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TherapeuticThread
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Our Charitable Work
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All BTC/HTC Practitioners commit at least 25% of their time to the provision of low-cost and no-cost therapy. Any surplus generated from our mainstream work is ploughed back into our charitable services. You can help someone in your community access the support they need by contributing using the button below.
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Can't donate? Spread the word! If you're enjoying our newsletter, send it to your friends and get them to subscribe. Or if you know someone who might be looking to start therapy, send them our way.
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This Week
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We can't believe its already May!
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In this week's newsletter, there's a range of content for you to dig your teeth into. You can expect a thoughtful piece from a member of our employed team all about his experience learning how to set boundaries. The latest mental health news, an adorable short video about the therapeutic practice of knitting, and our latest practitioner spotlight. Ever heard of therapy with horses? Let Debbie Broadhurst introduce you.
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May in Brighton means one thing - Fringe Festival! It can be a nightmare wading through the program of shows deciding what to go see, so our events calendar this week features a curation of performances with one common theme: mental health. Do let us know if you end up going to see any of them and what you think!
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Boundaries: there to protect us
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A few words from Ryan Pratt
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When something has high value, people go to great lengths to protect it. Look around and you’ll see sophisticated alarms, fences, gates, padlocks all preventing other people from stealing, abusing, or trespassing on their possessions. People want to keep their valuables safe. Why would your values, wants, needs and morals be any different? Aren’t they some of the things that enable us to lead happy and meaningful lives?
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Setting healthy boundaries, just when speaking the words, sounds easy. We all know people who are role models in boundary setting; what ‘rules’ there are to being their acquaintance. But applying this to oneself doesn’t always come so easily.
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I struggle with boundaries. It took me a long time to realise there was even a term for the difficulty I felt in saying no to people, and that there were steps I could take to protect myself from an ill-conditioned belief that my own feelings, needs, and values didn’t matter. If only I could conquer the steps of setting healthy boundaries, I could live a more fulfilling and meaningful life, and not be so tied to pleasing others and putting myself last.
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One of the things that helped me the most was considering how I feel when somebody placed a boundary on me. I respected the other person’s decision and didn’t in any way feel upset, angry or resentful toward them. So why did I feel so strongly that I would bring about this reaction in others if I ever attempted to assert my own wants or needs? Boundary issues. I was overjoyed when I first heard the term, and even more thrilled there were books, papers and communities of people and therapists all available to me to help me overcome my own.
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It's a lifelong pursuit to control and set your boundaries. Especially as our minds and personalities evolve over time, so must the set of conditions we set to protect ourselves from situations that can, over time, gradually chip away at our self-worth and the pillars of our most basic needs. New perspective, knowledge and experiences mean what might have worked for us once might not work now or in the future. It would be akin to protecting a new car with a bike lock!
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Through the help of therapy, the support of friends and family, books and colleagues, I am getting better at saying ‘no’. Working in a therapy centre has helped me realise that it’s rather common for people to struggle with boundaries, and it took me a long time to realise that I could talk about this and begin guarding my peace, wellbeing and mental health. I am finally realising the importance of my own wants, needs and values, and I’m continuing to work on protecting them to ensure I can find happiness and preserve my worth by setting healthy boundaries.
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Your ‘yes’ means nothing without ever saying ‘no’.
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Events Calendar
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Brighton Fringe X Mental Health
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Written & Performed by Barbara Diesel, directed by Helen Parry
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"Dear Eliza is a one-woman play investigating the deterioration of a friendship under the strain of mental illness. In a media culture that either villainises or victimises the mentally ill, Dear Eliza navigates the grey area with guts and defiance. The production is proud to also be raising money for the mental health charity, Mind."
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Saturday 4th May - Wednesday 29th May.
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BN1 Arts Centre, New England Street, Brighton, BN1 4GW.
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"In a world full of ugliness, desperation and people touching you with dirty hands, OCD became Tina's coping mechanism. Not your typical OCD of every day. Instead, it's the OCD that tangles inside your stomach and shows-up inside your head non-invited. She tries to hide her symptoms, for example touching things 3 times, but it's in her DNA, and to her discomfort the world starts noticing it. But relax. It's a comedy. Fine, a tragicomedy."
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Thursday 30th May - Sunday 2nd June.
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"This is NOT a show about mental health. In fact, this is NOT a show. THIS is a disorder.
We’re just joking. We’re HALF joking. We’re BORDERLINE joking.
Have we rehearsed it? Possibly.
Have we written it? It depends.
Is there a script? Unclear.
But it is a comedy, right? A comedy about severe mental illness?! Who would do such a thing?!"
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Tuesday 28th May- Saturday 1st June.
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Rotunda Theatre, Regency Square, Brighton, BN1 2FG.
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"The Stylish Kids in the Riot explores the subculture of football hooliganism and its potential toll on men's mental health.
This story provides an unfiltered lens on the relationship of four Hammersmith F.C fans on a champions league away day in France."
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Monday 20th May - Thursday 23rd May.
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Presuming Ed's, London Road, Brighton, BN1 4JG.
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"Visible Mending"
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An easy-to-love animation, Visible Mending (2023) renders the creative lives of eight knitters from across the UK in charming stop motion. The interviewees, including two knitting teachers, a mathematician and a woman recovering from a stroke, each give voice to the therapeutic effects of their practice.
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Book your Initial Consultation
Hastings Therapy Centre and Brighton Therapy Centre have vacancies for therapy throughout the week. We offer individual, relationship and group therapies.
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We also have a number of low-cost appointments available.
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Book your consultation now:
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I've been asking our therapists what it is they do and why they do it, to help introduce you to them. Next up, meet Debbie Broadhurst, Psychodynamic Counsellor and specialist in Equine-facilitated Psychotherapy.
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"I was working in a hospice as a communications professional when the seed was first planted for me to become a therapist. Working alongside so many amazing healthcare professionals and witnessing the impact they had on individuals and their families made me want to help others experiencing distress and grief.
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I find it a privilege to get to know my clients and support them through the process of awareness, understanding and change. I work with adults at all stages of life experiencing forms of loss and change such as bereavement, illness, relationship endings and other life-changing situations. I also have a special interest in supporting people going through the significant challenge of baby loss and infertility and all that those things encompass.
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I enjoy continuing to develop my knowledge and practice. When I discovered equine-facilitated psychotherapy (EFP) was growing as an innovative approach for a range of mental health issues such as anxiety, self-esteem, trauma and addiction, I knew it was a path I had to follow.
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Most of us are aware of the benefits of the human-animal bond. Working with horses therapeutically enables us to explore this connection in a deeper and more meaningful way. It is often short-term dynamic work that can crystallise our thoughts, feelings and behaviour patterns. Horses are highly sensitive to their environment, are non-verbal, non-judgemental and very much live in the moment, so they respond to humans in the moment too. All the work is on the ground - no riding is involved. I tend to integrate EFP into room-based work. Being outdoors in nature can be a valuable alternative to indoor environments.
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Having experienced it myself, I passionately believe in equine therapy."
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Have Your Say
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13th - 19th May is Mental Health Awareness Week! This year's theme is "Movement: moving more for our mental health". The next Therapeutic Thread will have a particular focus on that so we want to know, how do you move for your mental health?
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"I genuinely feel that I understand myself more now than ever before. I came to therapy for one perceived issue and went on quite a journey (sometimes painful) to discover more about the causes rather than the symptoms of the mental health issues I was experiencing. This has really made a big difference to my life as I am learning to pay more attention to how I actually feel."
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Follow us on Social Media
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See what us and our community are discussing on our social media pages and join the conversation!
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Meet our Practitioners
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Browse the practitioners who offer therapeutic services from a range of modalities and specialities
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Meet our Employed Team
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Meet the friendly team behind BTC and HTC who will help you find the help you may need
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Meet our Trustees
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Meet our trustees who offer their valued experience and knowledge to support our charity
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2nd Floor, 17 Havelock Road
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Charity Number: 1150032 | Company Number: 07791021
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