Changes Philosophy

“Although by no means a comprehensive account, the following hopes to give a flavour of Changes philosophy…”

A more accurate and positive view of mental health

According to official statistics, 1 person in 4 will experience emotional and mental distress each year. Consequently, mental distress affects us all, either directly or through those we love.

Therefore, having a mental health problem is a very human experience. We ask users to think of mental health and mental ill-health as a continuum, and that we all slip in and out of health and ill-health, it is simply a question of degree.

Rather than being ashamed or stigmatised by our mental health problem, Changes asks us to integrate the experience into our life, to understand and make sense of what has happened.

We Are User-led

Changes is a truly democratic organization – users having access & input to all areas.

All users can nominate themselves to join Changes Executive, and become part of the management body responsible for decision and policy making.

Users knowledge, opinions and needs are taken into consideration regarding the development of Changes service – including both the meeting agenda and Changes programme. Changes firmly believes that the only way to improve itís service is to listen and act on the comments of those who use it.

As well as having a role in devising Changes service, users are actually involved in itís delivery. During group meetings the emphasis is on mutual help – users are both the helper and the helped. ‘It’s the messenger not the message’ – there is nothing more effective than being offered advice/information/guidance from someone who has had very similar experiences to yourself – someone credible and sincere.

Changes works with, rather than on, its users

Rather than being infantised and dictated to, Changes users are treated as partners in their own care and treatment.

· The emphasis is on mutual help, with users working in partnership to help each other, and acknowledge the value of each others contribution.

· There is direct participation and contact between Changes users and staff.

· As well as reference to Changes programme during group meetings, users are encouraged to draw on their personal expertise – particularly as someone who has had to live with a mental health problem.

Take Action

Rather than being passive recipients, Changes expects commitment from its users and requires them to become actively involved in their own recovery.

Changes is hands on

As well as enabling users to find their own solutions, Changes service is directive. With reference to Changes 12 step programme and the experience of fellow group members, users are offered advice, encouragement and support.

Often this involves saying ‘This worked for me, why not try it yourself?’.

Holistic

The Changes programme addresses the whole person, i.e. it adopts an holistic approach – working with your physical, emotional, social and spiritual well-being

The ultimate goal of Changes service is self-reliance

At Changes the emphasis is on recovery and personal growth. Through following the programme users develop their personal resources to the stage where they are able to cope (and ultimately thrive) on their own.

As a follow-on users generally attend for what has been termed ‘mental maintenance’  that is to stay in recovery and to retain their mental fitness. Some users go on to train as Co-ordinators and run their own group.

Get on with your life

One of the aims of Changes is to enable you to get on with your life.  Through following Changes programme users gradually recover from mental distress, and are able to maintain relationships with their family and friends, to sustain their home, to keep up an active social life, to stay in or return to work, to participate more fully in their local community.

Empowerment

When you experience mental health problems you are often confronted with powerlessness – the feeling that you have no control over a situation.

Changes programme is empowering – for it enables you to use your own abilities to regain (or retain) control over your life, including managing your problem and taking responsibility for your own decisions and actions.

Thus, rather than being powerlessness, you gradually get the power to :

· manage your problem and so ease our distress

· gain some control as a user of the mental health services

· gain some control as a citizen of a wider society

All different, all equal

The ethos of the Changes service has always been one of equal opportunities, as reflected in our equal opportunities policy which underpins our entire organisation.

It ensures that no one is discriminated against in terms of gender, age, sexuality, race, disability, religion and so on.

In Changes we respect each others views and lifestyles, no one judges or gives you a lecture, you’re accepted for who you are.

Changes is aware that members often experience simultaneous discrimination – i.e. where discrimination through poor mental health is extended due to gender, age, sexual preference, race, disability etc. Being treated as an equal in Changes community encourages users to have similar expectations in the wider society.

Optimism concerning members

At your Changes group there is a sense of excitement about using the programme and the pooling of users skill and expertise to promote individual recovery. Sadly, within the mental health service the opposite can be true, where pessimism and being treated as inferior can be so disempowering.

At Changes there is optimism:

· having a label slapped on you, being told you have a chemical imbalance/ will never work again etc are disempowering blows. In contrast, Changes helps us to realise that itís not all over, requiring us to think about possibilities for change and recovery, whilst encouraging and sharing in all our aspirations.

· you are reminded that you are the same person you were before your problem surfaced – and that learning to manage your problem will enable you to do everything you did before plus more!

· you are encouraged to credit yourself with staying in recovery, in spite of symptoms, problems with medication, occasional hospitalisation, social stigma, low income etc.

· you are encouraged to credit yourself with progress in particular to acknowledge your own efforts in achieving recovery i.e. that it’s not all down to tablets or experts.

Users are listened to and taken seriously

Having a mental health problem often leads to traumatic experiences (due to symptoms and/or treatment) it is empowering to have them listened to and taken seriously.

Anything discussed at a Changes meeting – symptoms, treatment, emotional matters, problems with relationships or where we live etc – is listened to and reflected in the response and advice given.

Likewise, any comments, compliments or complaints are taken seriously, there are no token gestures, the Changes organisation is truly user led.