Wellbeing sessions for unpaid carers in Skipton

Unpaid carers are being invited to attend wellbeing workshops to help improve their mental health and resilience.

The workshops are being held at the Carers’ Resource office in Brook Street, Skipton, with opportunities to book sessions in September and October.

Debi Hawkins, Carers’ Resource Locality Worker, said: “Becoming a carer can bring with it change, great challenges, and often, a variety of feelings too: loss, resentment, grief, and guilt, and lots more.

“Often we are so busy working in and just coping with the situation, that we don’t feel as though we can take time to address our own feelings, and when we do get that precious bit of “me time” we feel guilty and uncaring.

“Carers often report that they have ‘lost themselves’ and rarely give time to their own needs and feelings.

“These two workshops will help you ‘re-discover’ yourself, with tools and techniques you can take away with you.”

Workshop One – “Release your Inner Warrior” – is delivered by professional therapists Debs Hooker and Corrine Yeadon. This aims to give carers some space and time out to think about their thoughts and feelings.

This workshop will be held on September 13 and October 11, from 9.30am to 1pm.

Workshop Two – “Equipping your Inner Warrior” – is delivered by Penny Lowe, a qualified Emotional Freedom Technique practitioner, and Karen Dunnet, a qualified hypnotherapist. This session aims to introduce carers to self-help techniques.

This second workshop will be held on September 20 and October 25, from 9.30am to 12.30pm. After this workshop, at 1pm, carers are welcome to join a craft workshop that will introduce them to new skills which could help them to relax and switch off.

All sessions take place at Skipton Carers’ Resource office, Ronaldsway House, 36 Brook Street, Skipton, BD23 1PP.

The workshops must be booked in advance. Carers who are not yet registered with Carers’ Resource, are welcome to join. For more information or to book a place, please contact Debi by email: dhawkins@carersresource.org or phone 07522 226 334.

Carers’ Resource provides emotional and practical support to people who are looking after a friend, neighbour or relative who could not manage otherwise because of frailty, illness, addiction or disability.

The charity offers a wide range of services for unpaid carers including one-to-one support, information, support groups, employment and training advice, planning for emergencies, and wellbeing.

These well-being sessions have been funded by the ABCD Grants Fund, run by the Bradford VCS Alliance.

For more information about Carers’ Resource, go to www.carersresource.org