The Rewind Technique for Post-Traumatic Stress
RSVP are offering training for all professionals working in rape and sexual abuse support services on Saturday 18th July, 9.30am-4.30pm in Birmingham city centre.
The Rewind Technique has become internationally recognised as an effective treatment for PTS/PTSD. The treatment is different to other imaginal exposure therapies as details of trauma don’t need to be disclosed to the therapist, reducing the risk of clients being re-traumatised.
This event is suitable for practitioners working with clients that have been traumatised by surviving or witnessing trauma, such as sexual abuse, and are consequently suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress. The course is suitable for statutory, voluntary and private organisations, as well as individual counsellors/therapists.
By the end of the course participants will have:
- Competence in applying the Rewind Technique,
- A clear understanding of how and why the Rewind Technique works,
- A solid grounding in recognising and treating PTSD.
The full-day course costs £100 for voluntary organisations and individuals + booking fee/ £120 for statutory organisations + booking fee. Price includes lunch and refreshments.
Places can be booked at www.eventbrite.co.uk
Venue: 7th Floor, Grosvenor House, Bennett’s Hill, Birmingham, B2 5RS. 5 minute walk from New Street station.
The session will be run by Dr David Muss. Prior to his involvement in developing the Rewind Technique Dr Muss was a Paediatric Surgeon and a family doctor. Since 1988 Dr Muss has worked as the Director of the PTSD UNIT at the BMI Hospital, Birmingham.
Volunteering – a work of heart
This year’s Volunteers Week took place 1-7 June. We currently work with over 60 volunteers who help RSVP deliver vital support to survivors in various ways, from direct client care (counselling, helpline) to marketing, fundraising and research. But, why volunteer? Here’s a little insight from one of our amazing volunteer counsellors.
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When I tell people that I volunteer as a counsellor, I’m usually met with hushed silence. I suspect I’m sometimes dismissed as a bit of a ‘do-gooder.’ One of those irritating people with too much time on their hands who make a big deal of their selflessness.
None of these labels quite fit. I’m certainly no angel. And while my empty nest has relieved me of big financial burdens, I still have to bring home some bread.
Maybe the real question underlying ‘why volunteer?’ is curiosity about my motives? Doing “owt for nowt” makes little sense in a society where value is quantified in an hourly rate. Never mind that I don’t properly value myself by working for nothing, what possible worth could voluntary work have for the world at large? I think we all know the answer to that one. Volunteering probably contributes billions to the UK economy, though that’s the very least of its virtues, even in a society that monetises everything. Its big-heartedness can be felt in every household, community, town and city across the land, providing everything that makes life worth living.
The fact that I’m not paid for my voluntary work is less a reflection of its worth – more a critique on how we organise our economy.
But none of this really explains why over 19 million people in the UK choose to volunteer every year. I suspect that for most, like me, the motivation is a simple one. I absolutely love what I do. It stirs my heart and expands my mind. Most of all it connects me deeply to people in a way that would never be sanctioned in the commercial world where profit rules. I get to work in a great organisation which is fired by compassion and delivered with the kind of professionalism that would put the big corporates to shame.
Volunteering is all about nurturing social relationships, the ‘greatest single cause of happiness’ according to psychologist Michael Argyle. That’s probably why RSVP’s 62 volunteers have a spring in their step. They apply their skills with love, whether they’re staffing the helpline, serving on the board, making arts and crafts, raising funds, doing IT and admin, overseeing the website and social media or offering counselling to clients.
They know that if you want to be happy for a day, buy a Porsche. But if you want to be happy for a lifetime, volunteer.
Fundraising success!
We’ve had some wonderful fundraising successes over the past few weeks, which will enable us to employ more counsellors and increase our helpline opening hours.
The Home Office has allocated additional funds to survivor support organisations and we’re delighted to inform you that we are one of them. We’ve been awarded funding from two funds totalling just over £155,000! We’re over the moon (and some more).
We have also received £14,056 from the Brook Trust, a private charitable trust, towards counselling costs.
As the need for RSVP’s services increases each year, so do our running costs; needing more staff and resources to support new and existing clients. Our recent fundraising success will have a really positive impact – reducing our counselling waiting list and recruiting more volunteers to give helpline support.
Our fundraising efforts don’t stop here, we still need to rent bigger premises to accommodate for the number of clients requiring our counselling and advocacy support. If you’re interested in donating, or fundraising for RSVP there are many ways you can help.
Training for sexual violence support workers
THE MENTAL HEALTH CONSEQUENCES OF CHILDHOOD SEXUAL ABUSE: THE SOCIAL / TRAUMA MODEL
The aim of the course is to explore a model linking experiences of violence and abuse with mental distress and draw implications for practice.
The course is aimed at practitioners delivering services to people who are, or may be, experiencing mental distress as a result of experiences of sexual violence, trauma and abuse.
Participants will learn about the connections between childhood sexual abuse and later mental health distress. The course will look into the impact these connections have on service delivery and develop tools for participants’ practical application.
Wednesday 3rd June. Arrival from 9.00am, training 9.30am-4.30pm
Mailbox, Wharfside St, Birmingham, B1 1RD. 10 minute walk from New Street and Moor Street train stations.
The full-day course costs £75 for voluntary organisations and individuals + booking fee/ £95 for statutory organisations + booking fee. Price includes lunch and refreshments.
The session will be run by Sally Plumb, an independent trainer in mental health law and practice. Sally has worked as a mental health training officer and mental health specialist social worker and has facilitated self-help groups for women who have been sexually abused.
Places are very limited. To book a place on the course, go to Eventbrite.co.uk
Banger Rally – Birmingham to Venice
2015 is officially the year of banger racing! In September, the Rotary Banger Rally is taking place, seeing a convoy of beautiful bangers making the journey from Birmingham to Venice.
The great people at the Rotary Club of Solihull Satellite Group (Team RSG) are collecting for RSVP and we want to encourage as many of our supporters to get involved as possible. Various sponsorship packages are available for businesses and you can see your name rallied around the roads of Europe, all in the name of RSVP.
Would your place of work be interested in sponsoring the event? Speak to your employer about getting your company logo on one of the cars cruising through the continent – it could make a real impact! Supporters can also give direct, for as little as £10.
Have you ever wanted to experience driving on the Autobahn in style, the wind in your hair, accompanied by the face of our favourite bear? That’s right – Pudsey’s Cash Car is joining the fun journey across Europe and continuing to raise money.
For more information, and to see how you can get involved, go to www.rotary-banger-rally-2015.com and follow the journey on twitter #rotrally2015.
Safe driving… and Ciao!
Aleena x
Charity Tuesday Competition
There’s loads of different ways to support RSVP, and some won’t cost you a penny! The Give as You Live’s Charity Tuesday Competition is a great (and free!) way to help us get funds. And the best thing is that it happens every Tuesday!
Post a message to @giveasyoulive on Twitter or Facebook with the hashtag #CharityTuesday, saying which charity you support. You’ll be in with a chance to win a shopping voucher worth £20, and a £20 donation to RSVP from Give As You Live. We value your help and each and every way you can help to make a difference. Get back what you give and start supporting RSVP today!
Thanks from Melissa!
#Giveme5 – double your donation
Local Giving’s #GiveMe5 campaign gives charities the chance to receive match funding on £5 donations made on Wednesday 28th January and Wednesday 25th February. All donations of £5 we receive on those two days will be added to a random draw, the selected donations will be doubled and all funds will come directly to RSVP.
Your donations will go towards our essential services to survivors of sexual violence and abuse. Our support is freely available to women, children and men affected by sexual violence in Birmingham and Solihull.
£5 pays for one person to travel to a counselling appointment. If your donation is doubled, that £10 pays for three sessions with a volunteer counsellor.
Go to localgiving.com/charity/rsvp-wm and donate £5 to RSVP on Wednesday 28th January or Wednesday 25th February or go to localgiving.com/gm5 to read more about the campaign.
Sexual abuse: the questions you’ve never had a chance to ask
Image courtesy of Dr Nina Burrowes
Over on the Self-help page we’ve put a link to the videos produced by psychologist Dr. Nina Burrowes. We think that many survivors will find what she has to say extremely useful. Nina’s work is invaluable, particularly when survivors are trying to address difficult questions about abuse and are looking for help, advice and answers.
Nina raises questions about sexual abuse, questions that survivors have often never had the chance to ask anyone. Her video guides are short and informative, covering topics like, ‘Should I go for therapy?’, and ‘Why are sex offenders able to get away with it?’
Nina uses cartoons to help people understand themselves and others better. She says ‘the key to living with life’s challenges and being the best we can be is understanding our humanity better.’ We certainly find that her range of resources, including her book “The Courage to Be Me” a story of courage, self-compassion and hope after sexual abuse, does just that and helps survivors improve their understanding of themselves. We hope everyone using her resources find them invaluable. www.ninaburrowes.com
Welcome to our new website
We hope you like the look and feel of our new website.
We’ve worked hard to make the website accessible, but if you do find any accessibility issues when browsing the site, please let us know via info@rsvporg.co.uk
Coming soon, we’ll be updating our self help literature, feel free to let us know if there are issues and topics that you’d like to see covered in the self help section.