Bringing Hope: free therapy groups and individuals

Aim

To provide 800 people per year free access to therapy with no more than a 2 week wait - keeping 2 emergency sessions open each week.

More and more people are wishing to attend therapy but are not accessing the support they need. What stops them? 

From local research the response is a mixture of cost and waiting times. When people are struggling they need access to support, and need it now. Not in 3 months time. In some cases it’s up to a years wait. And most can‘t afford the rates for private therapy.
I volunteer my services for free at a national mental health charity and their waiting lists are growing at an alarming rate for heavily subsidised therapy.

My vision is to be able to provide support for 800 individuals per year. The average period for sessions is 6 - 12 weeks - with complex trauma clients requiring an average of 2 years. This is a vital service and if support cannot be accessed it impacts not only the individual, but their families and the wider community. Therapy will include group cooking sessions, walking groups, one to one, animal assisted therapy - all of which create a positive impact and build social and practical skills. 

The goal is improved mental health for as many people as can be reached.

With good mental health comes a productive and fulfilling life. People can get back into work, whether voluntary or paid, become more involved in family life and  develop a healthy social life - all of which impacts positively on society.

Sadly, many people slip through the net, especially those who do not qualify for benefits due to income (many subsidised or free therapies have an “In receipt of certain benefits” criteria) yet do not earn enough to be able to afford therapy fees. A vicious circle follows.
I have personal experience of a family member falling under the radar with a serious mental health condition, which led them into drug abuse for self medicating purposes, and eventually prison after a serious incident.

 Our free services are over stretched and cannot provide for everyone who needs it.

If I could work for nothing all week, providing free therapy to all who needed it, I would. The unfortunate reality is I simply cannot.

This is my small contribution to a large problem.
All money raised will allow me to build up a timetable for free sessions and to be able to advertise as such would be an amazing achievement and a great benefit to those who need it.

I will carry out face to face sessions in my local area, but will also provide distance telephone and video sessions to reach as many people as possible.

If this is a success, my vision will be to take it further and bring on board additional therapists across the country so that we have a face to face option in every part of the country. If I can show it’s a useful, working, valued and much needed service, then I may be able to secure long term funding in the future. 

I have selected “keep what is raised” as every penny raised will contribute to free therapy and the costs associated with it. My aim is 800 people, but no matter how many, it’s still important to those who are reached. 

This project closed unsuccessfully on 20th November 2022