BIG in RECOVERY is for adults who consider themselves to have a mental health condition.
We meet every Tuesday evening at 6.15pm at the Bury United Reformed Church, Parsons Lane, Bury.
Consultant Psychiatrists from Fairfield General Hospital attend to discuss mental health topics and provide their support.
We provide a welcoming, safe environment where we enjoy sharing our experiences, supporting one another and providing a successful journey of recovery.yihoss
At BIG you have the opportunity to meet new people and make friends, gaining peer support and providing support to others.
The group enables you to learn about mental health, improving your knowledge and understanding.
6.15pm at Bury United Reformed Church, Parsons Lane, Bury.
Topics 2017
| 16th January | Alternative approaches to emotional distress | Dr Karin Bacha – Psychologist |
| 23rd January | 1st Aid Workshop | The British Red Cross |
| 30th January | BPS guide to understanding psychosis and schizophrenia | Dr Karin Bacha – Psychologist |
| 6th February | Help finding work, writing CV’S, confidence courses, and other activities. | Bury Employment Support & Training |
| 13th February | Trauma: The Body Remembers | Dr Karin Bacha – Psychologist |
| 20th February | Mental Health & Spirituality | Matthew Coleclough – Anxiety Specialist |
| 27th February | The seven basic emotions | Dr Claire Bacha – Psychotherapist |
| 6th March | My Story: Agoraphobia, panic attacks, anxiety and depression | Jason Madden, BIG Volunteer |
| 13th March | Trauma: Paths to Recovery | Dr Karin Bacha – Psychologist |
| 20th March | Understanding Dissociation & Trauma | Julie Anne Allison |
| 27th March | Social approaches: Taking Care | Dr Karin Bacha – Psychologist |
| 3rd April | Journey to Recovery | Nadia Miller |
| 10th April | My Recovery Story | Sean O’Donnell |
| 17th April | Identity disorders | Dr Andrew Shepherd – Psychiatrist |
| 24th April | The Voice of Feeling | Dr Karin Bacha – Psychologist |
| 1st May | Mental Fatigue | Matthew Coleclough |
| 8th May | Social approaches: On our own | Dr Karin Bacha – Psychologist |
| 15th May | Physical health, food and coping | Dr Julia Hose – Psychiatrist |
| 22nd May | Dr Fernando – Psychiatrist | |
| 29th May | Recruiting compassionate nurses | Steve Lyon – Senior Lecturer & CBT Therapist |
| 5th June | Intrusive thoughts severe depression and anxiety at the age of 52 my story | Chris Makin – BIG Volunteer |
| 12th June | Creative Living Centre Peer Mentor Project | Caroline Pollard – CLC |
| 19th June | Fundamental questions about the meaning of life | Dr Karin Bacha – Psychologist |
| 26th June | My Story | Leon Chambers |
| 3rd July | Creativity at BIG | Dr Karin Bacha – Psychologist |
| 10th July | Journey to Recovery | Nadia Miller |
| 17th July | The therapeutic affect of nature and animals | Dr Karin Bacha – Psychologist |
Please note RECOVERY is held every Tuesday.
Statement from Consultant Psychiatrist Dr Sadiq
The Consultants at the Irwell Unit, Fairfield General Hospital, are delighted to be in a position to support and be supported by, service users through BIG. We meet with BIG on alternate Tuesdays for 2 hour sessions between 6-15pm and 8-15pm. These sessions are attended by Consultants and Service Users. We ourselves are there primarily to learn about, and from, the experiences of service users about their
illnesses and their experience of services. This dialogue allows us an invaluable insight to how we can improve the care service users receive and also to evaluate what we do. We are very fortunate to be in a profession that allows us help alleviate distress that is caused by mental illness, and must continually look to how we can best do this. We have enjoyed and benefited hugely from the sessions so far and want to work hard to increase the membership of organisations like BIG.
Dr Asad Sadiq
Statement from Consultant Psychiatrist Dr Fernando
As a department we feel it is important to hear the patient’s voice, their thoughts on their experience
and how we can work together to improve the service so at the points of need, it is flexible and more
I think the benefits of working with service users is to the service, (more responsive, timely and smoother interactions, with more knowledgeable staff) and to patients who will be more informed about their condition, the available options to them in different circumstances, as well as further service development. I do feel as a group BIG has a lot to offer mental health services in Bury. Thank you for inviting us to take part.responsive. This is critical in developing a system that is both humane and efficient and I strongly believe the two can go together. We also would like to teach, but most importantly, learn from yourselves because service user experience (in life, dealing with their condition and from using the services on offer) offers them insights that would be instructive and educational to all staff who work in providing a service.
Dr Nihal Fernando
Dr Gupta
Comments from people attending BIG in Recovery
“helped me to meet other people who understand my worries and anxieties”
“has encouraged me to get out of the house and become more socially active”
“BIG in Recovery has enabled me to meet other people with similar issues to myself and has helped me gain more insight into other illnesses”
“reduce isolation and helped me to make friends”
” has given me focus in life and provided me with a safe haven”
“helped to reduce stigma in the wider community”
“provided useful information and signposted me to other relevant services”
“increased self-esteem and confidence”
“has given me one evening per week to look forward to”
“helped me to feel a valuable member of society”
“helped me to realize that I am not alone”
“being able to share my own experiences and listen to others within a caring and understanding environment”
“provides a stable and non-judgmental environment”
“helped me to stop feeling ashamed of myself and my diagnosis”
“encouraged me to discuss my mental health issues with others in the group”
“psychiatrists have helped me to learn more about my illness through their talks every fortnight and have given me the information needed to research the subject further, if relevant”
“played a major role both in reducing my isolation and my on-going recovery from anxiety and depression”
“provided me with somewhere I can interact socially which has helped in my recovery from social anxiety”
“given me a sense of purpose”
“helped me to stay well and out of hospital”
