DDN_June_2024 DDN June 2024 | Page 19

‘ It helps me to see how I ’ m progressing and helps to open up conversations about things that are going on .’
BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATING IN THE SHARING CIRCLES
Time for each participant to reflect on their week and chart .
The opportunity for each participant to share their feelings and experiences in a supportive environment .
Encouragement for participants to think about steps they can take to progress on their recovery .
Feedback from the group , offering new ideas and insights .
Hearing other people ’ s stories and seeing how their journey unfolds , providing valuable learning opportunities .
The opportunity to support peers , which can be fulfilling and is often an essential part of recovery .
in the form of encouragement , support , and guidance . Even though the group structure is simple and straightforward , the benefits it affords have been shown to have a desirable therapeutic effect on residents , as is demonstrated by the progress recorded in the trackers and the feedback received .
‘ These tools are very helpful . I think it ’ s good to address your problems and how you ’ re feeling so you can improve on what it is that ’ s bothering you . I was sceptical at first but am glad now that I gave it a chance .’
‘ It helps me to see how I ’ m progressing and helps to open up conversations about things that are going on . It helps to talk about my chart with somebody I know , helps me to relax and be open and honest .’
‘ I think they are very good as they give me the opportunity to monitor myself and how I am feeling . Therefore , I can look at ways to improve my sense of wellbeing whilst acknowledging what may be going right or wrong for me . I would recommend these to anyone who is up and down with their moods and mental health , as it gives them the chance to see how things can be done different , for the better .’
MONTHLY SURVEYS Each participant in the community survey completes the monthly self-tracking tool , which is then reviewed by a recovery practitioner or care coordinator . It is then possible to identify residents with a low score so extra support may be offered .
‘ I think they ’ re a good idea as you can look and compare every week and see where you ’ re OK . You can see if things have improved or declined , and where the scores are not good you know that those are the areas you need to work on improving .’
PIECING IT TOGETHER Over the past four months , the DARS team has been preparing to launch a new recovery wing in HMP Manchester – an exciting time for both residents and staff . The care coordinator responsible for its development , Stephanie Ash , has encouraged the integration of structured approaches , which includes selftracking from the outset .
The recovery wing is now up and running , and every high-intensity client attends a weekly self-tracking sharing circle for their first two months . In addition , all recovery wing residents have opportunities for weekly self-tracking peermentoring sessions and are
invited to participate in the monthly community survey . This survey allows staff to monitor the average score of residents on the wing and respond with additional attention and support to any residents with a low score .
Moving forward , focus remains on refining these tools and strategies , which are guided by the invaluable insights of the residents and the unwavering dedication of the staff at the prison .
If you ’ d like to know more about self-tracking for recovery , Gearóid ’ s book – Recovery Made Simple – Why Suffer ? is available on Amazon .
Gearóid Carey is founder of 2-Step Recovery
Lisa Ogilvie is a counsellor at Acorn Recovery Projects
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JUNE 2024 • DRINK AND DRUGS NEWS • 19