Kintsugi Hope’s vision of a world where mental and emotional health is understood and accepted with safe and supportive communities for everyone to grow and flourish has never been more relevant than today. Here’s why: we work to reach out to people and communities with a message of hope, for them to know that it’s okay not to be okay.
We feel that more people and communities than ever before need to be connected and given a listening ear at this time when the coronavirus pandemic has made our world scarier and more uncertain than ever before. The current situation is affecting all of us in different ways, and we are seeing people who would not particularly suffer from anxiety in normal circumstances now reaching out to us.
Kintsugi Hope can help
There are many ways we can look after our mental health, such as physical exercise and healthy eating, but it can be difficult to discipline ourselves and do this alone, particularly in lockdown. Moreover, for those of us with poor physical health, it can be even harder to manage. Our connection with others, and the support this brings, helps us live well or just stay afloat sometimes, and it cannot be underestimated, perhaps even more so in these difficult and challenging times.
Kintsugi Hope wellbeing groups
We have developed resources to be used in group settings over the course of 12 weeks, with each week looking at different topics such as anxiety, depression, anger, loss and disappointment, and resilience. Through these wellbeing groups it is hoped that individuals will be equipped with self-management tools and given the opportunity and space to build relationships with others. Click here for more information about the content and vision.
We are currently training people to lead our wellbeing groups and would welcome anyone who has a heart for this ministry to get in touch. This is what one of our Group Leaders had to say about their experience of running a group: “Leading the Kintsugi Hope wellbeing group has been an absolute privilege. Even if I’m tired after a busy day at work, the sessions always leave me feeling inspired and invigorated.
“The course is brilliant; I love it! It is having such a positive impact. I can see others growing in their ability to take back and share in their own churches or to face their own personal challenges. There is such great love in the group, and it’s a huge privilege to spend time with everyone involved.”
Participants are having an equally enriching experience. They’re highlights have included having “the chance to take a risk and open up about how I genuinely feel”; seeing “the compassion shown to each other in the group”; “being able to relate some things about myself that I probably hadn’t revealed before”; and “feeling included, valued and accepted”.
Since October 2019, we have trained 186 group leaders across their first three training events. 150 further people were due to attend their forthcoming training events, which will now take place online so that new churches can reach out to those in their congregations and communities at this time of social distancing and isolation.
Our wellbeing groups and wellbeing group leaders’ training have previously taken place face to face in people’s homes, community centres and churches, but thanks to the amazing technology we have, these groups can continue to meet via online video services such as Zoom, Google Hangout, or House Party. Patrick Regan OBE, co-founder of Kintsugi Hope, says, “Our groups are uniquely placed to tackle issues of social isolation and poor mental health.”
If you are interested in partnering with Kintsugi Hope and running an online wellbeing group, please get in contact with us at groups@kintsugihope.com
"There is such great love in the group, and it’s a huge privilege to spend time with everyone involved."
