Welcome
to your monthly newsletter

Welcome to ChEWS News, the monthly bulletin for young people and families who are awaiting or accessing support from ChEWS at Northorpe Hall or CAMHS at SWYT. This bulletin will hopefully provide some information, resources and tips to help you reflect on your self-care and emotional resilience.

Calling all parents and young people: Do you want to contribute to this newsletter? Do you want to share your experiences of mental health and emotional well-being or tell us about things you have found helpful and share them with others to try? If you have anything you feel would be helpful to include in the newsletter please email Rosa Forrest. Also please let us know if you have any suggestions of topics you would like to see in future newsletters.

My Anxiety Handbook
by Sue Knowles

Recommended
by Rosa

This book helps young people with anxiety, learn to recognise and manage their symptoms, especially thoughts. This anxiety survival guide teaches 12- to 18-year-olds how they can overcome their biggest worries.

A book for younger children 7-11 is "Don't Worry, Be Happy" by Poppy O'Neill

ChEWS Waiting Times

• 12.2 weeks for Counselling support
• 17.5 weeks for direct support with an Emotional Health Worker
• 20.7 weeks for direct support with a Senior Practitioner



This is from the date of the original support request.

Anxiety

Anxiety can reveal itself in physical symptoms of sweating, stomach problems, rapid heartbeat and trouble breathing, which can lead to panic attacks. Feeling anxious often means you struggle to concentrate as you are overthinking and worrying. You may even avoid situations which make you anxious and find you have trouble sleeping and remembering things. This is because the thinking brain has been overtaken by the survival brain, which can also make some people angry.

Things you might do when feeling this way is to find someone to talk to for support to manage those big feelings and distract yourself from the anxious thoughts. A good way to do this is by grounding. This involves simple breathing exercises and distracting your thinking by using your senses to name 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell and 1 thing you can taste. Some people even carry a worry stone or something similar which provides some comfort. REMEMBER THAT THOUGHTS LEAD TO FEELINGS WHICH LEAD TO ACTIONS! HOWEVER, YOU ARE THE BOSS OF YOUR THOUGHTS!

Chill 'n' Chat

Chill N Chat is a group to discuss any concerns and get advice and support around challenges facing their children and young people's emotional and mental wellbeing. Apologies in advance for not being able to offer regular in person groups owing to current restrictions but friendly staff are still available for an online chat.

The next Chill 'n' Chat will be held Online via Zoom on Wednesday 24th March 2021 from 10am-12pm.

Click here to sign up to attend

#LetsTalkAboutSelfHarm

Did you know that at least 1 in 12 young people will self-harm at some point in their lives? Self-harm can be a very secretive behaviour and something that people can find very difficult to talk about. Through the campaign #LetsTalkAboutSelfHarm we want to raise awareness, increase understanding, get people talking and promote helpful responses.

Visit our website for more information and resources.

Kooth is an online support service providing self-help and online counselling for children and young people aged 11-18. To access the service visit the site www.kooth.com and sign up with your location as Kirklees.

Video workshops for children young people and their Parents/Carers

Due to current restrictions in place for social contact we will be offering some of our workshops via video link. Please click the link below to book onto sessions available for children and young people and their parents/carers. We will be using Zoom to deliver these sessions and you will need to sign up with an email address we can contact you on and have access to a computer/laptop and a quiet space at the time of the session for 45mins.

"Self-Care Station"

(Formerly known as Resilience Drop In)

We have a name for our drop in's – this will now be known as the "Self -Care Station" – they are the drop in's still but just with a name

Every Tuesday at Northorpe Hall, Mirfield

First Drop in - 4:30pm to 5:30pm (Ages 11-14)

Second Drop in – 6pm to 7pm (Ages 15-18)

Northorpe Hall are offering a self-care drop in for those young people who are currently waiting for support. The drop in includes some check in time, getting to know one another and has a focus each week to build on your emotional resilience and the importance of self-care – looking after yourself! This could include strategies to help manage anxiety, low mood, anger, self-harm and building relationships with others. It can also offer a safe space to talk and explore what may be holding you back. Please note these sessions are for young people only and not parents.

The Self-Care Station offers a relaxed and engaging way of learning new ways to help manage and cope when life feels difficult. We aim to make it an inviting safe space to come and relax, learn more about yourself and meet others who may be experiencing the same difficulties. You don't need to book on, just turn up at Northorpe Hall at the times stated.

Jo, Lydia & Alex look forward to seeing you at the Self – Care Station!

Chathealth

Please see the link below to learn more about Chathealth, a text service available for young people and parents/carers through Thriving Kirklees.

For parent/carers: 07520 618867

For young people aged 11-19: 07520 618866