Parabl Talking Therapy service provides short-term therapeutic interventions for individuals facing common mental health difficulties or

challenging life events which may impact their emotional well being

The COVID 19 pandemic has had a significant impact on all counselling services across the UK. Almost overnight, the way we are working at Parabl has changed. Our counsellors have had to negotiate many challenges as we have adapted to a completely new way of delivering our services. Existing clients also had little time to prepare for the transition to telephone sessions which is a very different experience of counselling for them compared to face to face sessions. Our priority during this time of uncertainty has always been the welfare of our clients and to continue to provide a high standard of service whilst working ethically and safely. Reflecting on my own caseload of clients they have shown a great deal of resilience during the past few months and have responded particularly well to the changes and challenges we have faced together. The counselling room would normally provide the client with a safe and confidential place to talk about their feelings and difficulties, they are now having to do this at home. As a result, confidentiality has become slightly more complex. Being overheard by other members of the family or being interrupted can affect the depth of a session and what clients feel comfortable talking about. To get the best out of

their sessions we have been advising clients to take their calls from us in a quiet, safe

and appropriate space where they are unlikely to be overheard or disturbed. We have also acknowledged the importance of and have been encouraging clients to take some time to ground themselves after a session to process and reflect on what has been discussed before going straight back into family life. This could simply be a few deep breaths and sitting in silence for five minutes or going for a walk, whatever works best for the client. Whilst we are working remotely from home and feeling isolated from our family, friends and work colleagues for me there has been a greater sense of empathy with clients. We are all having to come to terms with changing work and family circumstances, isolation, insecurity and concern about our own and others health. The role of counselling now seems more important than ever as we all negotiate a new normal together.

newsletter ISSUE 5 Summer 2020

www.parabl.org.uk 0300 777 2257

Reflections

A commitment to high standards during un-

precedented times

by Cath Davies, Parabl Counsellor

One of the in demand Parabl services for Môn and Gwynedd are the Coping with Life courses; a suite of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy based courses which includes: Anxiety Management, Dealing with Depression, Assertiveness and Building Self Esteem. We also deliver the eight week MBCT (Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy) Mindfulness course for each county. Each course sees participants coming together to learn skills to cope and manage their illness for themselves and provides a safe space for them to share experiences and gain support. We offer ongoing support via our Peer Support groups, where people can check in for a skills top up, get support ‘as and when’ they feel like it is needed and right for them. Tackling stigma is at the heart of everything we do and how we work, so at times we work differently to mainstream mental health services. All courses are delivered from every day community settings and people continue to tell us that these venues and ways of working make it much easier for them to come forward for help and that they are more comfortable in these settings; some also say they feel more valued. Initially, some people perceive that groups are ‘not for them’ based on preconceived ideas and mostly fear of what a group might be like. We work carefully alongside the skilled Parabl assessors to ensure people have an accurate understanding of what each group entails and what they can expect from a group before they begin. With some groups like Mindfulness, we hold an orientation session where people can learn more and if at that point they feel it really is not for them, they can opt out.

Our learning is that once an individual has been on one course, they usually express an interest in completing another to build skills and value the safe space created to share. Some people say doing more than one course, assists in making things ‘make more sense’ for them and that feeling comfortable and familiar with the facilitator and format, means they get more out of them. We believe in working flexibly to people’s needs and have found that the groups have good retention rates. It’s not uncommon for real friendships to form out of the group and for participants to meet with each other for a coffee and chat in between the weeks and maintain their friendships after the groups come to an end. Outcomes like this are priceless. The courses can support over 100 different people per year in many different ways and circumstances. For some, the groups have provided support through great difficulty and loss in their lives. For others it’s supported them to keep in work, attend College or University, be able to use public transport or enter supermarkets and complete their shopping. As a partnership, we continue to work together and look for the best ways we can support people. Looking to the future we hope to build on this and continue to support our local people.

Parabl Groupsby Clare Bailey, Parabl Partner

If you need support please contact Parabl on 0300 777 2257 to discuss a

range of options that might suit you.

www.parabl.org.uk

The Covid 19 pandemic has tested our resilience as individuals, fami-lies and communities over the past months like no other time in living memory. It’s been a challenging time to say the least and for some, those challenges have impacted on their mental health and wellbeing. Those who have been bereaved by Covid-19 will be experiencing the shock of a loved one dying suddenly, often after a very short period of illness. It is important in these challenging and difficult times that people bereaved by Covid-19 are cared for and receive support, especially in the first days and weeks following their bereavement. We understand and recognise that families have been trapped in quarantine, unable to touch and comfort each other, living in dread that another family member could fall ill. It is also important to recognise that others affected by lock-down and consequences such as unemployment can also experience those feelings of loss and trauma. Lots of us are feeling worried about the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. You don’t need to be an expert on mental health to be there for someone. Think about using our three top tips:

1) Check inYou might not be able to meet face-to-face, but picking up the phone, having a video call, starting a group chat or messaging someone on social media lets them know you are there to talk and ready to listen.

2) Listen and reflectWhether you have a mental health problem or not, this will be a challenging time for our mental health and wellbeing. If someone opens up to you, remember that you don’t need to fix things or offer advice. Often just listening, and showing you take them seriously, can help someone to manage.

3) Ask questions Ask how people are managing, and ask again if you’re worried they aren’t sharing the full picture. Asking again, with interest, can help someone to open up and ex-plore what they’re feeling.

Anglesey Council are determined that the services that we commission have the access to those re-sources required to respond to the needs of individuals who experience difficulties with their mental health. The additional funding to PARABL will assist individuals to access services at the right time. We would like to urge people to seek assistance as early as possible. Mental health can often impact or be associated with other problems such as substance misuse, do-mestic abuse, debt and money matters. Teulu Môn can offer information advice and assistance for families

impacted by these issues.

If you require information advice and assistance please call Teulu Môn on 01248725888.

Parabl on Anglesey recently received invest-ment from Anglesey Council. Find out more about the work they are doing and why invest-ing in Parabl is really important to them…

by Llyr ap Rhisiart

Cathryn Munns

For more information on Parabl please visit uson the link below or call:

www.parabl.org.uk 0300 777 2257

Parabl Counsellor (MBACP – Accred) I joined the Wrexham Parabl counselling team back in March this year bringing with me five years of experience of working on the Parabl contract in Rhyl and ten years of experience of providing counselling in different settings, includ- ing work place counsel- ling and counselling stu- dents in a college setting. I am lucky to work as part of a great team with like-minded people who take pride in their work. The last ten years of working at CAIS in a therapeutic way with people has provided me with the rewarding job of helping others that I was looking for. Prior to deciding to train towards becoming a Counsellor alongside my full-time job, I had been working for six years at major bank in their advertising department as a print buyer

and I was looking for a new challenge. Since my career change back in 2009, I have not looked back and have continued to develop as a Counsellor, achieving ac-creditation with the BACP in 2013. I am especially interested in working with people who present with mild to moderate mental health issues. I find that anxiety is the most common issue that clients present with. The training I have received both in CBT and MBCT techniques I find particularly useful in working with my clients. Having trained in an Integrative way I find it useful to use different approaches with different clients. I still be-lieve, however, that the therapeutic rela-tionship I work to build with my clients is the most important element of the counselling I provide. I get great satisfaction from seeing my clients achieve the goals they set out to achieve at the start of their counselling. Over the years I have learnt how to bal-ance providing this kind of support to others whilst looking after myself! I feel like the activ-ities that keep me healthy are Pilates, swim-ming, walking in fresh air, catching up with friends and spending time with my family as well as ‘me-time’ writing daily in my diary and spending time on beauty treatments.

For information on any of our partner agencies, please follow the links below:

www.cais.co.uk

www.mind.org.uk

www.advancebrighterfutureswrexham.co.uk

www.tanymaen.btck.co.uk

www.wales.nhs.uk

Mae gwasanaeth Therapi Siarad Parabl yn cynnig ymyriadau therapiwtig tymor byr ar gyfer unigolion yn wynebu trafferthion iechyd meddwl cyffredin

neu ddigwyddiadau bywyd heriol gall effeithio ar eu lles emosiynol

Mae’r pandemig COVID 19 wedi cael effaith arwyddocaol ar wasanaethau cwnsela dros y DU. Bron dros nos, mae’r ffordd yr ydym yn gweithio yn Parabl wedi newid. Mae ein cynghorwyr wedi gorfod goresgyn nifer o heriau wrth i ni addasu i ffordd cwbl wahanol o ddarparu ein gwasanaethau. Mae cleientiaid presennol hefyd wedi cael prin amser i baratoi ar gyfer y trawsnewid i sesiynau ffôn, sydd yn brofiad gwahanol iawn o gwnsela iddyn nhw mewn cymhariaeth a sesiynau wyneb-i-wyneb. Yn ystod yr amser ansicr yma mae ein blaenoriaeth erioed wedi bod lles ein cleientiaid ac i barhau i ddarparu gwasanaeth o safon uchel wrth weithio’n foesegol ac yn ddiogel. Mae adlewyrchu ar lwyth achosion gleientiaid fy hun maent wedi dangos llawer iawn o wytnwch yn ystod y tair mis diwethaf, ac maent wedi ymateb yn arbennig o dda i’r newidiadau a’r heriau rydym wedi’i wynebu hefo’n gilydd. Bysa’r ystafell cwnsela fel arfer yn darparu’r cleiant hefo lleoliad diogel a cyfrinachol er mwyn iddynt siarad am eu teimladau a’u hanawsterau, dydyn nhw ddim yn gorfod gwneud hyn adref. Fel canlyniad, mae cyfrinachedd wedi dod ychydig mwy cymhleth. Gall cael eich clywed gan aelodau eraill o’r teulu neu ymyrryd â nhw effeithio ar ddyfnder sesiwn a’r hyn y mae cleientiaid yn teimlo’n gyffyrddus i siarad am. I gael y gorau allan

o’r sesiynau rydym wedi cynghori cleientiaid i gymryd eu galwadau gennym ni mewn lleoliad distaw, diogel ac addas lle maent yn annhebygol o gael ei glywed na’i aflonyddu. Rydym hefyd wedi cydnabod y pwysigrwydd o ac wedi bod yn annog cleientiaid i gymryd amser i dirio’u hunain ar ôl sesiwn i brosesu ac adlewyrchu ar beth sydd wedi cael ei drafod cyn mynd syth yn ôl at fywyd teulu. Gall hyn fod yn ychydig o anadliadau dwfn ac eistedd mewn distawrwydd am bum munud neu fynd am dro, beth bynnag sy’n gweithio orau i’r cleient. Tra rydym yn gweithio’n anghysbell o adref ac yn teimlo bod ni wedi’i ynysu gan ein teuluoedd, ffrindiau a chyd-weithwyr i fi mae yna wedi bod fwy o ystyr am empathi hefo cleientiaid. Rydym ni gyd yn gorfod dod i delerau ag amgylchiadau gwaith a theulu sy’n newid, unigedd, anniogelwch a phryderon am iechyd ein hun ag eraill. Mae’r rôl o gwnsela yn ymddangos yn fwy pwysig nag erioed wrth i ni oresgyn normal newydd hefo’n gilydd.

cylchlythyrRHIF 5 Haf 2020

www.parabl.org.uk 0300 777 2257

Myfyrdodau

Ymrwymiad i sa-fonau uchel yn ystod amseroedd digynsail

gan Cath Davies, Cynghorydd Parabl

Un o wasanaethau Parabl sydd mewn galw ar gyfer Môn a Gwynedd yw’r cyrsiau Ymdopi â Bywyd; cyfres o gyrsiau sy’n seiliedig ar Therapi Ymddygiad Gwybyddol sy’n cynnwys: Rheoli Pryder, Ymdopi ag Iselder, Pendantrwydd ac Adeiladu Hunan-barch. Rydym hefyd yn cyflawni’r cwrs wyth wythnos Ymwybyddiaeth Ofalgar ‘MBCT’ (Therapi Gwybyddol Seiliedig ar Ymwybyddiaeth Ofalgar) ar gyfer pob sir. Mae pob cwrs yn gweld cyfranogwyr yn dod at ei gilydd i ddysgu sgiliau i ymdopi a rheoli eu salwch ar gyfer eu hunain ac yn darparu lle diogel iddyn nhw rhannu profiadau a derbyn cymorth. Rydym yn cynnig cymorth barhaus trwy ein Grwpiau Cymorth Cymheiriaid, lle mae pobl yn gallu gwirio i mewn am ychwanegiad sgiliau, cael cefnogaeth ‘fel a phryd’ maen nhw’n teimlo bod ei angen ac yn iawn iddyn nhw. Mae taclo stigma wrth wraidd popeth yr ydym yn wneud a sut yr ydym yn gweithio, felly rydym yn gweithio’n wahanol i wasanaethau iechyd meddwl prif ffrwd ar adegau. Rydym yn cyflwyno pob cwrs o leoliadau cymunedol bob dydd ac mae pobl yn parhau i ddweud wrthym fod y lleoliadau a’r ffyrdd yma o weithio yn gwneud hi’n llawer haws iddynt ddod ymlaen am help a’u bod yn fwy cyfforddus yn y lleoliadau; mae rhai hefyd yn dweud bod nhw’n teimlo eu bod yn cael eu gwerthfawrogi mwy. I ddechrau, mae rhai pobl yn canfod bod grwpiau ‘ddim ar eu cyfer’ yn seiliedig ar syniadau rhagdybied ac yn ofni yn bennaf sut y gallai grŵp fod. Rydym yn gweithio’n ofalus ochr yn ochr hefo aseswyr Parabl i sicrhau bod gan bobl dealltwriaeth gywir am beth mae pob grŵp yn enteilio a beth maent yn gallu disgwyl o’r grŵp cyn iddynt gychwyn. Hefo rhai grwpiau fel Ymwybyddiaeth Ofalgar, rydym yn cynnal sesiwn cyfeiriadedd lle

mae pobl yn gallu dysgu mwy ac yna os ydyn nhw yn teimlo ar yr adeg hon bod hi wir ddim ar ei gyfer nhw, maent yn gallu optio allan. Rydym wedi dysgu bod unwaith mae unigolyn wedi bod ar un cwrs, maent fel arfer yn mynegi diddordeb mewn cwblhau un arall i adeiladu sgiliau ac yn gwerthfawrogi’r lleoliad diogel sydd wedi’i greu i rannu. Mae rhai pobl yn dweud bod gwneud mwy nag un cwrs yn cynorthwyo i wneud pethau ‘gwneud mwy o synnwyr’ iddyn nhw a bod teimlo’n fwy cyffyrddus a cydnabyddus hefo’r hwylusydd a’r fformat, yn golygu eu bod yn cael mwy allan ohonyn nhw. Rydym yn credu mewn gweithio’n hyblyg i anghenion pobl ac wedi darganfod bod y grwpiau hefo graddfeydd cadw da. Dydi hi ddim yn anghyffedrin i gyfeillgarwch go iawn yn cael ei ffurfio allan o’r grŵp ac i gyfranogwyr cyfarfod hefo’i gilydd ar gyfer coffi a sgwrs rhwng yr wythnosau ac i gynnal eu cyfeillgarwch ar ôl i’r grwpiau dod i ben. Mae canlyniadau fel hyn yn amhrisiadwy. Mae’r cyrsiau yn gallu cefnogi dros 100 o bobl y flwyddyn mewn nifer o wahanol ffyrdd ac amgylchiadau. Ar gyfer rhai, mae’r grwpiau wedi darparu cymorth trwy anhawster a cholled fawr yn eu bywydau. Ar gyfer eraill, mae wedi cefnogi nhw i aros mewn gwaith, mynychu Coleg neu Brifysgol, i allu defnyddio trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus neu fynd i mewn i archfarchnadoedd a chwblhau eu siopa. Fel partneriaeth, rydym yn parhau i weithio gyda’n gilydd a chwlio am y ffyrdd gorau rydym yn gallu cefnogi pobl. Yn edrych i’r dyfodol rydym yn gobeithio adeiladu ar hwn a pharhau i gefnogi ein pobl leol.

Grwpiau Parablby Clare Bailey, Partner Parabl

Os ydych angen cefnogaaeth plîs cysylltwch â Parabl ar 0300 777 2257 i

drafod amryw o opsiynau a allai fod yn addas i chi.

www.parabl.org.uk

Mae’r pandemig Covid 19 wedi profi ein gwytnwch fel unigolion, teu-luoedd a chymunedau dros y misoedd diwethaf fel dim amser arall mewn cof byw. Mae wedi bod yn amser heriol i ddweud y lleiaf ac i rai, mae’r heriau hynny wedi effeithio ar eu hiechyd meddwl a lles. Bydd y rhai sydd mewn profedigaeth gan Covid 19 yn profi’r sioc o anwylyd yn marw’n sydyn, fel arfer ar ôl cyfnod byr o salwch. Mae hi’n bwysig yn ystod yr amseroedd heriol ac anodd yma bod pobl mewn profedigaeth gan Covid 19 yn cael ei gofalu am ac yn derbyn cefnogaeth, yn enwedig yn y dyddiau ac wythnosau sy’n dilyn y brofediga-eth. Rydym yn deall ac yn adnabod bod teuluoedd wedi bod yn gaeth yn gwarantin, maent fethu cyffwrdd na chysuro ei gilydd, yn byw mewn ofn bod aelod arall o’r teulu am fynd yn sâl. Mae’n bwysig iawn i adnabod bod eraill wedi’i effeithio gan ‘lockdown’ a bod canlyniadau fel diweithdra hefyd yn gallu profi’r teimladau o golled a thrawma. Mae llawer ohonom ni yn teimlo’n pryderus o’r achos o goronafeirws cyfredol. Does ddim angen i chi fod yn arbenigwr ar iechyd meddwl i fod yna ar gyfer rhywyn. Ystyriwch ddefnyddio ein tri phrif awgrym:

1) Gwirio MewnEfallai nad fyddwch yn gallu cyfarfod wyneb-i-wyneb, ond mae pigo fyny’r ffôn, cael galwad fideo, cychwyn sgwrs grŵp, neu anfon negeseuon i rywun trwy gyfryngau cymdeithasol yn gadael iddyn nhw wybod bod chi yna i siarad ac yn barod i wrando.

2) Gwrando a myfyrioPe bai gennych broblem iechyd meddwl neu ddim, bydd hwn yn amser heriol ar gy-fer eich iechyd meddwl a lles. Os mae rhywun yn agor i fyny i chi, cofiwch fod does ddim angen i chi thrwsio pethau na chynnig cyngor. Yn aml, mae gwrando a dangos bod chi’n cymryd nhw o ddifri yn gallu helpu rhywun i ymdopi.

3) Gofyn cwestiynau Gofyn sut mae pobl yn ymdopi, a gofynnwch eto os ydych yn poeni bod nhw ddim yn rhannu’r darlun llawn. Mae gofyn eto, hefo diddordeb, yn gallu helpu rhywun i agor i fyny ac archwilio’r hyn maen nhw’n ei deimlo.

Mae Cyngor Sir Ynys Môn yn benderfynol bod y gwasanaethau rydym yn comisiynu hefo mynediad i’r adnoddau sydd angen i ymateb i anghenion unigolion sy’n profi anawsterau hefo’i iechyd meddwl. Bydd y cyllid ychwanegol i Parabl yn cynorthwyo unigolion i gael mynediad i wasanaethau ar yr adeg gywir. Hoffem ni hannog pobl i geisio am gymorth mor fuan ag sy’n bosib. Yn aml, gall iechyd meddwl effeithio ar neu fod yn gysylltiedig â phroblemau eraill fel camddefnyddio syl-weddau, cam-drin domestig, dyled a materion arian. Gall Teulu Môn cynnig cyngor gwybodaeth a chymorth ar

gyfer teuluoedd sydd wedi’i effeithio gan y materion yma.

Os ydych angen cyngor gwybodaeth a chymorth ffoniwch Teulu Môn ar 01248725888.

Mae Parabl ar Ynys Môn wedi derbyn buddsoddiad yn ddiweddar gan Gyngor Sir Ynys Môn. Darganfod mwy am y gwaith maent yn gwneud a pham mae buddsoddi yn Parabl yn bwysig iawn iddynt...

Ysgrifennwyd gan Llyr ap Rhisiart

Cathryn Munns

Am fwy o wybodaeth ar Parabl, ewch i ymweldâ’r ddolen isod, neu ffoniwch:

www.parabl.org.uk 0300 777 2257

Cynghorydd Parabl (MBACP – Achred) Ymunais i â thîm cwnsela Parabl yn Wrexham yn ôl ym mis Mawrth blwyddyn yma, dod hefo fi pum mlynedd o brofiad o weithio ar gontract Parabl yn Rhyl a deg mlynedd o brofiad yn darparu cwnsla mewn gwahanol leolia- dau, gan gynnwys cwnse- la yn y gweithle a chwn- sela myfyrwyr mewn lleoli ad coleg. Dwi’n lwcus iawn i weithio fel rhan o dîm gwych hefo pobl o’r un anian sy’n cymryd bal- chder yn eu gwaith. Mae’r deg mlynedd diwethaf o weitho hefo CAIS mewn ffordd ther-apiwtig hefo pobl wedi darparu fi hefo’r swydd gwerth chweil dwi wedi bod yn chwilio am. Cyn penderfynu i hyfforddi tuag at fod yn Gynghorwr ochr yn ochr â fy swydd llawn amser, roeddwn i wedi bod yn gweithio am chwe blynedd mewn banc o bwys yn eu hadran hysbysebu fel prynwr

print ac roeddwn i’n chwilio am her newydd.Ers fy newid mewn gyrfa yn ôl yn 2009, rwyf heb edrych yn ôl ac wedi parhau i ddatblygu fel Cynghorwr, gan gyflawni achrediad hefo BACP yn 2013. Mae gen i ddiddordeb arbennig mewn gweithio gyda phobl sy’n cyflwyno problemau iechyd meddwl ysgafn i gymedrol. Dwi’n ffeindio bod pryder y mater mwyaf cyffredin mae cleien-tiaid yn ei gyflwyno hefo. Dwi’n ffeindio’r hyfford-diant rwyf wedi derbyn mewn technegau CBT a MBCT yn arbennig o ddefnyddiol wrth weithio hefo fy nghleientiaid. Ond, dwi dal yn credu bod y perthynas therapiwtig dwi’n gweithio i adeiladu hefo fy nghleientiaid yw’r elfen fwyaf pwysig o’r cwnsela dwi’n darparu. Dwi’n cael boddhad mawr o weld fy nghleientiaid yn cyflawni eu nodau maent wedi ceisio cyflawni ar gychwyn eu cwnsela. Dros y blynyddoedd dwi wedi dysgu sut i gydbwyso darparu’r math yma o gefnogaeth i eraill wrth edrych ar ôl fy hun! Dwi’n teimlo bod gweithgareddau sy’n cadw fi’n iach yw pilates, nofio, cerdded yn yr awyr iach, dal i fyny hefo fy ffrindiau a threulio amser hefo fy nheulu yn ogystal â ‘amser i fi’ yn ysgrifennu yn ddyddiol yn fy nyddiadur a threulio amser ar driniaethau harddwch.

Am wybodaeth am unrhyw un o’n hasiantaethau part-ner, dilynwch y dolenni isod:

www.cais.co.uk

www.mind.org.uk

www.advancebrighterfutureswrexham.co.uk

www.tanymaen.btck.co.uk

www.wales.nhs.uk