The Therapy Programme

Connect operates as a 24 hour, seven days a week therapeutic community.  There are therapy staff on duty at all times.

The environment is a planned and structured one which provides safety and structure for people to develop the internal resources to order their own lives.  Living in a responsive environment raises underlying issues, which can then be resolved.  With the support of therapists, peers are encouraged to identify unmet developmental needs.  The therapeutic process is based on a series of contracts about how these needs will be met.  The community as a whole models appropriate responses and behaviour; peers learn ways of dealing with conflict and of expressing needs.

There is a therapy group every morning; currently our typical weekly routine for therapy groups is as follows:

• Monday - Therapy group (Gestalt)
• Tuesday - Therapy group (Transactional Analysis).
• Wednesday - Extended feelings check.
• Thursday - Art group.
• Friday - Therapy group (Transactional Analysis).
• Saturday - Safety and security group.
• Sunday - Extended feelings check.

Many of our Trainee Psychotherapists are at an advanced stage of training and pursuing UKCP accreditation and have years of experience working in this setting. Peers can also arrange to have individual sessions with therapists outside of these groups.

All peers attend a teaching group at the beginning of their therapy.  This gives them a familiarity with TA (Transactional Analysis) language and an opportunity to ask questions in a small group.

Much of the day to day running of the house is carried out by the peers, including cooking, cleaning, shopping and planning for special events such as birthday celebrations.  Peers can be supported by staff where necessary, and are encouraged to develop practical life skills including healthy eating, personal hygiene and budgeting – all necessary for independent living.