Local Groups

While there are many sources of help for self injurers and, to some extent the people supporting them, on the internet there are also face to face groups aimed to give support and advice. Just a few of these can be found here.

Penumbra Support Group (Scotland)

The next support group from Parentline and Penumbra for parents and carers of those who self-harm will be held on Wednesday, 23rd January from 6 -8 pm at CHILDREN 1st, 83 Whitehouse Loan, Edinburgh. It is an open group for anyone who wants support surrounding this issue, be that as a parent, sibling or carer.

For further information, click the link below to see the poster or email Maria Naranjo.

Penumbra Poster

Depression Alliance

Depression Alliance is a UK charity aimed at relieving and preventing depression by providing information and support services to those who are affected by it.

They offer a range of services including Self help groups which are held throughout the uk and a Penfriend scheme putting those affected by depression (including carers) in touch with one another.

For more information on these schemes, and finding a group near you, click on the links above.

Luton Churches Education Trust

Luton Churches Education Trust has a page on self harm. From time to time, they hold special evenings for parents of young people who self harm and offer specific support work for self harmers in the form of six week courses, meeting weekly. Visit www.lcet.org/selfharm/#q10 if you would like to know more.

No Secrets – St Helens

No Secrets is an organisation created to provide support for those in St Helens who self-injure, as well as for those people who have a relative who self-injures. Two support groups run in the town centre:

Self-injury support group – Millenium Centre, St Helens (1st Floor, meeting room 1) every fortnight from 10-12 (see dates below).

Carer’s support group – Carer’s Centre, St Helens, every 4 weeks from 10-12.

For more information or to speak directly with either Kerri or Maureen, please email:
[email protected] – for the Self Injury Support
[email protected] – For the Carer’s/relatives Support

Or telephone: 07964226657

Mental Health Support

Mental Health Support is a partnership project between New Horizons Mental Health and Emotional Well-being Resource Centre and Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council. Mental Health Support aims to provide accessible advice and information about mental health issues and services to people with mental health problems, their carers, health professionals and anyone else with an interest in mental illness.

New Horizons

New Horizons manages a range of resource and outreach centres throughout Rhondda Cynon Taff for people experiencing mental health or emotional wellbeing issues.

Swansea Self Help Initiative

Swansea Self Help Initiative (supported by Swansea MIND) currently runs a drop in centre for people dealing with self harm. It runs from 10.30am – 12.30pm on Wednesdays, and is held at the MIND Drop-in Centre, 66 St Helens Road, Swansea, SA1 4BE. For more information contact Swansea MIND or visit the SWSHI website.

Cumbria Self Injury Support

Cumbria Self Injury Support in North Cumbria (SIS) is a local charity based in Carlisle (2 Lowthians Lane, above the One World Centre) that aims to support people who self-harm, and offer information and support to those people who support them. SIS offers free counselling to those who self-harm, in all areas with postcodes beginning CA. There are also support groups available, training for those working with people who self-harm, various publications and a quarterly newsletter.

Phone Ruth in the office on 01228 515500 or email sis-cumbri[email protected]. For more information visit Cumbria SIS website.

LifeLink

LifeLink is a Glasgow based organisation providing one to one support, assessment and onward referrals; information on harm minimisation/training on wound dressing; counselling and massage therapy on site and support for family, friends and carers. They hold two drop in sessions, one for adults on Mondays from 10am – 1.30pm, Tuesdays from 10am – 4pm, Wednesdays from 3pm – 9pm, Thursdays from 10am – 4pm and Fridays from 10am – 3pm. They also hold an under-16s session on Thursdays from 4pm – 6pm. For more details see LifeLink website.

Bowhaven

Bowhaven is a user run mental health centre based in Tower Hamlets. They support the running of several groups of mental health service users and encourage mental health service users from all ethnic backgrounds to take up use of available space at the centre. They run a variety of groups each week and anyone is welcome. For more details, and groups information, see Bowhaven groups.

Self Help Services

A a user-led mental health charity based in Manchester. They run groups for a variety of people including those dealing with self harm, anxiety and alcoholism, amongst others. A list of the groups they run, and further informatin about them, can be found here while specific information about their Women and Self Harm group can be found here.

42nd Street

An organisation based around Manchester, Salford or Trafford providing support services to young people experiencing stress and mental health problems. Counselling is weekly and is currently available at their Manchester city centre base and in several community venues in Manchester, Salford and Trafford. A wide variety of groups are also run at 42nd Street. The groups are designed to provide young people with support, both from workers and each other as well as providing the opportunity to get involved in activities such as sport, art, drama and music. Drop-in sessions are available at the city centre base on Mondays 4.00 – 6.00pm, where young people can access support along side a range of resources, internet access and a free library. For more details see here.

Mind

Mind is one of the largest mental health charities in the UK, dealing with a range of mental health issues. There are around 200 local Mind associations (LMAs) in England and Wales which provide services such as advice and information, advocacy, drop-in sessions and resources, and workshops, among others. For more details see Mind in your area and enter your postcode or location.