Today some of our staff have been recommending their favourite Christmas Movies
Elaine Gormley, a counsellor in AMH New Life Counselling:-
I love Christmas but understand it is also a very challenging time. I have a few traditions that I do every year that really make me feel good.
Every year I normally go to the Queen’s Film Theatre (might have to watch it at home this year) to see It’s a Wonderful Life.
If you haven’t watched It’s A Wonderful Life, we’ll try not to spoil it for you but it is a story of hope, redemption and kindness, which teaches us that having someone there for you, when you need it the most, is one of the greatest gifts you can receive.
Although the film premiered in 1946 and initially wasn’t considered a Christmas film – director Frank Capra told The Wall Street Journal, ‘I didn’t even think of it as a Christmas story when I first ran across it. I just liked the idea’ – it has become a staple of Christmas television in the 72 years since.
The film also focuses on the lead character’s struggle with mental health and suicidal thoughts. It’s A Wonderful Life doesn’t shy away from the truth that while Christmas is the most magical time of the year for some, for others it can be daunting, scary and miserable.
But the thoroughly festive and happy ending is guaranteed to bring a tear to your eye!
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues, and want to speak to someone in confidence, please don’t suffer alone. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123.
Catherine from our Belfast service reminds us of what Charles Dickens had to say
With that in mind she recommends that you spread some laughter this Christmas by sharing films like The Muppet’s Christmas Carol with family and friends.
A retelling of the classic Dickens tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, miser extraordinaire. He is held accountable for his dastardly ways during night-time visitations by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and future. Michael Caine plays the old miser Scrooge with Kermit as his long-suffering but ever-hopeful employee Bob Cratchit, and Miss Piggy as Cratchit’s wife. Definitely a movie which deserves a place among the family classics of the festive season!
Catherine also recommends “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”.
“The Grinch reminds us of the importance of taking notice of who and what we are thankful for at Christmas”.
Danielle Davy, one of our counsellors from AMH New Colin Counselling, has a great idea! This year Danielle will be buying a book for a friend and delivering it early on Christmas Eve. In return she will also receive a book to read that day.
Christmas Eve can be quite a stressful day for many – prepping the turkey, buying last minute presents, running around visiting relatives – but as we know this year will be different. Many of us will be having smaller gatherings, so with not as many spuds to peel and visting being limited, perhaps this is the year to have a calmer Christmas Eve, where you can relax by the fire, and read a book by the light of the Christmas Tree! Danielle will be hoping to surprise her friend this year with a book she has never read and is looking forward to seeing what she will be receiving! Let us know what books you will be gifting this year and which ones you are hoping will be in your stocking!!
Reading has been found to be hugely beneficial for our mental health.
Reading a book can be one of life’s biggest joys, and can also be a way of coping with the difficult times in life, like loneliness or bereavement or indeed life in lockdown.
According to research from Oxford University Press, reading “challenging language” sends “rocket boosters” to our brains, which in turn boosts our mental health. “Books can take you to a different place. They can relax you and calm you, and they can offer wisdom, or humour, or both.”
Sydney Timmins is a writer and founder of the Mental Health Book Club Podcast. Here are her top eight mental health benefits of reading:
1. Reading is pleasurable
When you start to read a really good book it is often hard to put it down, the story captivates you and time disappears as you become absorbed. When you reach the end, you feel sad because it is over, or you are so eager to get the next book in the series you are emailing the author daily! It is a magical feeling and choosing to read a book can provide a number of other benefits.
2. Reading can reduce stress
Losing yourself in a good book has been shown to reduce your levels of stress. Research by Dr David Lewis showed that reading as little as six minutes a day can reduce stress levels by 60% by reducing your heart rate, easing muscle tension and altering your state of mind. That same study showed that reading was better at reducing stress than music, drinking a cup of tea, going for a walk and playing video games.
3. Reading can provide an escape from the ‘real world’
Closely linked to reducing stress levels when you read is the ability to escape from the real world. I did this a lot as a child as a coping mechanism to dealing with the emotional hurt I experienced from my family. I often become immersed in that world and helped me to forget my worries.
4. Reading helps you develop empathy for others
People who read fiction have been shown to improve their level of empathy, the ability to understand someone else’s belief’s, feelings and thoughts.
5. Reading works your brain and prevents memory loss
Participating in cognitive activities, such as reading over your life time (both early and later in life) was shown to slow down memory loss when compared to those who didn’t participate in mentally stimulating activities. The same study also found that the rate of mental decline was reduced by 32% when people participated in reading, writing and other activities later on in life. While those with infrequent stimulating activity found that their decline was 48% faster than those with average activity.
6. Reading groups help to treat mental health issues
My default for when I’m feeling low is to read but there is actually scientific research that shows that reading and then talking about what you have read could be beneficial to mental health and well-being. There is something called bibliotherapy and it has a profound effect on people suffering with depression.
7. Reading helps teenagers develop insights into being an adult
Becoming an adult can be tricky – a lot of things change during this time and exploring self-identity is crucial. Research has shown that reading for pleasure in teenagers has three key benefits, reading was shown to enhance academic performance, social engagement and personal development. Fiction helped teens by providing significant insights into mature relationships, personal values and cultural identity all of which are important in the transition from being a child to becoming an adult.
8. Reading can make you smarter
I often feel smarter after reading books, I learn new things, experience different cultures, understand myself better and research has shown that reading does in fact make us smarter. Cognitive differences have been seen between those who read a lot and those who read a little. People who are exposed to more written information are associated with higher vocabulary, general knowledge, and verbal skills.
You can follow Sydney Timmins on Twitter, and listen to the Mental Health Book Club podcast on their website.
Alicia Clarke is excited. A new permanent job awaits her. Alicia, like most people, enjoys working. It gives her a sense of purpose and achievement, it allows her to be financially independent. She thrives on both the creative and the social side of her job. Working is an important part of her life and who she is.
But Alicia has also lived with anxiety and low mood. The devastating impact of this on her life, led Alicia to realise that she needed to take some time out from employment to focus on her mental health. After making the huge decision last year to leave her job, Alicia sought support from Action Mental Health at their ESF funded ‘Working it Out’ project, based at AMH New Horizons in Belfast.
Speaking about her experience Alicia said: “I joined Action Mental Health during lockdown and took part in their online programmes. It was great, I joined their virtual choir, took part in history classes, cooking classes and even worked towards qualifications in Equality & Diversity and Motivation & Resilience, plus loads of other courses.
“These have provided me with new skills and tools to deal with my anxiety and helped to rebuild my confidence. The project provided structure to my day, gave me purpose and the opportunity to learn new skills while polishing up old ones – I really enjoyed all of it – it helped me find my feet again.
“I left the project to start working again and have just finished a temporary role. Due to Covid, I had to work from home for this job which helped ease me back into employment. My job interviews have also been virtual which reduced my nervousness as I was able to remain in the comfort of my own home.
“I’m very grateful to Action Mental Health for the support they offered during lockdown. I have learnt so much this time, I know I now have the skills to stop my anxiety becoming overwhelming in the future. How do I feel right now? I am excited for the future.”
Karen Quee, Service Manager, AMH New Horizons Belfast, said: “We are delighted that Alicia has gained so much from the ‘Working it Out’ project. Statistics show that one in five adults in Northern Ireland will show signs of mental ill health and Alicia is a very good example of how with the right support and focus it is possible to rebuild and move on to bigger and better things. We would encourage everyone to seek support if they are struggling with their mental health, together we can work towards a new tomorrow.”
The Action Mental Health ‘Working it Out’ project is part-funded through the NI European Social Fund Programme 2014-20 and the Department for the Economy.
This case study is part of the ‘Making it Work’ project – a partnership project with the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Union of Supported Employment which aims to highlight the employment support services available to disabled people in Northern Ireland.
More and more of us appreciate that the arts can play a valuable role in helping people who have mental health problems, in Action Mental Health we offer our clients opportunities to engage creatively in a whole host of workshops and qualifications. Even during lockdown, we have had virtual choirs and art classes via zoom!
Singing, dancing, painting, or writing can help to boost confidence and make us feel more engaged and resilient. Besides these benefits, art engagement also alleviates anxiety, depression and stress.
Several studies support poetry therapy as one approach to the treatment of depression, as it has been repeatedly shown to relieve depressive symptoms, improve self-esteem and self-understanding, and encourage the expression of feelings.
In Action Mental Health we have some very talented poets who all agree that writing poetry helps them to get to the heart of their thoughts or feelings that they don’t quite understand, or those that they want others to better understand.
Conor Smyth from Action Mental Health’s Fundraising team penned this poem last year, thanks for sharing 🙂
Catherine Cunningham based in our Belfast service, wrote this very clever acrostic poem to help you remember how you can look after you mental well-being this Christmas.
Some cheeky little elves have been busy at AMH New Horizons North Down & Ards creating FESTIVE CHEER packs for all our clients based in the Newtownards. These include an activity pack covering every day in December and colouring therapy & festive puzzle books. Our thanks also to the Hastings Hotel Group for donating Jemima Pudding Duck, the Christmas edition of their famous duck family, to each and everyone! We hope everyone enjoys getting creative over the festive season!
You can also download Elfie’s friend to colour and stick in your window for Santa and Rudolph to see!
Chief Elf Rosie & the AMH Our Generation Team tell us how to stay mentally ‘elfie this Christmas using the 5 ways to well-being!
On Day 5 of Action Mental Health’s Elfie Advent Calendar, there are just as many ways to support your well-being this Christmas. The Five Ways to Well-Being provide key steps to promote your overall well-being and are particularly suited to the festive season, which can be stressful for many. So, to have a Mentally Elfie Christmas this year, why not consider the following?
Connect with the people around you – as much as we can during the continuing pandemic. No matter what age we are, probably the most important factor in improving our psychological health and well-being is our relationships and connectedness with other people, according to Northern Ireland’s interim Mental Health Champion, Professor Siobhan O’Neill. “A huge amount of research has shown the positive effects of relationships on our physical health, like blood pressure, cardiac illness, cancer, as well as our mental health, including reduced levels of stress and depression.”
If you need some time on your own given the public health stress, reflect, spend some time doing what you enjoy. Connect with your mind and body, try some mindfulness and stay in touch with how you are feeling, you’re more important than the lunchtime news.
Be Active
Whether you prefer walking or running, cycling, playing a game, gardening or dancing, exercising makes you feel good. Find something you enjoy, dedicate some time to do it (start with 10 minutes at a time) and work up to 30 minutes of physical activity for the day.
Even during social distancing, everyone is being encouraged to get outside for at least one form of exercise a day – it’s great for your mind. Here, personal trainer at Dromore Community Centre, Lynne Troughton, takes us through a comprehensive regime of exercise you can follow at home or in your garden.
“We might not be allowed in our gyms just now but why not encourage the kids to ‘Elfie’ around in the garden, like personal trainer Lynne Troughton.”
Take Notice
Stop, pause, and take a moment to look around you now. What can you see, feel, smell or even taste? Look for beautiful, new, unusual or extraordinary things in your everyday life and think about how that makes you feel without judging or trying to change them. Take a few deep breaths, feel the rising and falling of your chest, and take notice of the chair under you or the weight of your feet on the floor. It may feel like all there is to notice is worrying news regarding public health, but staying mindful and bringing your mind to the present moment is good for your mental well-being. Try apps like Headspace and Calm for guided meditations, and you’ll learn how to notice and release tension you didn’t even realise you were carrying. Sit in your garden or go for walks with those you live with, notice nature, the birds singing and the sound of life – it’s still there and will still be there once we get through this together.
‘Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, when one only remembers to turn on the light’ – J.K Rowling
Keep Learning
Many people have turned their hands to new things since the pandemic first struck last March. Variety is indeed, the spice of life and if you keep learning new things, it will make you more confident, will boost your self-esteem and improve your overall well-being. In the current COVID-19 restrictions, our focus has moved from normal everyday goals we had, to looking after our work, mental health and encouraging self-development through hobbies. Use any spare time to unwind, start to learn a skill you were putting off – cook, learn a new language or exercise or get stuck into that book that’s been sitting on the shelf for ages. Or why not try your hand at a spot of gardening – a pastime much reported as being beneficial to people’s well-being.
Top gardener Aodhan
Over the first ‘lockdown’ period, AMH New Horizons Belfast offered clients like Aodhan the opportunity, through Groundwork NI, to get active in the garden and grow some vegetables at home. The materials were delivered to his house and included seeds, soil, and boxes. He plotted his progress through a series of photographs and was delighted when his little garden growing pod took off and grew quickly. Soon, he had carrots and spinach to cook with, and for this Christmas, he plans to provide the carrots and spring onions for his festive feast from his own little garden.
Give
Look outward as well as inward. Linking yourself and your happiness to the wider community can be incredibly rewarding and will create connections with the people around you, even if you can’t physically be there. Giving can be something as simple as using social media in a positive way to share messages of appreciation for those working and dealing with the virus as part of their work. Give a friend, older relative or someone living on their own a call or text – it might just make their day to know that someone is thinking of them during this tough time apart. Do a random act of kindness, like delivering groceries or medicine for someone you know can’t leave the house.
Lastly, give yourself a hug. You can only do so much and you’re doing the best you can. Try to love yourself – you can’t pour from an empty cup, so give yourself time to relax and think of all the things you can look forward to with your family and friends.
Based on the Five Ways to Wellbeing which were developed by the New Economics Foundation.
Maria McBride a Skills Coach in AMH New Horizons -Newry and Mourne, shares her philosophy on taking it easy and feeling grateful, over what is often a stressful and hectic festive season for many. From slowing things down to helping others less fortunate, Maria shares her gratitude for the blessings she and her family enjoy.
“At Christmas I like to do the opposite of what other people are doing. I like to slow things down, light the fire and make yummy food for my family and watch some TV. I try and calm those around me and encourage them to take it easy – to remember the real meaning of Christmas. Giving your time to those who need it and calling-in on folks for a cup of tea, can mean the world to those who may not have much family around them. You’ll also get so much out of it. I also make it a habit to attend a Christmas carol service, that involves local schoolchildren, who sing some of the old Christmas songs: it makes me feel so good. There is nothing as uplifting as children, singing.
“Another thing I like to do around Christmas is to tell the people in my life just what they mean to me, instead of just thinking about it. I try to make Christmas day as easy and stress-free a day for myself and everyone in the family. We rise around 10am and open some presents, then have breakfast and chill for a while. Then, while the dinner is cooking, I encourage the family to set the table up nice for us all, with wine glasses, candles and Christmas napkins. Some years, my daughter will take a Christmas dinner to the Gateway charity and help serve food up for those who have no homes, or no family to spend Christmas with. This makes me feel immensely proud of her.
“We are a very lucky family in that we all love Christmas, but we understand this is not the case for everyone. We are grateful for another year and that we got through all the ups and downs and we are still surviving and thriving.”
Christmas has come early for two loyal members of staff at Action Mental Health! Colin Brennan, Skills Coach, has dedicated a quarter of a century to his role helping clients find their potential. The long-serving employee at AMH New Horizons Fermanagh was gifted his early staff award pressie from Action Mental Health’s Chief Executive, David Babington.
David also played Santa to Lynne McDonnell, our cleaner at AMH New Horizons Antrim, who was presented with her long service award for devoting 15 years to the charity.
