Our courses

The confidence and self-esteem course has been developed to support students who may have little experience and/or confidence in attending and participating in group work. This makes the group an ideal start for a student’s journey within the Recovery College. The course supports students to develop skills which promote healthy confidence and self-esteem. Within the course students will explore themes of understanding what confidence and self-esteem mean to them, think about, and develop skills of conflict management and assertiveness, and test these skills out in practical ways during supportive role play and group exercises.

6 x 2-hour sessions Provided by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

This online course will introduce you to mentalisation and effective communication. You will learn about boundaries; how to set them and how you can provide safety, security, and support within your relationships. This is the “sister” course to Sustaining Meaningful Relationships – they work well together and separately to develop our relationship skills.

4 x 2-hour sessions Provided by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

The first session is an online pre-recording, and the second session is a live session with our facilitators. Getting a good night’s sleep is important for our physical and mental well-being. This session will help you to understand what sleep is and the sleep cycle, gain an improved ability to recognise what can prevent us from getting a good night’s sleep and the impact of this on our well-being. The session will also include practical strategies to develop good sleeping habits.

1 x Self-Led Session & 1 x 2.5-hour Session in person Provided by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

This course aims to introduce students to creative activities that could be used to help them think about feelings and well-being. By making creative choices students may experience the motivation to develop their creativity further, making steps towards personal development to help their recovery.

4 x 2-hour sessions Provided by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

This course will teach you the basic techniques for creating beautiful designs using hand-carved wooden blocks and fabric paint. You will learn how to print onto fabric and paper and can make a range of items including tea towels, tote bags, cards and more!

Block printing is an easy but effective art/craft form and it’s possible to make detailed designs quickly. We will include some festive designs as well so you might choose to make Christmas decorations for home or perhaps a gift or card for a family member or friend.

All materials will be supplied by the College – all you will need is the enthusiasm to join us.

5 x 2-hour Sessions Provided by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Overcoming Loneliness is a three-session online course to support those experiencing loneliness and isolation. The course helps with practical skills and some psychological management to help you to reframe your approach and experiences of loneliness moving forward.

3 x 2-hour sessions Provided by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

During this workshop we will begin to explore autism and the autistic spectrum, looking at the differing facets of this condition, and the effects these have on the individual on the autistic spectrum, giving a better understanding of the wide range of people and manifestations of what we call the autistic spectrum. In the workshop, we will also be sharing plenty of practical hints and tips to help each other to deal with the practicalities of living and thriving with autism.

3 x 2-hour sessions Provided by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

During this course we will look at what is ADHD, how it is assessed and diagnosed, treatment options and strategies that may help. We will discuss ADHD as it presents during childhood and leading into adulthood, the impact it may have on those diagnosed, families and wider networks. We will examine what help / treatment is available, as well as possible self-help strategies.

Single 2.5-hour Session Provided by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Disordered eating sits on a spectrum between normal eating and an eating disorder. It may include symptoms and behaviours of eating disorders, but less often or at a lower level of severity. In this course, you will learn about what disordered eating is, what influences it and how it’s maintained. You will cover strategies to reduce disordered eating, nutritional advice on balanced eating, and techniques to promote body image acceptance.

3 x 2-hour sessions Provided by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

During this workshop you will gain a good understanding of the importance of having a Crisis Plan. You will have an increased awareness of recognising early signs and symptoms and can discuss helpful actions to take which will support your recovery journey.

Single 2.5-hour Session Provided by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

This two-part course is adapted from our live version of Understanding Mental Health Medication. The first session is an online pre-recording, designed to increase your knowledge and understanding of the medications used in mental health, if and how they work, when to take them and when to stop. We will also be looking at how decisions on the choice of medication are made and how to get the most out of your medication. You will receive this 1 week prior to the live session.

The second session is a live session with one of our pharmacists or nurses. This session is focused on the benefits and side effects, mixing medications and problem-solving the things that get in the way of us taking medication as prescribed. There is some homework between the sessions, to allow you to get the most out of both sessions. Completion of the online workshop and homework is a pre-requisite for the second live session, where there will be an opportunity to ask questions that may not have been answered by the course itself.

1 x Self-Led Session & 1 x 2-hour Session in person Provided by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

An introduction to the principles of pain management; a course developed for those experiencing long or short-term pain, as well as carers, family, and friends. This course is a good starting point in understanding how pain works, develops, and changes over time.

Single 2.5-hour Session Provided by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

This course promotes discussion around the benefits and perceived disadvantages of disclosing mental health issues at work. It looks at how to tell your employer/colleagues about your mental health issues including whether to disclose when making job applications and attending interviews.

The course considers your rights and responsibilities and looks at the employer’s requirement to make reasonable adjustments. We will look at what kinds of adjustments could be made and identify practical support plus information and advice available to manage mental health in the workplace.

The course aims to increase the confidence of those who care or work with someone experiencing suicidal thoughts, understanding the perspectives of the families, friends, carers, and clinicians of those at risk of suicide. This course also hopes to challenge the stigma that can be a barrier to people who feel at risk of suicide from seeking help and support.

6 x 2-hour Sessions Provided by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

This course from the Recovery College will cover: What is trauma? The impact of trauma The Six principles of TIC part. 1 The Six principles of TIC part. 2 These interactive sessions will provide insights into trauma and trauma-informed care whilst providing a safe space for open discussions. Although predominantly tailored for people who use services and anyone in caring roles; the course is available to everyone and hopes to educate whilst providing fresh perspectives. It is thought that a deeper understanding of trauma will aid the recovery of those who have experienced it and help them to recognise in themselves behaviours that may be a consequence of trauma. This course will aim to enlighten attendees about the impact of trauma, not just on those who use services but also from the standpoint of carers and professionals. It is hoped that this will be useful for those who have experienced trauma as well as acquiring the knowledge about how common trauma is, aiding the understanding that they are not alone. Learning about the 6 principles of trauma-informed care will contribute to attendees knowing what a trauma-informed service could look like and what services are working towards, which may enhance the level of their care. This will all be accompanied by various grounding techniques enabling participants to leave with skills and tools to actively contribute to their well-being.

5 x 2-hour sessions Provided by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

This course will explore what compassion is and how this is the cornerstone for understanding and developing self-compassion.

The course will also explore the importance of acceptance and working with our experiences and symptoms rather than getting rid of them and how this can help to build our resilience.

6 x 2-hour sessions Provided by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

During this face-to-face course students will learn about building and maintaining healthy relationships.

We will consider boundaries and communication within relationships and explore issues of trust, forgiveness, and conflict management. Students will learn effective methods of communicating and setting boundaries with others.

This is the “sister” course to Healthy Boundaries, Healthy Relationships – they work well together and separately to develop our relationship skills.

6 x 2-hour sessions Provided by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

The course aims to explain:

• How addiction works and possible causes
• Addiction as a whole
• Diagnosis and recovery pathways from addiction

3 x 2-hour sessions Provided by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

This is an interactive student workshop where you will learn through education and experiential exercises. During the workshop, we will Identify goals for personal development, explore how the connection between our thoughts, physical sensations and behaviours can influence our feelings and learn how to improve wellbeing through tolerating anxiety and lifting low mood.

4 x 2-hour sessions Provided by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

During this course, students will gain a better understanding of personality and Personality Disorder and learn more about different types of Personality Disorder.

3 x 2-hour sessions Provided by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

This compassion-focused course has been developed to help give students a better understanding of OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder), an often misunderstood condition. The course aims to explain:

• What is OCD and why it makes us behave as we do
• Positive steps towards recovery
• Reducing myths about OCD
• Hope and direction for those with a diagnosis, carers, family, and friends. Students will learn about its impact and treatment for recovery

3 x 2-hour sessions Provided by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

During this course, students will gain a better understanding of Borderline/Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder and the experiences of intense emotional reactions, and behaviours used to cope with these.

Students will learn emotion and behaviour management skills, learn to communicate about emotions more effectively and gain skills that can be used immediately in day-to-day life.

9 x 2-hour sessions Provided by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

This course aims to provide a better understanding of self-harm and what we can do to reduce it.

With a focus on harm reduction and individual empowerment, each student will develop a plan to help them manage their situation and gain an understanding and insight into self-harm and what we can do to support ourselves as well as others.

For students attending to support their own self-harm recovery, it may be helpful to have completed Managing Intense Emotions (or another DBT course) before this course.

4 x 2-hour sessions Provided by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

This course is based on the principles of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). During this course, students will learn about the importance of leading a value-based life by thinking about what is important to them in their lives (values) and learn about the difference between acting on thoughts and acting on values.

Students will learn about how to observe experiences through mindfulness and learn about barriers to leading a value-driven life.

7 x 2-hour sessions Provided by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Suicide remains a very challenging topic to talk about.

This course will help raise awareness of suicide and increase the skills of people who experience suicidal thoughts to keep themselves safe.

The course aims to increase the confidence of those who care or work with someone experiencing suicidal thoughts, understanding the perspectives of the families, friends, carers, and clinicians of those at risk of suicide.

This course also hopes to challenge the stigma that can be a barrier to people who feel at risk of suicide from seeking help and support.

4 x 2-hour sessions Provided by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

During this course, students will gain a better understanding of what PTSD and complex- PTSD are, and how this affects daily life. In helping the brain distinguish between the past and the present, we can learn how to cope/live with the symptoms.

Despite having PTSD, a greater understanding can help us to make changes, leading to a more fulfilling and meaningful life.

Week 1 - Introduction and Grounding Techniques

Week 2 - What is PTSD and Complex PTSD

Week 3 - Managing Wellbeing

Week 4 - Managing Flashbacks and Triggers

Week 5 - Managing Emotions and Thoughts Week 6 - Rebuilding Your Life

6 x 2-hour sessions Provided by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust