collaboration with you, your network, others involved in your care to understand the resources required to create a pathway to positive health, wellbeing, confidence and resilience
As one of our members, you’ll find a large and supportive community of people who have faced similar challenges, and a comprehensive package of support, including:
Adoption Support
Our adoption programme recognises the particular needs of adopted children and young people, but equally understands the importance of a place for parents to access help and support. Where some support is often only short-term, Parents’ Place recognises the importance to families of having a consistent ongoing resource that’s there year round. Where children need the right support and interventions available as they grow into adolescence, parents equally benefit from a non-judgemental space to share whatever is going on at home amongst others who understand.
You’ll find a supportive group of parents with similar experiences, and a consistent, long-term therapeutic environment to learn from and contribute to while your children participate in their own dedicated programmes. You can drop off your children at 12.30 on a Saturday, then head upstairs for refreshments. The facilitated session starts at 13.00 and finishes around 15.00 so you have time to relax with other parents.
The initial programme runs for four Saturdays in a row and the sessions help you develop a practical toolkit for responding to your child, drawn from dialectical behavioural therapy. It can be daunting to enter an established group so, during this first phase, all the parents are new to us. After that, you’ll all enter the existing group together, which is held on one Saturday a month. These sessions provide a space to share the emotional impact of being an adopted parent and the practical challenges, and to find help and support from other members and our expert facilitator.
Living with HIV
For over 20 years we have delivered an adult support programme dedicated to members living with or directly affected by HIV. Our experienced team understands the complex implications HIV can have on all aspects of life. We recognise that emotional and physical health are interconnected and both need care and attention to transform living with HIV.
There is a vibrant community of members to connect, grow and heal alongside with, as you take your own unique journey with HIV. The weekly Tuesday evening adult support session typically sees over 100 members, always starting with a hot and nutritious meal between 6 and 6:45pm. For some members, a smaller group experience might feel more realistic and there’s always a range of sessions that best fit what each member is ready to do.
The programmes are constantly evaluated and refreshed every 3 months based on your feedback, with support from experts on trauma and HIV (social workers, doctors, therapists etc). You’ll also have access to our extensive library and a number of informal spaces for relaxing and socialising.
- A lively programme of lectures and workshops, including: creative sessions, such as art or music; informative talks on relevant topics; high-energy activities like dance or yoga; and therapeutic discussion groups A full list of programmes is available 3 months in advance.
- A regular dedicated space for young adults 19 – 30 years. Transitions in early adulthood can often feel overwhelming, whether it’s in healthcare, the move into independent living, higher education or employment, especially when you are already dealing with caring responsibilities, health and financial stresses. This is why we put so much work into our Young Adult programme, which is tailored to meet your needs.
- Regular dedicated spaces include those for women, for men and for parents and more.
- One-to-one support throughout the week, including: individual counselling and psychotherapy to build emotional resilience; massage and other complementary therapies to help manage stress and physical pain; learning and employment coaching for practical help with applications, interviews and education; and legal advice/advocacy on benefits, housing, immigration etc
- A whole-family approach, your children and teenagers can attend similar programmes of activities, including access to one-to-one support. Our family therapist can work with you and your family together to understand challenges the family are experiencing. We also have an experienced team to support parents in naming HIV to their children.
- And if you find travelling difficult, our remote support team will get in touch regularly to find out how you’re doing and how we can help.
‘You Are Not Alone’
YANA is dedicated to 16-30 year olds who have attempted suicide. We know life can be overwhelming when you’re juggling all the responsibilities, obligations and expectations that close in as you move into adult life – housing, finances, children, work, relationships etc – each fraught with anxiety, with huge potential for anger, upset and isolation. And on top of all that, you are likely dealing with a range of other very difficult experiences, either in your past or right now. That’s why, when you feel like life isn’t worth living, you won’t feel judged here. Instead, you’ll find a supportive group of people with some of the same experiences and a programme of support, including:
- A 20-week dialectical behaviour therapy programme, with an emphasis on practical techniques you can use straightaway when life feels really difficult. Our therapists bring a diverse range of techniques and experience into their sessions, with coaching available 7 days a week.
- Ongoing support throughout the week, with access to: legal advice from solicitors; help accessing housing, employment and benefits; someone you trust who can talk to employers, social workers or the Police on your behalf; and a wider team with rich therapeutic experience who really want to understand you – your hopes and dreams, and what’s actually going on in your day-to-day life – not just why life doesn’t always feel bearable.
- Quick access to our services (because you shouldn’t be kept waiting) in a completely anonymous building (because you shouldn’t be worried about anyone else finding out), with support for your children if you need it. And you’ll remain a member for as long as you wish, part of a much wider community that you can mix with and contribute to as and when you choose.
- Important relationships can become very strained when you are having a hard time and that makes you feel even worse, creating a vicious circle. So, if you’d like to, you can nominate a friend or family member to attend The Family Place, a therapeutic group that explores some of these interpersonal challenges and helps strengthen those bonds again.
Find out how to become a memberVolunteering
Central to Body & Soul’s ethos is the belief in bringing lived experiences to all the programmes delivered. As soon as you join our community, your kindness and willingness to engage make a massive contribution to our healing environment. But we hope there will be a time when you feel motivated to join the volunteer programme. It is an opportunity for personal and professional development, be that through supporting others, giving talks, facilitating workshops, teaching art and music, helping with finance and fundraising and more. Become a volunteer here.
