CAMHS Talk

In this episode, young people Madie, Zoe & Zawad join trainee clinical psychologist Leighton and host Marianne, to deep dive into the topic of Dyspraxia. They share their unique experiences with discovering their diagnosis and take us on a personal journey of understanding how Dyspraxia affects their daily lives. Some of them had their diagnoses quite recently and talk about advocating for their health when they saw the signs, it's inspirational to hear how their diagnosis finally helped them make sense of their world and understanding themselves.

In this episode, Molly and Sassie are joined by young people Alex and Sharmin, as well as Sanctuary Cafe staff Zahra and Betty, to discuss what the Young Person Sanctuaries are and what to expect as a young person visiting for the first time. It's a great resource in the community for young people (14-17 yrs) to have a safe space to go to, have someone to talk to, or just be in the space for some time. The different locations are listed below: Luton Young Person's Sanctuary: Young Persons Hub, ResoLUTiONs, 89 Castle Street, Luton LU1 3AJ: Monday – Sunday 4pm – 10pm Please note: ResoLUTiONS has two buildings, one located in Victoria Street and one location in Castle Street. We are based in Castle Street, opposite Matalan. Bedford Young Person's Sanctuary: CAMHS, 5-7 Rush Court, Bedford MK40 3JT: (7 days a week)  The Bedford Young Person's Sanctuary is open on Monday – Friday from 5.00pm -10.00pm, Saturday – Sunday 4pm – 10pm. Central Bedfordshire Young Person's Sanctuary: Leighton Buzzard; Meadow Way Community Centre, Leighton Buzzard LU7 3FS  Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 4pm – 10pm Houghton Regis; Houghton Regis Children's Centre, Tithe Farm Neighbourhood Centre, Tithe Farm Road, Houghton Regis, Dunstable, LU5 5JB Monday and Tuesday 4pm – 10pm Sandy; Sandy Children's Centre, Laburnum Road, Sandy, Bedfordshire, SG19 1HQ Opening Saturday 30th September Saturday and Sunday 4pm – 10pm If you would like further information about the Young Person's Sanctuary, please email on: YPS@mind-blmk.org.uk

In this podcast, our host Molly talks to young people Az and Ash, who are joined by CAMHS staff Sassie, Mack and Jay to reflect post-Pride month about what pride means to them. Listen in on the conversation as each person explores from their personal experience, their journey to PRIDE. Gender dysphoria: a sense of unease that a person may have because of a mismatch between their biological sex and their gender identity. (NHS) Gender euphoria: comfort/joy that happens when gender expression is aligned with identity. Rainbow capitalism: when companies commercialise and claim to support the rights of the LGBTQ+ community (especially during Pride) mainly for profit and improved brand image. Resources: Rainbow Bedfordshire: #RainbowBedfordshire | East London NHS Foundation Trust (elft.nhs.uk) Contact Rainbow Bedfordshire: elft.rainbowbedfordshire@nhs.net Better Days for BLMK: @betterdaysblmk across all social media Pride in Luton: https://prideinluton.org/

In this Podcast Marianne and Molly are joined by Young People Alex and Maiya, to discuss self harm, the misconceptions and how to take care of yourself. They are also joined by Bongi, a CAMHS nurse who offers their unique perspective. The podcast looks at defining self-harm in a subjective way and dispelling harmful rhetoric surrounding misconceptions. The young people offer their advice and resources they've found helpful. Below are some of the resources mentioned in the podcast:  *TW*: This podcast may contain sensitive content, while we intend for our podcasts to be educational and insightful, our priority is your well being. If you feel overwhelmed by the content, please do take a break from listening in order to care for your well being. Resources: Text "Reflect" to 85258 - if you're feeling anxious, lonely, overwhelmed or not quite yourself - FREE and anonymous The Butterfly Project - https://www.elysiumhealthcare.co.uk/butterflyproject/

In this Podcast Molly and Marianne are joined by Young People Leah and Sharmin, to discuss exam stress and surrounding issues. Looking at their own experiences with exam seasons and their coping strategies, the CAMHS team and Young People explore available support, the importance of boundaries and mental health, as well as give advice to teachers and parents on how best to support Young People during these stressful times.

In this episode, we introduce Molly as a new host, joined by Ash, Mack, Jay and Sassie to discuss LGBTQ+ community safety. We highlight the importance of safe spaces and how to create an accessible and comfortable environment for LGBTQ+ people. We also share experiences of feeling supported, genuine allyship and gestures of validation. Gender dysphoria: a sense of unease that a person may have because of a mismatch between their biological sex and their gender identity. (NHS) Gender euphoria: comfort/ joy that happens when gender expression is aligned with identity. Rainbow capitalism: when companies commercialise and claim to support the rights of the LGBTQ+ community (especially during Pride) mainly for profit and improved brand image. Contact Rainbow Bedfordshire: elft.rainbowbedfordshire@nhs.net Better Days for BLMK: @betterdaysblmk across all social media Pride in Luton https://prideinluton.org/ Luton Sexual Health https://www.lutonsexualhealth.org.uk/info-advice/lgbtq/ Q Youth https://www.qalliance.org.uk/youth-services/ [00:00] Introductions [01:40] What are Safe Spaces? [05:15] Allyship and Activism, actual vs toxic [12:47] Validation and Acceptance [27:00] Fear of going out/ Non-Safe Spaces [37:45] Local Safe Spaces [42:40] Outro

Co-hosts Marianne and Kim are joined by three young people, Maddie, Sam and Zoe, with lived experience of autism to discuss the misconceptions of autism in females and those assigned female at birth, experiences at school and tips on how to better support people with autism. They are also joined by Tyrone and Freya from the Mental Health Schools Team who work with young people in schools. Abbreviations used throughout ASC: Autism Spectrum Condition ASD: Autism Spectrum Disorder (Old Term) MHST: Mental Health Schools Team EHCP: Education, Health and Care Plan. TA: Teaching Assistants Immie Swain: How to spot signs of Autism in pupils https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8hrFwfhwNw The Times Educational Supplement: ‘Lack of teacher training ‘hitting autistic pupils' education' https://www.tes.com/magazine/news/general/lack-teacher-training-hitting-autistic-pupils-education [00:00:22] Introductions [00:06:06] Misconceptions of Autism in Females [00:11:19] Masking [00:14:43] The Effects of Age of Diagnosis [00:18:07] Autism Diagnosis and School Support [00:23:30] Strategies for coping with Autism [00:30:40] Sensory Overloads [00:35:00] Bullying [00:40:18] Special Interests [00:43:04] Outro

In this episode we meet Marianne, who will be sharing CAMHSTalk hosting duties alongside Niki and Aisling moving forward, and discuss everyone's favourite thing... exams! Marianne and Aisling are joined by Molly and Shana to share their experiences of exams (before and after COVID), the importance of looking after your mental health and share helpful advice as we head into exam season. Aisling Callaghan- Participation Lead Marianne Bahadur- Participation Worker Shana- ex CAMHS service user Molly- ex CAMHS service user

Trigger warning: This episode explores depression and references suicide, please look after yourself and exercise self care when listening. In this episode, Niki and Aisling are joined by Keeley, Ashleigh, Jay and Shana to discuss depression. We talk about our experiences of depression and how it has impacted our lives, including masking our feelings and symptoms our friends and family noticed. We also share helpful ways we have found to cope, what people can do to help and support, and our experiences accessing therapy and medication. Niki Scott- CAMHS Participation Lead Aisling Callaghan- CAMHS Participation Lead Keeley- CAMHS service user Ashleigh- CAMHS service user Shana- ex CAMHS service user Jay- ex CAMHS service user

In the latest edition of CAMHSTalk, Aisling is joined by Saskia, Shana and Kat to talk about dyslexia. We discuss what our dyslexia looks like, experiences of getting diagnosed and how it has impacted education. We also talk about all the things we are able to achieve as a result of our brain working slightly differently. Aisling Callaghan- CAMHS Participation Lead Kat Fusco- Professional Lead for Arts Therapies for CAMHS Shana- CAMHS service user Saskia- CAMHS service user

After a short break, we're back! Join Niki, Chloe, Madie and Alex this episode for a conversation about living with anxiety. We discuss what anxiety is, what panic is, how it affects our lives and helpful ways to manage our anxiety.

In the latest edition of our CAMHSTalk podcast Niki Scott, CAMHS Participation Lead is joined by Shana, Lucy, Safa and Molly for a discussion about participation and coproduction. In a bid to encourage other young people to get involved and have their say, our service users talk about the projects they have been involved in and how they have benefitted from having a platform to share their views and opinions.

Aisling, Sam and Shalhavit have worked together to develop a song and music video about mental health: Mental Obstacles Can Enlighten You. In this podcast, we explore the importance of sharing mental health support and information in a meaningful and relevant way and reflect on the process of song writing, editing and the importance of creativity and mental health. Aisling- CAMHS Participation Lead Shalhavit- Simcha Cohen- PhD researcher musician Sam- CAMHS service user Listen to the song and watch the music video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c9pd51DsPk

In this episode we explore Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, commonly known as DBT. We are joined by Sue Hollingsworth who discusses the therapy from a professional perspective, and Chloe who shares her insights as a young person who has experienced the therapy. We talk about what the therapy involves, who might access DBT and the different, our experiences and how it compares to other interventions. This episode explores treatment options within our CAMHS service and our personal experiences. Sue Hollingsworth- CAMHS Practitioner Chloe - CAMHS service user

Professionals, parents and young people across Bedfordshire and Luton have joined forces to utilise their expertise and collaborate in the development of a co-produced 'Diagnosis Support Pack' - a one stop place for information, support, guidance in multi media format in the lead up to, or following a diagnosis of a neurodiversity. In this podcast we discuss how, why and what the diagnosis support pack is all about and the journey that went in to its creation. The Diagnosis Support Pack can be found here: https://www.cambscommunityservices.nhs.uk/beds-luton-community-paediatrics/diagnosis-support-pack

Join us for our third and final instalment in our series looking at the effects of COVID 19 and lockdown restrictions on the wellbeing of young people. Following our discussions with Professor Tamsin Ford and Doctor Uttom Choudhury, we ask the young people themselves about what it has been like for them since March 2020. Aisling is joined by Nada, Chloe and Richie to discuss their experiences. Nada- Assistant Psychologist, Luton CAMHS Richie- CAMHS service user Chloe- CAMHS service user

In this episode, Aisling was joined by Chloe, Molly, Freya and Lorna to discuss transitions. Freya and Lorna share their perspective as professionals in our Mental Health Support Teams, and Molly and Chloe share their own experiences as young people currently experiencing transition. We discuss why experiences like moving house or changing school can be challenging, and share tools and advice we have found helpful.

In this CAMHSTalk Podcast, our Service User Participation Lead Niki Scott talks to Lydia Rosseter from Cambridgeshire Community Services, Lisa Leonard, head teacher of The Chiltern School and Marcia McKnight from Central Beds Council. We talk about how co-production enables, empowers and supports better outcomes for children, young people, families and professionals in Central Bedfordshire. https://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/info/133/improving_send_services/833/progress_so_far/4 https://centralbedfordshire.app.box.com/s/jh8bak7040ixeyz8hs9xhk9cf8hc1ata

In this episode, Niki talks with Bedford Borough Parent Carer Forum, Chief Education Officer Ben Pearson, Councillor James Valentine and our Local Offer Officer about the Summer of SEND. After a really challenging 16 months for families and young people, Bedford Borough have organised a fantastic and engaging summer of events and activities. SEND is everyone's responsibility so listen in to see how you can GET INVOLVED. Here's the link to the Summer of SEND page on the Local Offer website: https://localoffer.bedford.gov.uk/kb5/bedford/directory/site.page?id=Iuldx0e38aA Twitter handles: Bedford Local Offer - News and events for children and young people with SEND in Bedford Borough and their families. RT does not mean endorsement. Replies during office hours.- @bedfordlocalof1 BBPCF - An independent forum for parent carers of children & young people with disabilities or SEN to participate in developing and influencing local services. @BedsBoroughPCF James Valentine - Labour Councillor for Kempston West, Lead Member for Education & Children's Services, Bedford Borough Council - @JamesEValentine

The second in a three-part series discussing the effects of COVID 19 and lockdown restrictions on the wellbeing of young people. Aisling and Ava met Doctor Uttom Chowdhury, an expert consultant child and adolescent psychiatric who specialises in neurodevelopmental disorders and works at CAMHS. We discuss how the pandemic has affected people's wellbeing with a particular focus on tics and Tourette's and Uttom shares his words of wisdom and support for families.

The first in a three-part series discussing the effects of COVID 19 and lockdown restrictions on the wellbeing of young people. As lockdown restrictions began to ease, hosts Aisling and Ava were joined by Professor Tamsin Ford, professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of Cambridge and an internationally renowned child psychiatric epidemiologist. Listen to find out what all that means, and hear us discuss the data around how the wellbeing of young people has been affected by the pandemic and the support available to young people.

Throughout lockdown, Bedfordshire and Luton CAMHS have experimented with running groups virtually. One of the most successful formats has been virtual group creative sessions. These have built on the principles of art therapy and brought young people together to make art via Zoom. In this podcast, the staff and young people involved in a group that ran at the start of the year discuss how the sessions worked and what we got out of attending.

In this episode, we talk about how some of our service users had the opportunity to work with IntoFilm, an organisation who ‘put film at the heart of the educational and personal development of children and young people.’ Over the course of 7 weeks, we attended film making workshops that taught us what is involved in film making, how to develop characters, write scripts and plan our camera shots to produce a film together about mental health. Not Alone follows 3 young people’s different mental health struggles, united by the fact they are not going through them alone. From exam stress, to anxiety, and fear of isolation: the young people all experience varied personal struggles and have different ways of coping. Through exploring these difficult feelings, they realise that they are not alone in these experiences. This film was made as part of the Into Film Moving Minds 2 Filmmaking Project. Young people aged between 11 and 19 were given the opportunity to work with professional filmmakers to devise and create their own short film. Watch the film here: https://vimeo.com/506015431 Find out more about IntoFilm here: https://www.intofilm.org/

In this episode, Aisling is joined by professionals and young people to discuss the mental health benefits of physical exercise. We discuss the pressure to exercise in lockdown, some of the barriers to exercise we have encountered the past year and the pros and cons of the options that are available to us online. Today's episode is hosted by: Aisling Callaghan - User participation lead for Luton CAMHS We are joined by: Jade Horsley who is the Satellite Club Link Officer for Team Beds & Luton Rob Lindsay, Sports Development Officer for Bedford Borough Council Racheall Monton, yoga instructor Claire Rourke- Clinical Trial Manager, Ready Trial, University of Hertfordshire, Molly- CAMHS service user, Sam- CAMHS service user. Links to the organisations mentioned in this episode.. https://readytrial.co.uk/ - Research study of Physical Activity in Young People https://bedfordsportlive.crd.co - Bedford Sport Live - Activity sessions at home. https://camhsspace.crd.co - CAMHS Space - Delivered by Bedford Borough Council in partnership with East London Foundation Trust CAMHS team and supported by Team Beds & Luton https://www.teambedsandluton.co.uk/what-are-satellite-clubs    Satelite Clubs - Team Beds & Luton-Satellite Clubs are physical activity projects which provide inactive young people between 14-19yrs new opportunities to be active in a fun and social environment, helping to create positive experiences and promote active lifestyles.

In this episode, Nikki and Aisling talk to Jay and Suzie - two of our service users about how Autism and anxiety can make the Christmas period difficult. Come and listen to Jay and Suzie share their thoughts and tips on how to manage and make Christmas fabulous..

Christmas is a time of celebration, a time where most families plan for weeks so that the two or three days of Christmas goes perfectly.. the perfect presents, perfect company and perfect food. Most of us look forward to this festive time, but for some, it's filled with fear and anxiety. In this episode, Nikki talks to Jay and Roshni, two of our service users talk about how celebrations such as Christmas, Diwali end Eid can be difficult for those with an eating disorder due to the strong emphasis on food and eating. Mark Taylor, a CAMHS Clinician and Specialist Eating Disorder Nurse joins the conversation along with Hope Virgo - a UK Eating disorder campaigner, author, public speaker advocate to share their knowledge and expertise. Hope leads the campaign to 'dump the scales' - a campaign to increase access to eating disorder services in the UK This is a perfect opportunity to come listen in on the discussion and hear honest accounts of how such celebrations present challenges, how you can get your way through the day and how dinnertime bingo can get you through.. Yes.. I did say dinnertime bingo.. listen in to find out to learn about this and other tips for the day.. If you'd like to learn more about Hope's campaign, find out about how you can invite her to speak publicly at your event, or learn more about her publications, go over to her website:  http://www.hopevirgo.com/ You can also follow her on Twitter - @HopeVirgo Follow CAMHS Talk on Twitter - @CAMHSTalk.  

Welcome to part 3..! Cultural diversity and access to services is an issue that is high on the agenda for CAMHS and there is no better way of understanding the needs of the BAME community than hearing directly from the young people that have accessed the service. Today, we are privileged to have four of our ex service users talk about judgement, understanding and how important it is for clinicians to be curious and open to challenging their own beliefs. We also are very happy to welcome Helen Anderson, a CAMHS Clinician based at the Bedford Clinic. Helen has joined the discussion today to further her understanding of the challenges and difficulties that our young service users experience and to discuss the changes that can be made to make the CAMHS service more inclusive and accessible to all.

In the second of this 3 part mini series, we continue the discussion.. Cultural diversity and access to services is an issue that is high on the agenda for CAMHS and there is no better way of understanding the needs of the BAME community than hearing directly from the young people that have accessed the service. Today, we are privileged to have four of our ex service users talk about judgement, understanding and how important it is for clinicians to be curious and open to challenging their own beliefs. We also are very happy to welcome Helen Anderson, a CAMHS Clinician based at the Bedford Clinic. Helen has joined the discussion today to further her understanding of the challenges and difficulties that our young service users experience and to discuss the changes that can be made to make the CAMHS service more inclusive and accessible to all.   Come listen..

Cultural diversity and access to services is an issue that is high on the agenda for CAMHS and there is no better way of understanding the needs of the BAME community than hearing directly from the young people that have accessed the service. Today, we are privileged to have four of our ex service users talk about judgement, understanding and how important it is for clinicians to be curious and open to challenging their own beliefs. We also are very happy to welcome Helen Anderson, a CAMHS Clinician based at the Bedford Clinic. Helen has joined the discussion today to further her understanding of the challenges and difficulties that our young service users experience and to discuss the changes that can be made to make the CAMHS service more inclusive and accessible to all. So come and take a listen..

So, the time has come to start to return to the 'new normal'. For many students, this is full of many unknowns that could be exciting and something to look forward to, however, for some, it may be an anxiety provoking time, leading to added stress and worry. In today's episode, we talk to two young people about their experiences of lockdown an we hear about their thoughs of returning to school. We also have on the show today two of the CAMHS psychology assistants, Rachel Mellor and Sevgi Deveci who will be talking about strategies to help manage a successful return to school.

Welcome back to CAMHSTalk,.. Today we’re continuing to explore how CAMHS delivers services during the COVID pandemic. Previously we spoke to Ross Truscott, General Manager of Bedford CAMHS about the service and some of the new developments - including self-referral and the new 24 hour crisis line.  So to continue the conversation..  we’re going to take a look at the Luton service.. with  Linda Hurst – General Manager for Luton and South Beds CAMHS,and Marc Van Roosmalen – Consultant Cliniica Psychologisa and is also the Psychological Therapies Lead for Luton and South Bedfordshire.

In today’s episode, we’re continuing the conversation about mental health, lockdown and how to manage during this time.. There’s lots of information in the media about what we should and shouldn’t do.. we see statistics.. we’re given direction and advice.. sometimes it sounds clear to us, and sometimes it doesn’t... we see advice change.. sometimes on a daily basis and this can leave us feeling worried, scared or just plain confused.. but on a more positive note, we’re also hearing about new and inventive ways of living life.. people are coming up with ideas that we maybe wouldn’t have thought of before...so it’s true to say that there’s a mix of experiences that people are having about lockdown. But there’s one aspect of lockdown that we’ve all had to do... We’ve all had to socially isolate and keep to social distancing... which means limited access to friends and family, and our normal ways of socialising are currently off the agenda.. As a result of this, we’ve seen an increased use of social media. Now, there are lots of us that would never have entertained the idea of talking on screen.. but suddenly we’ve all got to grips with video calling, texting and even learning new dances on TacTic (name changed for copyright purposes..!) and no, the last bit doesn’t apply to me. But for some of us, our usual ways of managing health, and in particular, mental health may have become difficult to access.. such as taking exercise, going out and meeting people.. and getting access to fresh air. For those of us experiencing this.., daily life can be difficult... and many of us have increased our use of social media to support our wellbeing. In today’s episode, we’re going to explore how to manage mental health within the current climate...and give tips on how to make social media support our wellbeing as opposed to making it worse. Today we have Nikki Scott, who is the user participation lead for Luton and Bedford CAMHS and is also a co-host on CAMHS Talk. I’d also like to welcome Lawrence Chung who is on the NHS graduate programme and is working an Operational Lead for Bedford CAMHS.Also welcome to our service users, Jay and Gracie

In this episode, we’re talking about mental health, lockdown and how to manage at this time. Lockdown has affected us all and as such, everyone’s daily life has been significantly affected. Our normal daily routines changed overnight and many of the things we took for granted are things we're currently doing without. We’ve seen lots in the media about how and when we can expect things to go back to normal, but the messages can feel vague and unclear and lead to lots of debate from those with and without ‘professional opinions’... and no-one can predict what the ‘new normal’ will look like anyway. A decision that has brought substantial change for many is the suspension of education. At a time where many teenagers were gearing up for exams and getting ready for university.. suddenly.. their education looks uncertain. For younger children who are maybe too young to fully understand what’s happening, this might be a confusing time, being at home with their family and away from their friends.. but for others, it might be a time of creativity and finding things to do with their newfound boredom. But for many, their education hasn’t stopped just because they’re not at school. This temporary ‘new normal’ still has its expectations and demands.. with changes such as work being sent home, video link classes, increased use of on-line learning and being taught by their parents. But for many, in the new ‘classroom environment’ at home, there can be new challenges. In today’s episode, we’re going to take a look at some of the challenges faced by those in secondary school.. and as such I’m very pleased to welcome today’s guests.. I’d like to welcome: Nikki Scott – service user participation lead for Bedford and Luton CAMHS Lawrence Chung – who is currently on the NHS Graduate Scheme and is working for CAMHS as an Operational Lead whilst studying for his master’s degree. We're also joined by three of our service users, Wiktoria, Kirri and Lucy who share their views, thoughts and tips. Come listen..    

Now.. as we’re all aware, we’re living in strange times due to the COVID pandemic and this has brought some change to the services that are currently offered by Bedford CAMHS. In this episode, Nikki and I are talking to Ross Truscott, General Manager for Bedford CAMHS about the changes that have been made to make sure that CAMHS can continue to deliver the service to those young people and families that are under their care. We also have the opportunity to hear about new service developments including the self referral process and the new 24 hour Crisis line that is now available for anyone, those that are already under the care of the service and for those that feel they may need CAMHS support.  

In this episode, we'll introduce you to Dr Charlotte Bolt and her co-therapist, Ruby (the dog!). this is a great opportunity to find out how animals can enhance treatment for some that struggle to manage with face to face therapy. Come listen as Dr Bolt takes us through how she and Ruby have developed the use of animals in treatment. As a note, not all types of treatment mentioned in this episode are therapeutically appropriate in all cases and may not be available in your area.

Today we talk about Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, more commonly known as CBT. In this episode we are so grateful to Gemma Douthwaite and Dr Charlotte Bolt who share their insights and demystify the inner workings of this treatment model. As always, we also have our service users, this week we have Lucy and Jay who also share their own knowledge from a service user perspective. We also get to hear a little about Ruby, our therapy dog - but that's a story for next time! Just to say that in our conversation we discuss some of the options that we have used in our service. It may be the case that some of the options we have discussed may not be available in all areas, or indeed be appropriate in all treatment cases. For more information on CBT, you can go to the NHS webpage here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cognitive-behavioural-therapy-cbt/

Welcome back to part 2 of Uni Life and Mental Health, come join us again as Mia, Roshni, Sam and Ocean continue to share their thoughts and insights about their first few months at University and about how they have managed everything from their mental health to relationships.  They also give excellent advice on what to expect, what you can't predict and how to access the right support for you. Listen in on their discussion about their different experiences, different needs and how they met them. Mia, Roshni, Sam and Ocean also share their thoughts on common myths and the realities of life at Uni for someone with a mental health issue. You can also learn about where to get the best Pizza in Nottingham (useful for some no doubt!)

Come take a listen to four of our ex-service users, Mia, Roshni, Sam and Ocean share their thoughts and insights about their first few months at University and hear then talk about how they have managed everything from their mental health to relationships.  They also give excellent advice on what to expect, what you can't predict and how to access the right support for you. Listen in on their discussion about their different experiences, different needs and how they met them. Mia, Roshni, Sam and Ocean share their thoughts on common myths and the realities of life at Uni for someone with a mental health issue. We have separated this ep[isode into two parts. Part two will be out in 2 weeks.

Let's rejoin the conversation and continue to hear about the SWITCH Program where  Dawn Bere, Post 16 Personal Adviser & Enhanced Evidence-Based Practitioner and Christopher Allan – Early Help Professional at Bedford Borough talk with two of their service users, Georgia and Stephen about  ‘The Forgotten Population’ – young people who are not in education, employment or training (or NEET for short). Georgia and Stephen give very frank accounts of how they were supported by Dawn and Christopher’s team within the SWITCH project – a project designed to provide targeted support to NEET young people. The risks associated with being a NEET young person is significant in terms of developing mental health difficulties and falling by the wayside in society with increased risk of getting into crime, drugs and gang violence. Come listen to the work that is happening in Bedford.

Come listen to Dawn Bere, Post 16 Personal Adviser & Enhanced Evidence-Based Practitioner and Christopher Allan - Early Help Professional at Bedford Borough talk with two of their service users, Georgia and Stephen about  'The Forgotten Population' - young people who are not in education, employment or training (or NEET for short). Georgia and Stephen give very frank accounts of how they were supported by Dawn and Christopher's team within the SWITCH project - a project designed to provide targeted support to NEET young people. The risks associated with being a NEET young person is significant in terms of developing mental health difficulties and falling by the wayside in society with increased risk of getting into crime, drugs and gang violence. Come listen to the work that is happening in Bedford.  

Navigating local support and services for children with special educational needs can be cumbersome and stressful. Come listen and learn all about the Bedford Borough Local Offer Service that works tirelessly to bring information about what's out there into one easy to access website. We discuss how to access the services and also have first-hand feedback from some of our service users about how having a 'one-stop-shop' has improved their own well being and that of their family. To take a look at the Bedford Borough Local Offer website, just click the link or cut and paste if you'd prefer. If you are a local service that wants to be included on the local offer website, you can also click the link below and make contact. The more services that make themselves known, the richer the mix of support is available to SEND children. https://localoffer.bedford.gov.uk/

A quick request from us at CAMHSTalk - do you use any mental health mobile phone or tablet apps? Which ones? how are they useful? would you recommend any specifically? We are going to do a podcast where we review mental health apps on the show and help you to decide which could be useful to you. We are going to bring together professionals and service users and ask them their views. There are loads of apps out there. Some that the CAMHSTalk team already know about, but we want to know about the apps that you use, so we can look at those too. We hope to bring you the best of the rest.. and make it easier for you to find the apps that work for you.. Come let us know by Clicking here...!  

In part 3 we continue the discussions around the need for developing emotional language and where we can support this to happen. We also take a look at not making assumptions about the meaning of expressed emotions such as anger or withdrawal. In the discussion, we also explore generational issues such as parental role modelling and what impacts on our choices around emotional expression. As this is the final part of the episode, I'd like to say a big thank you to Robert Lindsay, Mark Thomas-O'Keefe, Nicki Scott, Jay and Arron who shared, discussed and debated key issues around men's mental health. It was a privilege to have contributed to the national/worldwide movement and we hope that you have enjoyed listening in on our discussion. If you'd like to comment. please feel free to share your thoughts or ideas, we would be happy to hear from you!

In part 2 of this episode, we continue the discussion around men's mental health and talk about the difficulties that an autism spectrum condition can add to seeking support from others. We are so privileged to be able to hear first-hand from the panel about how difficult it is to seek out support, be able to trust others and how others can misinterpret this for lack of motivation.

The issue of men's mental health has been the focus of a lot of debate and a common theme is how difficult it is for men to open up and talk about how they feel. In this three-part episode, we have brought together a group of men, both service users and professionals who share and debate the issues that affect men today. This is a good opportunity to listen in on a heartfelt discussion about stigma, society expectations and the ways in which men are 'supposed to be'. In this discussion, we talk about our own experiences of mental health issues, how we manage them and what needs to be different.

In this episode, we offer you a great opportunity to listen in on a discussion between me, Mark Taylor, an Eating Disorders Nurse within CAMHS and a service user who reflects on her own experience of her recovery, her struggles and how she came to understand the mechanisms of the illness. You will also hear some great advice if you are a young person who is struggling with eating or a carer looking after someone who is. It's rare that you hear a young person share their story in such heartfelt detail, so sit back and have a listen.. For additional help, you can click on the link below and access the wealth of resources that are offered by Beat, the UK’s eating disorder charity BEAT Eating Disorders.

CAMHS offers lots of different kinds of therapy. In this episode, you have a great opportunity to learn about Art Therapy from Kat Fusco - one of our CAMHS Art Therapists and two of our service users. During the discussion, you will hear first-hand accounts from our service users of how art therapy helped them to recover and how valuable it is as a way of communicating when words are difficult to find. Kat also discusses how art therapy is used, what happens throughout the process of treatment and why it's so powerful. So take this privileged opportunity to listen in on their discussion..  

Welcome to the second episode of CAMHS Talk. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to come to CAMHS for the first time and wished you could talk to someone who has? In this episode, two of our service users share their experiences and talk openly with Niki Scott, Service Participation Lead and Sharon Latchman, Specialist Practitioner about their thoughts, first impressions and what it's like to work with a therapist. In this discussion, we cover issues such as the importance of trust, confidentiality, how the treatment is agreed and how the therapist supports the young person when things get difficult. If you are a parent or a young person who is thinking of comming to CAMHS, this could be useful to you...

Welcome to the FIRST episode of the CAMHS Talk podcast - and we are so very excited to be able to bring you the very best interviews and discussions between the service professionals and our very knowledgeable service users. We have trawled the internet and (so far) haven't found another Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) that have brought together their service users and their professionals in this way. This is such a good opportunity for us all to discuss and debate issues around child and adolescent mental health and it's such a pleasure for us to share this with you. In this episode, Niki Scott and Aisling Callaghan talk to four service users about the role of the user participation group, the benefits of being part of the group and how they help shape the service. During the discussion, the service users also discuss and reflect on how they have found benefit for themselves in being able to shape the service. So sit back and listen.. it's an interesting discussion..