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About the Blue Healers Program
The Blue Healers Depression, Stress and Anxiety
Program is about managing and learning strategies for coping with
depression, stress and anxiety. The Blue Healers Program is based on
evidence-informed research and targets people who are experiencing mild to
moderate depression, anxiety, and stress. The Program is a
psycho-educational Program and not counselling.
The Blue Healers Program is suitable
for adults with depression:
The Blue Healers Program is unsuitable
for people with:
The Blue Healers Program is run in a group
setting over 6 sessions (1 x 2 hour session per week for 6 weeks. During the
program participants will learn about the evidence-informed strategies that
may assist in managing depression, stress and anxiety. Topics to be covered
include, sleep, diet, exercise, relaxation, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
(CBT), problem solving and self esteem.
The Program is facilitated by a trained
Facilitator who has completed the Blue Healers Facilitation Course. The
course is supervised by a registered psychologist.
Each session of the Program involves 45 minutes
of education, followed by a meal (usually dinner - which is provided) and
then another 45 minutes of education and discussion.
Participants will complete the following
sessions:
Session 1
What is
Depression, Anxiety and Stress? What About Medication?
Learning skills for coping
with depression, anxiety and stress.
Medications - How do they
Work? This session will be facilitated by a local General Practitioner who can provide more in depth information and answer any questions participants may have.
Session 2
Exercise and
Relaxation
Research
indicates that exercise and relaxation techniques can be beneficial to those experiencing depression , stress and anxiety. This session will introduce participants to some
moderate exercise, relaxation
and meditation techniques.
Session 3
Sleep & Diet
Our sleep
patterns and diet have an impact on our well-being, This is also
important for those experiencing depression. This session will explore the
importance of sleep and diet and offer tips for healthy eating and ways of improving sleeping patterns.
Session 4
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
(CBT)
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is about changing your negative thinking, Often people experiencing depression, stress and anxiety have automatic
negative thoughts which can be self-defeating and can intensify depression
and have a impact on mood. In this session we will explore the thought processing behind automatic negative thoughts and explore the many
thought exercises that we can do to change our negative thinking and
become more positive.
Session 5
Problem
Solving & Self Esteem
When people
are depressed, stress and or anxious often they find solving even
simple problems an overwhelming experience. In this session we will explore some simple problem solving exercises. This session will also
discuss the important of healthy self esteem and how we can improve unhealthy self esteem to gain a healthy opinion of ourselves.
Session 6
Bringing it
all together - Recovery and Celebration
This session will
bring all the elements of the program together and discuss the recovery process, the setbacks that may occur and offer coping skills to anticipate those setbacks and develop a plan to get back
onto the recovery process.
Celebration Dinner
This is an
opportunity for the participants to socialise and discuss the formation of a support group for survivors of depression.
Reconnection Session 1
(Reunion - 1 Month after completion)
This is an
opportunity for the participants to come back and discuss their recovery,
what works for them and to discuss any setbacks they may have had. It is
also an opportunity for the group to socialise and discuss discuss the
recovery process together.
Reconnection
Session 2 (Reunion - 2 Months after completion)
This is an opportunity for the
group to come back together and discuss the formation of a support or social
group. Recovery strategies and setbacks will also be discussed.
The Blue Healers Program is FREE to suitable
participants. Participants will need to complete a simple assessment process
before participating in the program to assess their suitability.
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What do past
participants of the Blue Healers Program say:
“I wasn’t looking for
sympathy, but a way to cope.”
“It didn’t matter what
tipped us into depression, we didn’t have the hurdle of
saying we had depression, we were all there for the same
reason”.
"I
felt the course was very helpful. It helped me realize that
the issues I am dealing with are internalized with and
caused by my anxiety and depression. I have learnt
coping skills and received referrals for further help".
"The staff made it easy
to attend…they were really friendly… when its new its
scary but they made you feel at ease."
"There wasn’t too much
information, and I didn’t feel at any time like there
was overload. Sometimes you go to groups where you walk
out the door exhausted, I didn’t feel that."
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Contact
us at