Trin’s Journey

Hi I’m Trin and I was at Elmhurst for 4 years and it was definitely a rollercoaster of a journey…

I started off my journey without being able to go 24 hours without going Missing From Home and being found in difficult situations to the point that I was sectioned again and readmitted to hospital but Elmhurst came to visit me and made me feel more comfortable that they weren’t going to give up on me.

A week later I was discharged back to Elmhurst and I was doing okay for a while, I wasn’t the easiest person to work with by any means but still no one gave up on me.

I had a stable month but then relapsed again and ended up needing another hospital admission but still Elmhurst never gave up on me and had me back after a week of stabilising in hospital and came to visit me while I was in hospital.

There were bumps along the way but I kept fighting for recovery and finally found a therapist that worked for me and really helped me make use of my already learnt DBT skills and make them into a booklet that helped me know what skills to use for different situations/ emotions.

The last 7 months of my journey at CIM I was so recovery focused, and it really helped that staff believed in me and actually saw how much work I was putting into my recovery and that nothing could be put in my way.

In December 2024 I found a new placement and the day I got told I was accepted I cried because it was the next step in my journey and I was quite sad though about leaving what I called home for 4 years of my life and a place that actually saved my life. Don’t get me wrong it wasn’t always sunshine and butterflies I had a lot of difficult times with certain staff members but I worked on it and worked on building up my trust again but the current staff team at Elmhurst I cannot fault them. They are a lovely bunch and want the best for everyone there.

I have now left CIM but I know I have left it in good hands as everyone from the manager to the support workers work tirelessly to help in any way they can.

CIM helped me build up my confidence, reintegrated me into the community, helped me be more resilient and most importantly showed me that recovery is in fact possible

A quote I will always live by is…
Is recovery hard? Yes. But is it worth it? Oh gosh yes! And I will leave you with that.

Thank you Care in Mind!

Dom’s story

By Dom Daly, Young Persons Champion at Care in Mind

Dom Daly (photo kindly supplied by Dom)

I’ve struggled with mental health for as long as I can remember, but when I was younger I never really told anyone. When I was 17, I attempted suicide and ended up in hospital. Over the next year, I was in and out of hospital until, in February 2018, I attempted suicide again. I barely survived and had to learn how to walk again. That’s when the mental health team said I needed more than hospital treatment—I needed a lot of work.Eventually, I was referred to Care in Mind and moved into Willowhurst in Preston.I lived there for 18 months, and honestly, it changed my life. I decided to go with Care in Mind because as soon as I met the staff, James and Andy, I knew I liked the ethos of the house and they seemed to relate to me. James asked me ‘How’s your cooking?’ and I stuttered and Andy said ‘Beans on toast level’ which was so true and made me laugh. Meeting them felt very casual and calm, before meeting them I never felt that I could build a working relationship with anyone.

What helped me most was their “least restrictive” model of care. It helped me develop because it was ‘least restrictive’. I’d been everywhere else where it was restriction, restriction, restriction… it was actually what I needed to recover. You’re trusted to make choices, and that freedom gave me back a sense of control over my own life. Just being able to go for a walk to clear my head—on my own terms—was a huge step in my recovery.

The staff knew me so well and knew when I needed my time away. They’d let me go and would just text me to say ‘we’re here for you when you come back’. The staff members aren’t there just for a pay cheque; they really do care.

Living at Willowhurst felt more like home than anything I’d ever experienced before. Everyone is very much a part of the house and takes on responsibilities. I even converted the garage into a gym with their support—it became my own little project. They gave me a budget, and I sourced equipment, cleaned and painted the space. It gave me purpose.

The therapy options were also brilliant. I always just stuck to the standard therapy because I just needed to talk but knowing the options were there was really good. I made more progress in weeks at Willowhurst than I had in months of hospital care.

Now I live independently and work for Care in Mind as a Young Persons Champion. I help with staff training, run projects, and give service users a voice. I’ve been doing a lot of work with training new staff. So, I’ve started my own training based on—I call it as a joke ’empathy training’—I basically explain through my personal experience what I’ve been through and certain impactful points in my life and then basically my advice on how to help understand and help the young people (YPs) themselves through, because I’ve been on both sides.

The main thing I learned during my time at Willowhurst was that I’m not a bad person. I learned that a lot of what had happened to me wasn’t my fault, that I’m not a bad person, I like who I am and that being me is okay. I’d recommend Care in Mind because they’re so versatile and they can help you in so many ways. I believe that the company exists because they really do care.

James’* Journey

James* came to Care in Mind on our Rapid Intake and Assessment pathway. Following the initial 12 week stabilisation and assessment programme, he was offered a continued placement with Care in Mind to focus on achieving his recovery goals. After a total of 8 months in placement, James was able to step down into a semi-supported placement in the community, where he has his own flat and will be able to continue his journey towards independent living.

About James

James* had experienced several Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) early in life. His parents were substance users who neglected the home environment, and he witnessed domestic violence between his parents during his childhood. James became a Looked After Child in 2023 after being known to Social Services for quite some time.

In Autumn of 2024, James’ mental health deteriorated and he engaged in some risky self-harming behaviours which resulted in him being admitted to a Medical Assessment Unit at a general hospital. Due to the decline in his mental health, James’ previous placement was no longer appropriate leaving him with no fixed address.

Rapid Intake Admission

James was referred to Care in Mind, and due to the loss of his previous placement and the lack of stable base to support a planned transition, he was offered a placement on our Rapid Intake and Assessment pathway. This pathway offers swift assessment and admission to one of our CQC registered care homes for a 12 week assessment and stabilisation programme. Our MDT undertake a comprehensive assessment of presenting behaviours and needs and formulate a person-centred plan to support recovery.

James moved into one of homes within a few days of his referral. He was experiencing heightened anxiety and resorted to self-harming behaviours to manage his stress and emotion. Initially, James struggled to engage with the clinical package and the residential team. He spent a lot of time away from the service in the community, with repeated incidents of missing from home. When present in service, expressed significant anxiety and had a lot of incidents. However, over time, James began to build therapeutic relationships with the residential support staff and built meaningful and trusting relationships.

James’ Care

James began engaging in his weekly clinical sessions; one session with his Clinical Nurse Specialist and one with his allocated Psychologist. James used his nursing sessions as a space for emotional expression and grounding, often using his time to discuss and explore the effectiveness of his coping techniques. Additionally, James used his psychology sessions to discuss his background and how his early experiences impacted his “here and now”.

James began working on his independence and living skills with our residential support team. They supported James with developing skills such as budgeting and engaging in the community. James was encouraged to fill out a weekly activity planner in which he could plan a one-to-one activity with staff in the community and a group activity with the other service users, as well as a weekly facilitated food shop.

Following the initial 12 week assessment period, James was offered a continued placement with Care in Mind to focus on recovery goals. James was supported to work towards goals set in accordance with the ‘Mental Health Recovery Star’. James’ recovery goals included work around budgeting his money and weekly allowances, maintaining a clean and tidy living space and exploring volunteering and educational opportunities.

Next Steps for James

Following his 18th birthday, James was ready to move onto a new semi-supported placement in the community. Once a new placement was identified for James, a personalised transition plan was made to ensure a smooth and consistent transition and transfer of care. The residential team supported James to gradually move his possessions to his new service and integrate him into his new placement and community; supporting him to register with a local GP and attending a local college’s open day.

After eight months at Care In Mind, James moved onto his new placement. James hopes to re-enrol in an educational setting, or to gain employment. He is excited to have his own flat and a space which is his own. In the future, James hopes to live independently and wishes to continue to use the skills he has learnt to manage his mental health and anxiety.

James’ Outcomes:

*Name changed to protect identity

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