Aware, Ireland’s leading organisation providing support, education and information services for people impacted by anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder today announced that its popular Life Skills Group Programme is now available to attend in a virtual group setting.
Developed by the renowned cognitive behavioural therapy specialist, Dr Chris Williams, the Life Skills Programme is designed to help people learn more about how we think and how this can influence our actions in helpful or unhelpful ways.
The free programme, nine hours over the course of six weeks, will teach attendees how to better manage the stress of everyday life, recognise and manage unhelpful thoughts, learn new ways of thinking and ultimately begin the journey to a healthier and more confident life. With programmes available Monday to Friday inclusive, participants can choose the day and session time that best suits their schedule for the six-week period. There are a limited number of places available for each programme to ensure that everyone can benefit from the sessions.
The 90 minute sessions are delivered by trained facilitators in workshop style to offer a participative learning environment. There is opportunity for discussion but at no stage is anyone asked to share information if they do not wish to.
Commenting on the programme, Stephen McBride, Director of Services at Aware said: “We are delighted to offer the Life Skills Programme in a virtual setting, allowing people to take part from the comfort of their homes. We have seen a sustained increase in demand for our services since last March, highlighting the impact of the pandemic on public wellbeing. Protecting our mental health is incredibly important and signing up for this Life Skills Virtual Programme is a very positive first step.
The programme is designed to equip participants with the knowledge and tools to build resilience and look after their mental health and the results speak for themselves with evaluations showing participants experiencing reduced levels of anxiety and improved mood on completion of the programme.”
Online registration for the programmes is now open at www.aware.ie and places are available to anyone over 18. The Aware education programmes are free to attend, with a refundable €30 booking deposit in place to ensure participants that really want to book a place have the opportunity to do so. The booking fee will be refunded by contacting Aware once all modules in the course have been completed. Reduced booking fees of €10 are available for students, the unemployed, OAPs or those in possession of a medical card.
Aware services include Support & Self Care Groups nationwide and a Support Line and Support Mail service, both of which operate 365 days a year. Aware delivers a range of wellbeing programmes designed to empower adults and senior cycle students with the knowledge and skills to build resilience and protect their mental health. For more information visit www.aware.ie
The Life Skills Programme has been independently evaluated by Aware. The evaluation showed a statistically significant improvement in participants’ self-reported levels of anxiety and depression after completing the programme.
Life Skills is also consistent with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines for the treatment of depression and anxiety. NICE is an organisation which provides independent, authoritative and evidence-based guidance on the most effective ways to prevent, diagnose and treat ill-health.