Berkshire West Managing Emotions Programme

Contact details

Address, phone and email

1a Rupert Square
Reading
RG1 3HE
0800 002 9091
mep@together-uk.org

Services offered

Psychoeducational courses for people experiencing difficulties managing their emotions

Services & Projects Oversight Manager: Andre Silva

Head of Regional Operations: Gianluca Zucchelli

The Berkshire West Managing Emotions Programme offers easy access to psychoeducational courses, designed to equip people with a range of tools and skills to enable them to manage emotions more effectively. Emotion dysregulation can have a significant impact on an individuals’ quality of life, effecting relationships, employment, and general wellbeing. The Managing Emotions Programme works on helping those to make positive changes with their ability to manage such intense emotions.

The Managing Emotions Programme facilitates three individual psychoeducational courses as well as a fourth course for carers who are supporting people who have difficulty managing intense emotions.

Course dates

The courses will be delivered online via Microsoft teams or face to face at 1a Rupert Square, Reading, RG1 3HE, with a maximum of 12 attendees in each group.

  • Course 1 – Single session lasting 2.5 hours – Understanding emotions – an introduction – (1 session)
    • Face to Face – Upcoming dates:
      • Monday 9th November at 10-12.30pm
    • Online – Upcoming dates:
      • Tuesday 31st October at 2-4.30pm
      • Tuesday 28th November at 2-4.30pm
      • Tuesday 11th December at 2-4.30pm
  • Course 2 – 2 hours per week – Learning strategies to manage emotions – (4 sessions)
    • Face to Face – Upcoming dates:
      • Wednesday 15th November 2-4pm
    • Online – Upcoming dates:
      • Friday 17th November at 2-4pm
      • Friday 15th December at 10-12.30pm

People can access the course by self-referral via our link which can be provided by their GP or other professional support teams. Berkshire Healthcare is commissioning Together for Mental Wellbeing to deliver the Managing Emotions Programme in Berkshire West. The programme is part of a wider project to better support people’s mental health in the community.

The courses are available to people under primary care services, aged 18 and over, who are registered with a GP in West Berkshire, who have been identified as having difficulties with regulating and managing their emotions and are low levels of risk to themselves and others. People do not require a diagnosis of personality disorder to be referred to the programme. Features of the courses include:

  • They were co-produced with people with lived experience of personality disorder
  • They provide streamlined access to psychoeducational support
  • Courses are rooted in the voluntary sector/recovery college model
  • The programme values lived experience as a means to understand distress and to collectively identify helpful strategies
  • The shared identity of lived experience is identified and all of the courses are delivered alongside a lived experience practitioner
  • Inclusion and a feeling of empowerment and connectedness will be provided through the use of lived experience and peer-mentors/trainers
  • The courses look to provide a reduction in distress, whilst improving quality of life for people that take part

Making a referral to the Berkshire West Managing Emotions Programme

Referrals to the Berkshire West Managing Emotions Programme need to be made by GPs and other external professional teams registered in West Berkshire at in the form below. A professional can also provide individuals with the link to self-refer.

The courses are delivered both face to face and online, in groups of approximately 8-12 clients.

Berkshire West Managing Emotions Programme Referral Form

Information on the person being referred to Berkshire West Managing Emotions Programme

Please enter date format as DD/MM/YYYY
What gender do you or the person you're referring identify as? (please note this question is optional & can be left blank if the person would rather not say)
Is the gender you identify with or the person you're referring identifies with the same as the sex registered at birth? (please note this question is optional & can be left blank if the person would rather not say)
Please indicate which of the courses you'd like to book the person on to: (please note only 1 course may be booked at a time & people can refer straight into course 2. If you need more detail on the courses go to www.together-uk.org/projects/berkshire-west-managing-emotions-programme)
Are you currently under any secondary care?

Risk Assessment – Answers to the following questions will allow us to ensure needs are met appropriately participants in the course are kept safe. (if you're a professional referring someone these questions are asked towards the person)

Have you ever self-harmed?
When was the last time you self-harmed?
How frequently do you self harm?
Did you require medical attention such as A&E or to be seen by a paramedic?
Have you ever had thoughts of ending your life?
Have you ever acted on those thoughts to end your life?
When was the last time you attempted to end your life?
Do you currently have thoughts to end your life?
Please be aware that if you have made plans to end your life, we will attempt to contact you via telephone to talk through a safety plan with you and to support you in this difficult moment. Our working hours are Monday to Friday 9am-5pm. In the meantime, if you feel unable to keep yourself safe, please reach out to your GP, visit your local AnE, Samaritans 116 123, Breathing space (open 5pm-11pm 7 days a week) 0800 002 9091, Crisis team 0800 129 9999. If you require emergency medical attention, please call 999.
Have you made any plans to end your life?
Do you currently have difficulties with alcohol consumption or drug use?

Information on you as a professional referring a person to Berkshire West Managing Emotions Programme

First
Last
Do you give permission for your information to be shared with us at Berkshire West Managing Emotions Programme and to be contacted by us (If a referrer is completing this form please tick only if you have received consent from the individual this form is intended for): *
I agree to provide consent to allowing Together Mental Wellbeing to contact my GP if necessary:
Note: We will only contact your GP if we require further information to support you throughout the course, or if we have concerns of your wellbeing. Where possible we will contact you first to let you know we will be contacting your GP
I agree to provide consent to allowing Together Mental Wellbeing to contact Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust if necessary:
Please be aware we have supervision with a clinical supervisor from Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, and on occasions we may discuss referrals to ensure they are appropriate for our service.

Managing Emotions Programme resources

Further details on the Managing Emotions Programme courses

A single-session workshop lasting 2.5 hours, giving a basic introduction to the function of emotions and some coping skills to help during times of distress. This course would be suited to clients who have had no previous psycho-education and/or cannot commit to a more in-depth course. All material in this course is also covered in courses 2 and 3.

A 4-week course (2 hours per week) that explores understanding and labelling emotions, coping skills to reduce the intensity of emotions, and beginning to make positive changes. This course is suitable for clients who are looking to build a foundation of emotional awareness and regulation skills; no previous psycho-education is necessary. The material in this course is also covered in course 3.

  • Week 1 – Understanding emotions and how they affect mind, body and behaviour
  • Week 2 – Labelling emotions and identifying levels of emotional intensity
  • Week 3 – Coping skills to reduce emotional intensity during times of distress
  • Week 4 – Beginning to make a positive change

Our location

1a Rupert Square
Reading
RG1 3HE