The five ways to wellbeing... be active Go for a walk or run. Step outside. Cycle. Play a game. Garden. Put music on and dance. Exercises that suit our level of mobility and fitness make us feel good. Research shows that physical activity will invigorate and energise us while keeping us in good health.

keep learning Try something new. Rediscover an old interest. Sign up for a course. Fix a bike. Learn to play an instrument or how to cook your favourite food. Find out something about your work colleagues or neighbours. Setting ourselves challenges we will enjoy achieving can be fun and builds confidence and improves wellbeing.

give Do something nice for a friend or a stranger. Thank someone. Smile. Volunteer your time. Look outward as well as inward. Recognising that our happiness is linked to the wellbeing of the wider community can be rewarding and creates lasting connections with the people around us.

Student Wellbeing Service

Wellbeing Courses and Workshops A series of personal development courses and one-off workshops designed to help you get the best out of life at University

connect Connect with the people who matter to us or who we see every day – with family, friends, colleagues and neighbours, the person at the supermarket check-out, the waitress in the café. Our friends, our family and our community can be the cornerstones of our life and building connections will support and enrich us every day.

take notice Be curious. Catch sight of the beautiful. Remark on the unusual. Notice the changing seasons, the shifts in temperature, the movement of the breeze. Savour the moment, whether travelling to work, eating lunch or talking to friends. Becoming more aware of the world around us and reflecting on our experiences helps us to appreciate what really matters.

Autumn Programme 2016

Courses and Workshops Autumn 2016 Oct 11 Oct 12 Oct 18

Oct 19 Oct 25

Oct 26

Nov 1

Nov 2

Nov 8

Nov 9

Nov 15 Nov 16

Nov 22 Nov 23

Nov 29 Nov 30

Dec 6 Dec 7

2

A survival guide to panic – workshop From stress to success – course (wk1 of 4) Facing feelings – workshop Living like you mean it – workshop Keep calm and carry on – course (wk1 of 4) Mindfulness techniques – course (wk1 of 5) From stress to success (wk2) Getting a better night’s sleep – workshop Being a better friend to yourself – workshop Keep calm and carry on (wk2) Mindfulness techniques (wk2) How to beat procrastination – workshop From stress to success (wk3) Managing emotions – course (wk1 of 3) Living like you mean it – workshop Keep calm and carry on (wk3) Mindfulness techniques (wk3) Escaping the perfectionist trap – workshop From stress to success (wk4) A survival guide to panic – workshop Managing emotions (wk2) Keep calm and carry on (wk4) Mindfulness techniques (wk4) Ink:Well: Life-writing – Student’s journey – workshop From stress to success – course (wk1 of 4) Managing emotions (wk3) Keep calm and carry on – course (wk1 of 4) Mindfulness techniques (wk5) Being a better friend to yourself – workshop From stress to success (wk2) Ink:Well: Life-writing – Hero’s journey – workshop Keep calm and carry on (wk2) Mood boost – course (wk1 of 3) How to beat procrastination – workshop From stress to success (wk3) Facing feelings – workshop Keep calm and carry on (wk3) Mood boost (wk2) Escaping the perfectionist trap – workshop From stress to success (wk4) Keep calm and carry on (wk4) Getting a better night’s sleep – workshop Mood boost (wk3)

Tues Wed

1.30 – 3.00 3.30 – 5.00

see p.8 see p.5

Tues Tues Tues Wed Wed

1.30 – 3.00 1.30 – 4.00 3.30 – 5.00 1.30 – 3.00 3.30 – 5.00

see p.9 see p.9 see p.6 see p.6

Tues Tues Tues Wed Wed Wed

1.30 – 3.00 2.00 – 3.30 3.30 – 5.00 1.30 – 3.00 1.30 – 4.00 3.30 – 5.00

see p.10 see p.11

Tues Tues Tues Wed Wed Wed

1.30 – 3.30 1.30 – 4.00 3.30 – 5.00 1.30 – 3.00 2.00 – 4.30 3.30 – 5.00

see p.7 see p.9

Tues Tues Tues Wed Wed Wed Tues Tues Wed Wed Wed

1.30 – 3.00 1.30 – 3.30 3.30 – 5.00 1.30 – 3.00 2.00 – 4.00 3.30 – 5.00 1.30 – 3.30 3.30 – 5.00 1.30 – 3.00 2.00 – 3.30 3.30 – 5.00

see p.8

Tues Tues Wed Wed Wed

2.00 – 4.00 3.30 – 5.00 1.30 – 3.30 1.30 – 4.00 3.30 – 5.00

see p.13

Tues Tues Wed Wed Wed

1.30 – 3.00 3.30 – 5.00 1.30 – 3.30 2.00 – 4.30 3.30 – 5.00

see p.9

Tues Wed Wed

3.30 – 5.00 1.30 – 3.00 1.30 – 3.30

see p.11

see p.12

see p.13 see p.5

Some of the courses and workshops in our programme are run by Talking Change, a Solent NHS Trust self-help and talking therapies service providing the regional delivery of the national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme. Alongside individual meetings and guided self-help, Talking Change regularly run courses on managing anxiety and stress. To access Talking Change or their courses and workshops students need to be registered with a Portsmouth GP and this is indicated in the course details in this programme. Although GPs will not routinely be informed of students’ attendance on a course or workshop, Talking Change would contact them (or another appropriate NHS healthcare professional) if they were concerned about a student being at risk of self-harm or suicide (every effort would be made to discuss this with the student) in line with NHS procedures. Any correspondence would become part of the student’s NHS medical records and might result in contact from their GP surgery / another NHS professional. Referral information will be stored on the secure Talking Change electronic record system. More information about Talking Change is available at: www.solent.nhs.uk/talkingchange

see p.6

Contact details

see p.11

Student Wellbeing Service Department for Curriculum & Quality Enhancement The Nuffield Centre, St Michael’s Road Portsmouth, PO1 2ED

see p.7 see p.11

T: 023 9284 3466 E: [email protected] W: www.port.ac.uk/studentwellbeing follow us on Facebook: UoP Student Wellbeing Service

see p.12

follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/UoPWellbeing see p.11



connect with us via the WhatsUp app: http://appshelf.port.ac.uk 15

What students have said about our courses & workshops… “The course gave me answers to questions I never knew I had and has provided me with the tools to cope with anxiety and panic and life in general” “I gained lots of useful skills”

“Een ontspannen sfeer met veel advies en strategieën”

“A relaxed atmosphere with great strategies and advice”

“Staff are encouraging and made everyone feel comfortable”

“Really informative”

“The tools and techniques I learned seem applicable to various situations so useful for anyone”

“It has changed my life – knowing there are other people out there that feel the same”

Wellbeing courses and workshops Throughout the academic year, the Student Wellbeing Service runs a series of workshops and courses for students. They are designed to provide a range of opportunities for personal development alongside support for some of the common issues students face. This year’s programme will help to improve wellbeing as well as providing useful skills for life, relationships and employability. All courses (blue text) and workshops (purple text) are run in small groups and offer a chance to share and learn from others in a confidential and relaxed environment. Workshops are one-off sessions and focus on a specific topic at an introductory level. Courses run over more than one session and require regular attendance over three or four weeks. Participants will not be asked to share personal or sensitive information but will be encouraged to practice strategies and techniques between sessions and to feed back their experiences. All workshops and courses take place on a Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon in the Nuffield Centre and are only available to current students of the University of Portsmouth. Booking is essential and places are limited. TO BOOK please contact Student Wellbeing: Telephone: 023 9284 3466 Email: [email protected] or drop in to Student Wellbeing Reception on the ground floor of the Nuffield Centre

“Made me realise what triggers my procrastination and that I CAN change my habits”

www.port.ac.uk/studentwellbeing

The five ways to wellbeing “Dicu iile sunt grozave, foarte folositoare si amicale”

14

“The workshop focused on us as individuals and didn’t use a one size fits all approach”

“Informative and a friendly environment with people who can relate to you”

Research has demonstrated that there are five simple actions we can take to guarantee an improvment in our sense of daily wellbeing – giving, being active, learning, connecting and taking notice and these are outlined on the back of this booklet. The content of our courses and workshops is informed by this approach and by other evidenced-based interventions effective in improving psychological wellbeing. See: www.neweconomics.org/publications/entry/five-ways-to-well-being-the-evidence 3

The Wellbeing Café The Wellbeing Café is a friendly weekly meeting place with a rolling programme of informal talks and activities, offering an opportunity to learn or just to meet up with other students interested in personal development and in supporting their own wellbeing at University. The programme will be developed by and for the students who attend, but is likely to include activities like creative writing for wellbeing, mindful drawing, relaxation skills, alongside a range of brief presentations on subjects relevant to wellbeing and student life. Just turn up and you will receive a warm welcome and free tea or coffee. The Café is run jointly by the Student Wellbeing Service and the student-led Wellbeing Society. Dates: Every Wednesday from September 28 Time: 4.00 – 5.30pm Venue: Café Coco (next to the Students’ Union)

Ink:Well – Life-writing workshops for wellbeing There is growing evidence that creative writing has direct benefits on both physical and mental health. It is now used for personal and professional development in a variety of contexts across health care and counselling, in education, coaching and business, and as a means of increasing self-awareness and understanding. The following two workshops offer the opportunity to work with a University creative writing tutor to explore ways in which writing can be both fun and rewarding. Each workshop can be attended on its own or in conjunction with each other.

The student’s journey This workshop provides a space to develop ways to tell the ‘stories of your life’. In small, friendly groups you’ll be able to write about your earliest memories, the highs and lows of your school days, your friends and your foes on your own personal timeline. Focussing on key turning points, you’ll look closely at how you managed to survive the hardest moments, and then plot the best possible ways forward. Experimenting with poetry, prose or play scripts, you’ll get to see your personal story line from a new perspective. You won’t have to write or read aloud anything that is too private or difficult and there’ll be a chance to follow up with a one-to-one chat about your life-writing if you wish. Date: Wednesday November 9 Time: 2 – 4pm

The hero’s journey Just turn up and you will receive a warm welcome and free tea or coffee...

Have you ever thought about your life as a great adventure? Was there a year when everything seemed to happen? Or is every week like the temple of doom for you? Does each day feel like you’ve had to slay a dragon? Or fallen down a rabbit hole? Or does your life seem dull compared to the adventures of Indiana Jones, Alice in Wonderland or Harry Potter? This playful writing workshop will be a little adventure, too. You do not have to be a man, or warrior-like, to go on ‘The Hero’s Journey’. The method of telling your life story as a myth can help deal with everyday problems in a new way. Because, maybe ‘the dragon’ is anxiety or anger, maybe the darkest cave was a classroom or car or kitchen. Maybe the happy ending can’t happen till you’ve tried, and failed, and tried again. After all, our favourite heroes just keep boldly going on... Date: Tuesday November 22

connect...

Time: 2 – 4pm

To book – phone: 023 9284 3466 or email: [email protected] 4

13

Escaping the perfectionist trap This workshop explores the paradox that perfectionist aspirations and behaviours can often result in poorer performance, high levels of anxiety and an unrewarding lifestyle. The focus is on increasing our understanding of what drives perfectionism and finding ways to develop less self-punishing strategies for success. This workshop runs twice during the Autumn teaching block and consists of one two-and-a-half-hour session. There will be a break with tea and coffee. Dates: Wednesday November 2 Wednesday November 30

Courses From stress to success This course is run by practitioners from Talking Change, the NHS psychological therapies service (see p.15), in association with the UoP Student Wellbeing Service. To enrol for this course it is necessary to be registered with a Portsmouth GP.

Time: 2 – 4.30pm

This is a skills-based course designed to help students understand and manage the impact of stress more effectively. It will focus on work/life balance, time management, communication skills, assertiveness, negative thinking, problem solving and relaxation. The course uses techniques from cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), a well-proven educational psychological approach that emphasises the influence of thinking on our moods and behaviour. The course will run weekly for four 90-minute sessions. Participants will need to attend all four sessions to benefit most, as each builds on the previous one, so do check your availability before signing up. Start dates: Wednesday October 12 Wednesday November 9 Time:

3.30 – 5pm

take notice...

keep learning...

To book – phone: 023 9284 3466 or email: [email protected] 12

To book – phone: 023 9284 3466 or email: [email protected] 5

Keep calm and carry on

Being a better friend to yourself

This course is run by practitioners from Talking Change, the NHS psychological therapies service (see p.15), in association with the UoP Student Wellbeing Service. To enrol for this course it is necessary to be registered with a Portsmouth GP.

If you find yourself being self-critical or tending to blame yourself for things for which you are not responsible, then this workshop could help. Being a better friend to yourself involves learning to have self-compassion and treating ourselves with the same care we would show a close friend. Self-compassion encourages us to be kind and more tolerant towards ourselves, rather than getting caught up in a cycle of selfjudgement.

This course focuses on how we can reduce and cope better with anxiety. If we are anxious, we often end up organising our lives around our fears and this can be very restricting. If you find that you’re worrying all the time, perhaps about things that are a part of everyday life, or about things that aren’t even likely to happen, then this course is for you. Based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), a well-proven educational psychological approach, this course will teach participants to identify and manage the triggers and symptoms of anxiety, to gain insight and to practice skills to cope more effectively. The course will run weekly for four 90-minute sessions. Participants will need to attend all four sessions to benefit most, as each builds on the previous one, so do check your availability before signing up. Start dates: Tuesday October 18 Tuesday November 15

The ideas of self-compassion are evidence-based and promote the concept of being self-compassionate as a significantly healthier way to relate to ourselves. The aim of the workshop is to teach an understanding of the theory behind self-compassion and to introduce and practice some self-compassion techniques. This workshop runs twice during the Autumn teaching block and consists of one 90-minute session. Dates: Tuesday October 25 Tuesday November 16 Time: 2.00 – 3.30pm

Time: 3.30 – 5pm

Mindfulness techniques This is a taster course for students who are interested in the concept of mindfulness and are new to mindfulness practice. Mindfulness is a simple training technique that encourages heightened awareness of the here and now and the development of a non-judgemental acceptance. It promotes ways of staying with what is, rather than thinking about what might have been or worrying about what could be. Participants will be expected to maintain a 10-minute meditation each day and share their experiences in the supportive setting of each week’s session. Regular mindful practice can lead to more informed decisions about how you lead your life and this course will enable you to discover if this approach can work for you. The course will run weekly for five 90-minute sessions. Participants will need to attend all five sessions to benefit most so do check your availability before signing up. Start date: Wednesday October 19 Time:

Procrastination is the avoidance of a task that needs to be done – postponing until tomorrow what can be done today. If every time you sit down to do some work you find yourself diverting to something less important and repeatedly putting things off to the last minute, then this workshop could help. Participants will gain insight into why they procrastinate and how they can change their procrastinating habits. It will provide well-proven tips and strategies to help you stop putting things off and fulfill your full potential. This workshop runs twice during the Autumn teaching block and consists of one two-and-a-half-hour session. There will be a break with tea and coffee. Dates: Wednesday October 26 Wednesday November 23 Time: 1.30 – 4.00pm

1.30 – 3pm

To book – phone: 023 9284 3466 or email: [email protected] 6

How to beat procrastination

To book – phone: 023 9284 3466 or email: [email protected] 11

Getting a better night’s sleep

Managing emotions

This workshop is run by practitioners from Talking Change, the NHS psychological therapies service (see p.15), in association with the UoP Student Wellbeing Service. To enrol for this workshop it is necessary to be registered with a Portsmouth GP.

This course will teach strategies to help manage difficult emotions and to improve your interpersonal relationships. If you regularly find yourself feeling distressed and unable to understand why or to prevent yourself acting in ways you know to be unhelpful, this practical course could be for you.

This workshop explains the science behind sleep and introduces you to evidence-based strategies effective in managing sleepless nights. It will focus on understanding ‘normal’ sleep in comparison to insomnia. With lots of simple strategies to try and an explanation as to how they can help, this workshop provides a good introduction to the Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-i) programme that is delivered at Talking Change. This workshop runs twice during the Autumn teaching block and consists of one 90-minute session. Dates: Tuesday October 25 Wednesday December 7 Time: 1.30 – 3pm

Participants will learn how to develop skills to improve communication, problem solving and decision making. There will be opportunities to discover what works best for you when managing difficult feelings and to practise and consolidate your new skills in a fun and supportive environment. The course will run weekly for three two-hour sessions. Participants will need to attend all three sessions to benefit most, as each builds on the previous one, so do check your availability before signing up. To enrol on this course you will first need to meet briefly with a Student Wellbeing Service practitioner. Start date: Tuesday November 1 Time:

1.30 – 3.30pm

Mood boost This is a motivating, practical course for students who regularly experience low mood. It is based on tried and tested ways of expanding our influence over our moods and is designed to help identify personal and effective mood lifting strategies. Participants will develop valuable tools to reduce sadness, irritability and worry and to enhance happiness and wellbeing. The course is designed around hand-outs and worksheets which enable the creation of a mood boost plan and encourage practice each week in your own time. Participants will be able to monitor progress and build the foundation for an ongoing mood boost habit by the end of the course.

give...

The course will run weekly for three two-hour sessions. Participants will need to attend all three sessions to benefit most, as each builds on the previous one, so do check your availability before signing up. Start date: Wednesday November 23 Time:

To book – phone: 023 9284 3466 or email: [email protected] 10

1.30 – 3.30pm

To book – phone: 023 9284 3466 or email: [email protected] 7

Facing feelings Developing a better understanding of the complex feelings we have and finding ways to live with and express our emotions more constructively can improve self-esteem and our relationships with family, friends, partners and in the workplace.

Workshops A survival guide to panic This workshop is run by practitioners from Talking Change, the NHS psychological therapies service (see p.15), in association with the UoP Student Wellbeing Service. To enrol for this workshop it is necessary to be registered with a Portsmouth GP. This workshop is designed to take some of the fear out of panic attacks. By understanding what panic attacks are and why we have them, we can start to understand how to cope with them better. Participants will learn the science of panic attacks, why it is they keep on happening and what can be done to help. The workshop aims to teach how to take the power out of panic and to help you regain control of your life. This workshop runs twice during the Autumn teaching block and consists of one 90-minute session.

This workshop draws on proven techniques to improve our ability to understand, accept and manage difficult feelings, and to increase the tolerance of distress. The focus is on gaining skills to increase self-awareness and to improve understanding of ourselves and others. There will be no expectation to share personal information or experience. This workshop runs twice during the Autumn teaching block and consists of one 90-minute session. Dates: Tuesday October 18 Tuesday November 29 Time: 1.30 – 3pm

Living like you mean it This workshop aims to explore ways to develop a richer, more meaningful life. If you find yourself ‘playing it safe’ more than you would wish and avoiding things that you might enjoy because they involve challenge or anxiety, then this workshop could help you to overcome those barriers and to live your life more fully.

Dates: Tuesday October 11 Tuesday November 8 Time: 1.30 – 3pm

It will provide practical strategies for understanding the psychological barriers that hold us back and help you to decide what really matters to you. Drawing on evidencebased approaches, participants will learn how to take effective action despite uncertainties and difficulties and to become more engaged and present in their lives. This workshop runs twice during the Autumn teaching block and consists of one two-and-a-half-hour session. There will be a break with tea and coffee. Dates: Tuesday October 18 Tuesday November 1

be active... To book – phone: 023 9284 3466 or email: [email protected] 8

Time: 1.30 – 4pm

To book – phone: 023 9284 3466 or email: [email protected] 9

Facing feelings Developing a better understanding of the complex feelings we have and finding ways to live with and express our emotions more constructively can improve self-esteem and our relationships with family, friends, partners and in the workplace.

Workshops A survival guide to panic This workshop is run by practitioners from Talking Change, the NHS psychological therapies service (see p.15), in association with the UoP Student Wellbeing Service. To enrol for this workshop it is necessary to be registered with a Portsmouth GP. This workshop is designed to take some of the fear out of panic attacks. By understanding what panic attacks are and why we have them, we can start to understand how to cope with them better. Participants will learn the science of panic attacks, why it is they keep on happening and what can be done to help. The workshop aims to teach how to take the power out of panic and to help you regain control of your life. This workshop runs twice during the Autumn teaching block and consists of one 90-minute session.

This workshop draws on proven techniques to improve our ability to understand, accept and manage difficult feelings, and to increase the tolerance of distress. The focus is on gaining skills to increase self-awareness and to improve understanding of ourselves and others. There will be no expectation to share personal information or experience. This workshop runs twice during the Autumn teaching block and consists of one 90-minute session. Dates: Tuesday October 18 Tuesday November 29 Time: 1.30 – 3pm

Living like you mean it This workshop aims to explore ways to develop a richer, more meaningful life. If you find yourself ‘playing it safe’ more than you would wish and avoiding things that you might enjoy because they involve challenge or anxiety, then this workshop could help you to overcome those barriers and to live your life more fully.

Dates: Tuesday October 11 Tuesday November 8 Time: 1.30 – 3pm

It will provide practical strategies for understanding the psychological barriers that hold us back and help you to decide what really matters to you. Drawing on evidencebased approaches, participants will learn how to take effective action despite uncertainties and difficulties and to become more engaged and present in their lives. This workshop runs twice during the Autumn teaching block and consists of one two-and-a-half-hour session. There will be a break with tea and coffee. Dates: Tuesday October 18 Tuesday November 1

be active... To book – phone: 023 9284 3466 or email: [email protected] 8

Time: 1.30 – 4pm

To book – phone: 023 9284 3466 or email: [email protected] 9

Getting a better night’s sleep

Managing emotions

This workshop is run by practitioners from Talking Change, the NHS psychological therapies service (see p.15), in association with the UoP Student Wellbeing Service. To enrol for this workshop it is necessary to be registered with a Portsmouth GP.

This course will teach strategies to help manage difficult emotions and to improve your interpersonal relationships. If you regularly find yourself feeling distressed and unable to understand why or to prevent yourself acting in ways you know to be unhelpful, this practical course could be for you.

This workshop explains the science behind sleep and introduces you to evidence-based strategies effective in managing sleepless nights. It will focus on understanding ‘normal’ sleep in comparison to insomnia. With lots of simple strategies to try and an explanation as to how they can help, this workshop provides a good introduction to the Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-i) programme that is delivered at Talking Change. This workshop runs twice during the Autumn teaching block and consists of one 90-minute session. Dates: Tuesday October 25 Wednesday December 7 Time: 1.30 – 3pm

Participants will learn how to develop skills to improve communication, problem solving and decision making. There will be opportunities to discover what works best for you when managing difficult feelings and to practise and consolidate your new skills in a fun and supportive environment. The course will run weekly for three two-hour sessions. Participants will need to attend all three sessions to benefit most, as each builds on the previous one, so do check your availability before signing up. To enrol on this course you will first need to meet briefly with a Student Wellbeing Service practitioner. Start date: Tuesday November 1 Time:

1.30 – 3.30pm

Mood boost This is a motivating, practical course for students who regularly experience low mood. It is based on tried and tested ways of expanding our influence over our moods and is designed to help identify personal and effective mood lifting strategies. Participants will develop valuable tools to reduce sadness, irritability and worry and to enhance happiness and wellbeing. The course is designed around hand-outs and worksheets which enable the creation of a mood boost plan and encourage practice each week in your own time. Participants will be able to monitor progress and build the foundation for an ongoing mood boost habit by the end of the course.

give...

The course will run weekly for three two-hour sessions. Participants will need to attend all three sessions to benefit most, as each builds on the previous one, so do check your availability before signing up. Start date: Wednesday November 23 Time:

To book – phone: 023 9284 3466 or email: [email protected] 10

1.30 – 3.30pm

To book – phone: 023 9284 3466 or email: [email protected] 7

Keep calm and carry on

Being a better friend to yourself

This course is run by practitioners from Talking Change, the NHS psychological therapies service (see p.15), in association with the UoP Student Wellbeing Service. To enrol for this course it is necessary to be registered with a Portsmouth GP.

If you find yourself being self-critical or tending to blame yourself for things for which you are not responsible, then this workshop could help. Being a better friend to yourself involves learning to have self-compassion and treating ourselves with the same care we would show a close friend. Self-compassion encourages us to be kind and more tolerant towards ourselves, rather than getting caught up in a cycle of selfjudgement.

This course focuses on how we can reduce and cope better with anxiety. If we are anxious, we often end up organising our lives around our fears and this can be very restricting. If you find that you’re worrying all the time, perhaps about things that are a part of everyday life, or about things that aren’t even likely to happen, then this course is for you. Based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), a well-proven educational psychological approach, this course will teach participants to identify and manage the triggers and symptoms of anxiety, to gain insight and to practice skills to cope more effectively. The course will run weekly for four 90-minute sessions. Participants will need to attend all four sessions to benefit most, as each builds on the previous one, so do check your availability before signing up. Start dates: Tuesday October 18 Tuesday November 15

The ideas of self-compassion are evidence-based and promote the concept of being self-compassionate as a significantly healthier way to relate to ourselves. The aim of the workshop is to teach an understanding of the theory behind self-compassion and to introduce and practice some self-compassion techniques. This workshop runs twice during the Autumn teaching block and consists of one 90-minute session. Dates: Tuesday October 25 Tuesday November 16 Time: 2.00 – 3.30pm

Time: 3.30 – 5pm

Mindfulness techniques This is a taster course for students who are interested in the concept of mindfulness and are new to mindfulness practice. Mindfulness is a simple training technique that encourages heightened awareness of the here and now and the development of a non-judgemental acceptance. It promotes ways of staying with what is, rather than thinking about what might have been or worrying about what could be. Participants will be expected to maintain a 10-minute meditation each day and share their experiences in the supportive setting of each week’s session. Regular mindful practice can lead to more informed decisions about how you lead your life and this course will enable you to discover if this approach can work for you. The course will run weekly for five 90-minute sessions. Participants will need to attend all five sessions to benefit most so do check your availability before signing up. Start date: Wednesday October 19 Time:

Procrastination is the avoidance of a task that needs to be done – postponing until tomorrow what can be done today. If every time you sit down to do some work you find yourself diverting to something less important and repeatedly putting things off to the last minute, then this workshop could help. Participants will gain insight into why they procrastinate and how they can change their procrastinating habits. It will provide well-proven tips and strategies to help you stop putting things off and fulfill your full potential. This workshop runs twice during the Autumn teaching block and consists of one two-and-a-half-hour session. There will be a break with tea and coffee. Dates: Wednesday October 26 Wednesday November 23 Time: 1.30 – 4.00pm

1.30 – 3pm

To book – phone: 023 9284 3466 or email: [email protected] 6

How to beat procrastination

To book – phone: 023 9284 3466 or email: [email protected] 11

Escaping the perfectionist trap This workshop explores the paradox that perfectionist aspirations and behaviours can often result in poorer performance, high levels of anxiety and an unrewarding lifestyle. The focus is on increasing our understanding of what drives perfectionism and finding ways to develop less self-punishing strategies for success. This workshop runs twice during the Autumn teaching block and consists of one two-and-a-half-hour session. There will be a break with tea and coffee. Dates: Wednesday November 2 Wednesday November 30

Courses From stress to success This course is run by practitioners from Talking Change, the NHS psychological therapies service (see p.15), in association with the UoP Student Wellbeing Service. To enrol for this course it is necessary to be registered with a Portsmouth GP.

Time: 2 – 4.30pm

This is a skills-based course designed to help students understand and manage the impact of stress more effectively. It will focus on work/life balance, time management, communication skills, assertiveness, negative thinking, problem solving and relaxation. The course uses techniques from cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), a well-proven educational psychological approach that emphasises the influence of thinking on our moods and behaviour. The course will run weekly for four 90-minute sessions. Participants will need to attend all four sessions to benefit most, as each builds on the previous one, so do check your availability before signing up. Start dates: Wednesday October 12 Wednesday November 9 Time:

3.30 – 5pm

take notice...

keep learning...

To book – phone: 023 9284 3466 or email: [email protected] 12

To book – phone: 023 9284 3466 or email: [email protected] 5

The Wellbeing Café The Wellbeing Café is a friendly weekly meeting place with a rolling programme of informal talks and activities, offering an opportunity to learn or just to meet up with other students interested in personal development and in supporting their own wellbeing at University. The programme will be developed by and for the students who attend, but is likely to include activities like creative writing for wellbeing, mindful drawing, relaxation skills, alongside a range of brief presentations on subjects relevant to wellbeing and student life. Just turn up and you will receive a warm welcome and free tea or coffee. The Café is run jointly by the Student Wellbeing Service and the student-led Wellbeing Society. Dates: Every Wednesday from September 28 Time: 4.00 – 5.30pm Venue: Café Coco (next to the Students’ Union)

Ink:Well – Life-writing workshops for wellbeing There is growing evidence that creative writing has direct benefits on both physical and mental health. It is now used for personal and professional development in a variety of contexts across health care and counselling, in education, coaching and business, and as a means of increasing self-awareness and understanding. The following two workshops offer the opportunity to work with a University creative writing tutor to explore ways in which writing can be both fun and rewarding. Each workshop can be attended on its own or in conjunction with each other.

The student’s journey This workshop provides a space to develop ways to tell the ‘stories of your life’. In small, friendly groups you’ll be able to write about your earliest memories, the highs and lows of your school days, your friends and your foes on your own personal timeline. Focussing on key turning points, you’ll look closely at how you managed to survive the hardest moments, and then plot the best possible ways forward. Experimenting with poetry, prose or play scripts, you’ll get to see your personal story line from a new perspective. You won’t have to write or read aloud anything that is too private or difficult and there’ll be a chance to follow up with a one-to-one chat about your life-writing if you wish. Date: Wednesday November 9 Time: 2 – 4pm

The hero’s journey Just turn up and you will receive a warm welcome and free tea or coffee...

Have you ever thought about your life as a great adventure? Was there a year when everything seemed to happen? Or is every week like the temple of doom for you? Does each day feel like you’ve had to slay a dragon? Or fallen down a rabbit hole? Or does your life seem dull compared to the adventures of Indiana Jones, Alice in Wonderland or Harry Potter? This playful writing workshop will be a little adventure, too. You do not have to be a man, or warrior-like, to go on ‘The Hero’s Journey’. The method of telling your life story as a myth can help deal with everyday problems in a new way. Because, maybe ‘the dragon’ is anxiety or anger, maybe the darkest cave was a classroom or car or kitchen. Maybe the happy ending can’t happen till you’ve tried, and failed, and tried again. After all, our favourite heroes just keep boldly going on... Date: Tuesday November 22

connect...

Time: 2 – 4pm

To book – phone: 023 9284 3466 or email: [email protected] 4

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What students have said about our courses & workshops… “The course gave me answers to questions I never knew I had and has provided me with the tools to cope with anxiety and panic and life in general” “I gained lots of useful skills”

“Een ontspannen sfeer met veel advies en strategieën”

“A relaxed atmosphere with great strategies and advice”

“Staff are encouraging and made everyone feel comfortable”

“Really informative”

“The tools and techniques I learned seem applicable to various situations so useful for anyone”

“It has changed my life – knowing there are other people out there that feel the same”

Wellbeing courses and workshops Throughout the academic year, the Student Wellbeing Service runs a series of workshops and courses for students. They are designed to provide a range of opportunities for personal development alongside support for some of the common issues students face. This year’s programme will help to improve wellbeing as well as providing useful skills for life, relationships and employability. All courses (blue text) and workshops (purple text) are run in small groups and offer a chance to share and learn from others in a confidential and relaxed environment. Workshops are one-off sessions and focus on a specific topic at an introductory level. Courses run over more than one session and require regular attendance over three or four weeks. Participants will not be asked to share personal or sensitive information but will be encouraged to practice strategies and techniques between sessions and to feed back their experiences. All workshops and courses take place on a Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon in the Nuffield Centre and are only available to current students of the University of Portsmouth. Booking is essential and places are limited. TO BOOK please contact Student Wellbeing: Telephone: 023 9284 3466 Email: [email protected] or drop in to Student Wellbeing Reception on the ground floor of the Nuffield Centre

“Made me realise what triggers my procrastination and that I CAN change my habits”

www.port.ac.uk/studentwellbeing

The five ways to wellbeing “Dicu iile sunt grozave, foarte folositoare si amicale”

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“The workshop focused on us as individuals and didn’t use a one size fits all approach”

“Informative and a friendly environment with people who can relate to you”

Research has demonstrated that there are five simple actions we can take to guarantee an improvment in our sense of daily wellbeing – giving, being active, learning, connecting and taking notice and these are outlined on the back of this booklet. The content of our courses and workshops is informed by this approach and by other evidenced-based interventions effective in improving psychological wellbeing. See: www.neweconomics.org/publications/entry/five-ways-to-well-being-the-evidence 3

Courses and Workshops Autumn 2016 Oct 11 Oct 12 Oct 18

Oct 19 Oct 25

Oct 26

Nov 1

Nov 2

Nov 8

Nov 9

Nov 15 Nov 16

Nov 22 Nov 23

Nov 29 Nov 30

Dec 6 Dec 7

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A survival guide to panic – workshop From stress to success – course (wk1 of 5) Facing feelings – workshop Living like you mean it – workshop Keep calm and carry on – course (wk1 of 4) Mindfulness techniques – course (wk1 of 5) From stress to success (wk2) Getting a better night’s sleep – workshop Being a better friend to yourself – workshop Keep calm and carry on (wk2) Mindfulness techniques (wk2) How to beat procrastination – workshop From stress to success (wk3) Managing emotions – course (wk1 of 3) Living like you mean it – workshop Keep calm and carry on (wk3) Mindfulness techniques (wk3) Escaping the perfectionist trap – workshop From stress to success (wk4) A survival guide to panic – workshop Managing emotions (wk2) Keep calm and carry on (wk4) Mindfulness techniques (wk4) Ink:Well: Life-writing – Student’s journey – workshop From stress to success – course (wk1 of 4) Managing emotions (wk3) Keep calm and carry on – course (wk1 of 4) Mindfulness techniques (wk5) Being a better friend to yourself – workshop From stress to success (wk2) Ink:Well: Life-writing – Hero’s journey – workshop Keep calm and carry on (wk2) Mood boost – course (wk1 of 3) How to beat procrastination – workshop From stress to success (wk3) Facing feelings – workshop Keep calm and carry on (wk3) Mood boost (wk2) Escaping the perfectionist trap – workshop From stress to success (wk4) Keep calm and carry on (wk4) Getting a better night’s sleep – workshop Mood boost (wk3)

Tues Wed

1.30 – 3.00 3.30 – 5.00

see p.8 see p.5

Tues Tues Tues Wed Wed

1.30 – 3.00 1.30 – 4.00 3.30 – 5.00 1.30 – 3.00 3.30 – 5.00

see p.9 see p.9 see p.6 see p.6

Tues Tues Tues Wed Wed Wed

1.30 – 3.00 2.00 – 3.30 3.30 – 5.00 1.30 – 3.00 1.30 – 4.00 3.30 – 5.00

see p.10 see p.11

Tues Tues Tues Wed Wed Wed

1.30 – 3.30 1.30 – 4.00 3.30 – 5.00 1.30 – 3.00 2.00 – 4.30 3.30 – 5.00

see p.7 see p.9

Tues Tues Tues Wed Wed Wed Tues Tues Wed Wed Wed

1.30 – 3.00 1.30 – 3.30 3.30 – 5.00 1.30 – 3.00 2.00 – 4.00 3.30 – 5.00 1.30 – 3.30 3.30 – 5.00 1.30 – 3.00 2.00 – 3.30 3.30 – 5.00

see p.8

Tues Tues Wed Wed Wed

2.00 – 4.00 3.30 – 5.00 1.30 – 3.30 1.30 – 4.00 3.30 – 5.00

see p.13

Tues Tues Wed Wed Wed

1.30 – 3.00 3.30 – 5.00 1.30 – 3.30 2.00 – 4.30 3.30 – 5.00

see p.9

Tues Wed Wed

3.30 – 5.00 1.30 – 3.00 1.30 – 3.30

see p.11

see p.12

see p.13 see p.5

Some of the courses and workshops in our programme are run by Talking Change, a Solent NHS Trust self-help and talking therapies service providing the regional delivery of the national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme. Alongside individual meetings and guided self-help, Talking Change regularly run courses on managing anxiety and stress. To access Talking Change or their courses and workshops students need to be registered with a Portsmouth GP and this is indicated in the course details in this programme. Although GPs will not routinely be informed of students’ attendance on a course or workshop, Talking Change would contact them (or another appropriate NHS healthcare professional) if they were concerned about a student being at risk of self-harm or suicide (every effort would be made to discuss this with the student) in line with NHS procedures. Any correspondence would become part of the student’s NHS medical records and might result in contact from their GP surgery / another NHS professional. Referral information will be stored on the secure Talking Change electronic record system. More information about Talking Change is available at: www.solent.nhs.uk/talkingchange

see p.6

Contact details

see p.11

Student Wellbeing Service Department for Curriculum & Quality Enhancement The Nuffield Centre, St Michael’s Road Portsmouth, PO1 2ED

see p.7 see p.11

T: 023 9284 3466 E: [email protected] W: www.port.ac.uk/studentwellbeing follow us on Facebook: UoP Student Wellbeing Service

see p.12

follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/UoPWellbeing see p.11



connect with us via the WhatsUp app: http://appshelf.port.ac.uk 15

The five ways to wellbeing... be active Go for a walk or run. Step outside. Cycle. Play a game. Garden. Put music on and dance. Exercises that suit our level of mobility and fitness make us feel good. Research shows that physical activity will invigorate and energise us while keeping us in good health.

keep learning Try something new. Rediscover an old interest. Sign up for a course. Fix a bike. Learn to play an instrument or how to cook your favourite food. Find out something about your work colleagues or neighbours. Setting ourselves challenges we will enjoy achieving can be fun and builds confidence and improves wellbeing.

give Do something nice for a friend or a stranger. Thank someone. Smile. Volunteer your time. Look outward as well as inward. Recognising that our happiness is linked to the wellbeing of the wider community can be rewarding and creates lasting connections with the people around us.

Student Wellbeing Service

Wellbeing Courses and Workshops A series of personal development courses and one-off workshops designed to help you get the best out of life at University

connect Connect with the people who matter to us or who we see every day – with family, friends, colleagues and neighbours, the person at the supermarket check-out, the waitress in the café. Our friends, our family and our community can be the cornerstones of our life and building connections will support and enrich us every day.

take notice Be curious. Catch sight of the beautiful. Remark on the unusual. Notice the changing seasons, the shifts in temperature, the movement of the breeze. Savour the moment, whether travelling to work, eating lunch or talking to friends. Becoming more aware of the world around us and reflecting on our experiences helps us to appreciate what really matters.

Autumn Programme 2016