Children and Young People
The Primary Mental Health Team meet with young people (under 18 years) and their families to help with a range of difficulties including anxiety, low mood, stress, and relationship difficulties, to name a few.
This assessment appointment will be with a member of the team and will last approximately one hour. It is a chance to get to know you better and we welcome anyone who wants to attend and contribute to the conversation.
We will ask you questions about what is currently going on at home, at school, and what other professionals may be involved at the moment, or have been previously.
During this appointment you will have the chance to ask questions and for us to decide together what the next best step is. Sometimes, this assessment appointment is all that is needed. On other occasions, it may be appropriate to think about other services that could support you, or it may be that the Primary Mental Health Team can continue to support you.
Due to the high number of referrals we receive, there may be a wait if you decide that you would like one-to-one support from a member of our team. We aim to see young people and their families as soon as we can and appreciate how frustrating it can be to wait. If concerns are raised that require immediate attention then we will respond to this in a timely manner.
On occasions we may contact you by telephone prior to an appointment to gain a clearer picture of the current circumstances. Please feel free to let us know at the time if this is inconvenient.
We often have students or psychology trainees with us so please let us know if you would prefer them not to sit in on the appointment (no more than one student would be present).
If you have any concerns or questions please call us on 02920 536795.
Useful resources:
0808 8023456 (open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
Free advocacy, information and advice helpline for children and young people
EARLY GATEWAY 03000 133133 for Cardiff Families (was Cardiff support 4 families)
FAMILIES FIRST 0800 0327322 for Vale of Glamorgan families
Offering advice/help to find the most appropriate service in Cardiff and The Vale of Glamorgan for children, young people and families. The trained staff for these lines will have the time to explore challenging issues relating to children and young people and discuss a range of options with you. In some circumstances, more extensive, home based assessments can be arranged.
Emotional Wellbeing Service - Cardiff and The Vale
0800 0086879 Supporting young people with mental health, emotional wellbeing and risk taking behaviours
An information service organised by Cardiff Youth Service
Contact us: 02920 536795
Many of us have struggled with difficult events or relationships throughout our lives. Your childhood may have been very difficult, or more recent problems have had a great deal of impact on you. These experiences can often leave us feeling self critical or shameful about ourselves. Maybe we feel that we ought to recover in a certain way; or find it hard to get past certain hurtful emotions. Sometimes, although we understand in our head that we ought to get past a problem, we find it impossible in our heart to do so.
Understanding Me is not therapy but is an information sharing presentation drawing on the theory that underpins Compassionate Mind Training. The fact is this; we are all human and we all find ourselves here in this world, with a brain and emotions that we have to figure out. Working out how and why our brains work the way they do is a tough task, understanding emotions can be even harder. Much of life’s suffering involves working our way through difficult situations, and we are not to blame for the ways our brains react to significant life events – we were not involved with the development of our brains nor the evolution of our emotions.
If you would like to gain a greater understanding of the brain and the functions of emotions, and have found yourself suffering from self critical thoughts or strong difficult emotions, there is now an opportunity to do this, and to develop compassion for yourself and others in the process.
There is evidence that suggests people who are more self critical and experience strong feelings of shame can struggle more than others, with common mental health difficulties. The Understanding Me course aims to help people who experience these difficulties.
Understanding Me is based on the principles of Compassionate Mind Training, which itself stems from the psychological approach of Compassion Focused Therapy. There is good evidence to suggest that this approach can help us develop a greater sense of compassion for ourselves and others.
In the future we will run Understanding Me in community venues, but due to the COVID-19 crisis we have decided to launch it online. We will also upload handouts with every session so you can practice skills and activities in-between. Come back fortnightly to find the next session when it uploads. There’s a good chance this course may be helpful for you, so why not give it a try?
Understanding Me is a Compassionate Mind Training inspired course for people with mild to moderate common mental health difficulties. It is not therapy and doesn't sit on the clinical pathway for any particular diagnosis. Attendees are not offered follow-up and the facilitators do not assess or manage risk.
Click on the text below for each session of course:
General guidance regarding your physical health and COVID-19:
Gov.uk/coronavirusIn response to the COVID-19 Crisis we would like to offer helpful guides for your mental health:
Coping calendar: helpful suggestions for your wellbeing each day.
Living with worry and anxiety amidst global uncertainty- a helpful guide to managing uncertainty by Psychology Tools
FACE COVID How to respond effectively to the coronavirus- by Dr Russ Harris, author of The Happiness Trap
How to manage post-viral fatigue after COVID-19: Practical advice for people who have recovered at home
How to manage post-viral fatigue after COVID-19: Practical advice for people who have been treated in hospital
Stress Control relaxation exercises
All Wales Covid-19 Well-being Survey
We would be very interested in hearing your experience of COVID-19 and its effect on your wellbeing. This information will be used to inform development of future mental health service delivery.
We appreciate and value any information you can share with us. Many thanks.
The Survey is accessible via the website: www.wales-wellbeing.co.uk or directly in this survey link www.wales-wellbeing.co.uk/survey.
Further information can also be found at:
https://www.facebook.com/wales.wellbeing
https://twitter.com/wales_wellbeing/
https://www.instagram.com/wales.wellbeing/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/wales-wellbeing/
If you are attending the Stress Control course we recommneded accessing the free pre-course and course materials click here.
Stress Control – What is it?
Stress is a widespread issue in Britain, affecting four in ten people and leading to common GP visits for symptoms like upset stomachs, headaches, poor sleep as well as mental health difficulties. Many feel overwhelmed, as stress can impact anyone, regardless of age, gender, or background. However, stress is a normal part of life, and the notion of simply 'pulling yourself together' is not a solution.
The Stress Control course, offered by the Primary Mental Health Support Service for Cardiff and the Vale, is a free 6-week program designed to provide effective stress management tools. Each 2-hour weekly session will teach new techniques, building a comprehensive toolkit by the course's end. This course aims to empower individuals to better manage their stress, recognising that while the causes of stress are complex, control and coping are achievable
The course is open access*. No need to register. Miss a session? That’s ok, you can catch up by attending another stress control course or just the specific session you missed.
The course runs weekly for 6 weeks. Each session is 2 hours which includes a short break.
Session 1: What is Stress?
Session 2: Controlling your body
Session 3: Controlling your thoughts
Session 4: Controlling your actions
Session 5: Controlling panicky feelings and getting a good night’s sleep
Session 6: Boosting your wellbeing, tying it all together and controlling your future
*Although Stress Control is an open access course it is for adults only (18+). You are more than welcome to bring someone with you.
To access the free pre-course and course materials click here. We recommend having a read of the 'preparing for the course materials' before attending.
Upcoming Courses
2024
Grange Pavilion - 6 weeks from 30/09/2024 11:45-13:45
Chapter Arts (media point room) - 6 weeks from 07/11/2024 13:00-15:00
2025
Chapter Arts (media point room) - 6 weeks from Thursday 09/01/2025 13:00-15:00
Chapter Arts (media point room) - 6 weeks from Thursday 27/02/2025 13:00-15:00
Chapter Arts (media point room) - 6 weeks from Tuesday 06/05/2025 13:00-15:00
Chapter Arts (media point room) - 6 weeks from Tuesday 17/06/2025 13:00-15:00
Chapter Arts (media point room) - 6 weeks from Tuesday 09/09/2025 13:00-15:00
Chapter Arts (media point room) - 6 weeks from Tuesday 28/10/2025 13:00-15:00
| Location |
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Grange Pavilion, Grange Gardens, Cardiff CF11 7LJ
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| Time |
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11:45-13:45
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| Dates |
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30/09/2024 - Session 1: What is Stress? 07/10/2024 - Session 2: Controlling your body 14/10/2024 - Session 3: Controlling your thoughts 21/10/2024 - Session 4: Controlling your actions 28/10/2024 - Session 5: Controlling panicky feelings and getting a good night’s sleep 04/11/2024 - Session 6: Boosting your wellbeing, tying it all together and controlling your future
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Accessibility
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Fully accessible venue with facilities. Limited street parking.
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| Location |
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Chapter Arts, Market Rd, Cardiff CF5 1QE Accessible by Cardiff Bus, 13, 17 and 18.
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| Time |
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13:00-15:00
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| Dates |
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07/11/2024 - Session 1: What is Stress? 14/11/2024 - Session 2: Controlling your body 21/11/2024 - Session 3: Controlling your thoughts 28/11/2024 - Session 4: Controlling your actions 05/12/2024 - Session 5: Controlling panicky feelings and getting a good night’s sleep 12/12/2024 - Session 6: Boosting your wellbeing, tying it all together and controlling your future
09/01/2025 - Session 1: What is Stress? 16/01/2025 - Session 2: Controlling your body 23/01/2025 - Session 3: Controlling your thoughts 30/01/2025 - Session 4: Controlling your actions 06/02/2025 - Session 5: Controlling panicky feelings and getting a good night’s sleep 13/02/2025 - Session 6: Boosting your wellbeing, tying it all together and controlling your future 27/02/2025 - Session 1: What is Stress? 06/03/2025 - Session 2: Controlling your body 13/03/2025 - Session 3: Controlling your thoughts 20/03/2025 - Session 4: Controlling your actions 27/03/2025 - Session 5: Controlling panicky feelings and getting a good night’s sleep 03/04/2025 - Session 6: Boosting your wellbeing, tying it all together and controlling your future 06/05/2025 - Session 1: What is Stress? 13/05/2025 - Session 2: Controlling your body 20/05/2025 - Session 3: Controlling your thoughts 27/05/2025 - Session 4: Controlling your actions 03/06/2025 - Session 5: Controlling panicky feelings and getting a good night’s sleep 10/06/2025 - Session 6: Boosting your wellbeing, tying it all together and controlling your future 17/06/2025 - Session 1: What is Stress? 24/06/2025 - Session 2: Controlling your body 01/07/2025 - Session 3: Controlling your thoughts 08/07/2025 - Session 4: Controlling your actions 15/07/2025 - Session 5: Controlling panicky feelings and getting a good night’s sleep 22/07/2025 - Session 6: Boosting your wellbeing, tying it all together and controlling your future 09/09/2025 - Session 1: What is Stress? 16/09/2025 - Session 2: Controlling your body 23/09/2025 - Session 3: Controlling your thoughts 30/09/2025 - Session 4: Controlling your actions 07/10/2025 - Session 5: Controlling panicky feelings and getting a good night’s sleep 14/10/2025 - Session 6: Boosting your wellbeing, tying it all together and controlling your future 28/10/2025 - Session 1: What is Stress? 04/11/2025 - Session 2: Controlling your body 11/11/2025 - Session 3: Controlling your thoughts 18/11/2025 - Session 4: Controlling your actions 25/11/2025 - Session 5: Controlling panicky feelings and getting a good night’s sleep 02/12/2025 - Session 6: Boosting your wellbeing, tying it all together and controlling your future
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Accessibility |
| Fully accessible venue with facilities. Venue on first floor with lift access. Parking – Chapter has car park. Limited street parking. |
Our valued third sector partners also run a range of courses and services.
For courses in the Vale of Glamorgan - click here.
For course in Cardiff - click here
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