Sophie-May, a Psychology and Counselling Student at York St John University, joined the Centre’s new Cuppa and Conversation group in May, and has come back to CMHC to not only join our blog team, but also speak to us about her experience joining our new emotional support programme.
One of the groups offered by the Counselling and Mental Health Centre is Cuppa and Conversation. This is a free ten-week long group where participants meet once a week for two hours in York for a yummy cuppa and some interesting conversation. The group is aimed at people who may be feeling lonely and are wanting to make new friends, people who are interested in learning some self-care techniques and people looking for emotional support. Each week there is a different topic of discussion and fun and thought-provoking activities in a relaxed and supportive environment.
As an introvert I was fairly happy to do online learning and spend more time at home at the beginning of the first lockdown… However, flash forward to a year later when, after months of lockdowns, periods of isolation and general fear and confusion about what was going on and what exactly were the rules now, I realised introvert or extravert; we all need human connection.
It was the at the beginning of the third lockdown that I realised I was having some symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress and fatigue. I emailed my university tutor to ask her what support was available for me at this difficult time. She replied with a wealth of wellbeing services that are available to students. She also mentioned a new group that was starting called Cuppa and Conversation. At this point in my life, we were months into the third lockdown, I was going days at a time without speaking to anyone and barely had the energy to even get out of bed most days. As a psychology student I knew the importance of talking to someone about my problems and so I signed up to Cuppa and Conversation as a way to reconnect with people and start socialising again.
I didn’t really know what to expect from the group, but I hoped it would help me feel better and maybe build up my confidence in socialising again. What I wasn’t expecting was what an important part of my recovery it would become! I started looking forward to Tuesdays every week knowing I would be able to talk to the friendly faces that became more familiar to me each week. It was such a fun and supportive environment with people who clearly cared about each other. From mindfulness techniques to journaling exercises, I always came away from the session feeling better and with practical tools to help through the difficult times. Now that my ten sessions with the Cuppa and Conversations group are over, I still stay in touch with and regularly meet up with the friends that I made in the group. We swapped stories, we laughed, we cried, we supported each other, and the result is I now feel happier and more confident with lots of practical tips on self-care, as well as a group of close friends that I know I can call on if times get hard again. I would recommend the Cuppa and Conversation group to anyone.
Here’s what another past member had to say: “I joined the Cuppa & Conversation group worried that I would be put under pressure to speak, but right from the start of the first meeting, that pressure disappeared. By the end of the sessions, I had gained a deeper understanding of each topic and became aware of new perspectives. I would encourage anyone thinking about attending the next Cuppa and Conversation, to grab a place!”
The next Cuppa and Conversation group will be running in October, if you’re interested and want to find out more, please email the Counselling and Mental Health Centre for more information at cmhc@yorksj.ac.uk and we will be happy to answer any questions that you may have!
