What was the situation?

C arrived on a First Steps Confidence Building Course with a history of low mood and low self-esteem. Struggling to self-motivate and having developed a habit of putting others needs above their own. C shared that they felt at a crossroads in their life after being made redundant and keen to change direction, for a more positive outlook.

What was the intervention?

C set an individual goal and we used SMART targets to support progress and manage expectation.

We explored personal values and strengths and covered strategies to spin negative words into positive ones and noting how this change impacted on how C felt.

We introduced mindfulness and how it may support well-being and management of negative thoughts and feelings.

C was introduced to some simple breathing techniques which may offer support at times of stress or anxiety.

What was the outcome?

C shared that employing the new strategies was really having a positive impact on their everyday activities and how they felt. The reflection on personal strengths raised awareness of the number of skills and talents they had.

C said they feel like they have a toolbox of strategies and techniques to support well-being.. C said they felt more in control. They had a clear plan for progressing towards targets and goals. The interaction with others in the group was valuable, because it supported the realisation, that you are not alone, there are others with similar challenges.