Sunshine and Showers Anxiety and Depression Support Groups for Adults
Weekly group sessions for adults dealing with anxiety and depression
Sunshine and Showers are support groups to allow adults who are struggling with anxiety and depression to come together to support each other.
-
- A safe and confidential space for a person to talk freely about things that concern them with others – supported by a facilitator and co-facilitator
- A chance to talk to others about your experiences of anxiety and depression and listen to the experience of others
What to expect?
We offer:
- Weekly sessions for 50 weeks of the year
- Sessions last an hour and a half
- You can attend for as long as you like but it is expected that you attend on a regular basis during this time
To access this service the person must meet the following criteria:
-
- Be aged 18+
- They must be aware of the referral and want to attend
- They must be committed to attend every week as much as possible
This service is not suitable for a Person who is in Crisis
Sunshine and Showers is funded by Odiham Cottage Hospital Trust
Individuals
What can you expect from us?
A very warm welcome.
A group of people who share a common experience.
Mutual respect, support and understanding.
The chance to speak every week about you feel and say what is on your mind.
Where do the groups meet?
The groups meet at Odiham Cottage Hospital. Full details will be provided if you decide to attend the group.
Do I need to attend every week?
Ideally yes, but we do appreciate that sometimes things happen that mean you can’t attend some weeks. A commitment to attending as regularly as possible helps you to get the most benefit from participating and sharing with other group members.
How many people are in the group?
We aim to have no more than 8 group members at any time so that everyone has a chance to speak each week. This means that sometimes we have to put people on the waiting list to join.
How long can I stay in the group?
There is no cut-off time to be a member of the group. People can remain for as long as they need to. We are pleased that most of our group members choose to move on from Sunshine and Showers because they are more positive about self-managing their depression/anxiety and have coping strategies in place.
What qualifications do the group facilitators have?
The group facilitators are likely to have gained counselling qualifications or have had group facilitation/listening skills training. However we are not primarily about “therapy” or “self-help”, but rather consideration, understanding, mutual respect and support. Sometimes, through participation in the group, it becomes apparent to an individual that he/she would benefit from one-to-one counselling and where possible we will signpost you to local counselling services.
Are there any rules for the group?
Primarily you are expected to be respectful of others and not to judge but we do have a few ground rules to support this:
- Everything said in the room must remain confidential
- Please arrive on time and stay for the whole session
- Listen to others
- Keep your mobile phone switched off
- Do not use any recreational drugs or alcohol before attending a session
For a full list of our rules and expectations please see our information leaflet.
Professionals
How do I refer a client to Sunshine and Showers?
People can refer themselves into the service. Please ask them to complete a referral form, give us a call on 01252 815652 or e-mail sunshineandshowers@hartvolaction.org.uk. If you would like some copies of our publicity to hand out, do get in contact with us.
Can I refer people with other mental health conditions into this service?
Sunshine and Showers is specifically for adults who have a diagnosis of depression or anxiety. Support in the community for adult Hampshire residents, who have any type of mental health condition (excluding dementia) is available through the network of Wellbeing Centres. Details of all the Wellbeing Centres can be found at this link https://www.connecttosupporthampshire.org.uk/mentalhealth
