KINTSUGI HOPE WELLBEING GROUP

Emotional health and wellbeing are being talked about more than ever, and we are all being encouraged to talk more openly about our struggles and seek support.

If you struggle with any area of mental and emotional wellbeing, we would like to invite you to join a Kintsugi Hope Wellbeing Group at Broadmead Community Church.  You may not have heard of Kintsugi Hope so we would like to take this opportunity to introduce it to you.

A Kintsugi Hope Wellbeing Group;

• is for people who at times feel or have felt overwhelmed by everyday life
• is a safe and supportive space for everyone to grow and flourish
• is a peer support group where we recognise that we are all broken in some ways and we can all learn from one another
• is a place where there is no shame and embarrassment in struggling
• a place where it’s ok to say “I’m not ok”
• provides tools and techniques to improve emotional and mental wellbeing
• promotes an increased sense of self-worth, confidence and wellbeing
• encourages a deeper understanding of the reality of God’s love for everyone
• is a place where people from all backgrounds are welcome
• enables Churches to reach their congregations and communities with resources to support people’s mental and emotional wellbeing with an attitude of humility – not to judge, fix or rescue, but to come alongside and love one another
• is not a counselling or therapy session
• not suitable for anyone who may be at risk of harm to themselves, or others, or who are currently receiving treatment or therapy for a severe mental health issue

Some of the issues covered during the 12-week course include; disappointment, loss, anxiety, anger, perfectionism, shame and resilience, and the group offers a place to share our experiences and learn from one another. Kintsugi Hope Wellbeing Groups are safe and supportive spaces for people from any background to attend.

Group Leaders are trained to run a group to encourage, inform and inspire.  Group Leaders are not trained therapists, nor experts in treating or diagnosing mental or emotional health illnesses, however, where necessary they can signpost people to specialist help.

Patrick Regan OBE, describes what led him to start Kintsugi Hope:

“Following a series of life changing events including loss, illness and lots of surgery, life became increasingly overwhelming. This had a major impact on my emotional and mental health. My ‘man up’ self-talk didn’t work and I ended up suffering with anxiety and depression. I felt broken and filled with shame. However, when I opened up to share my brokenness, I found I wasn’t alone.  I learnt that being honest about my struggles not only helped me, but also helped open the door for many others to be honest too. It is so much easier facing difficult situations with others than on our own.  I then discovered Kintsugi which is a Japanese technique for repairing pottery with seams of gold. The word means ‘golden joinery’ in Japanese. This repairs the brokenness in a way that makes the object more beautiful, and even more unique than it was prior to being broken. Instead of hiding the scars it makes a feature of them.  All of us have broken pieces, but instead of hiding them, we can learn from them. We can discover treasure in our scars.”

Come and join us as we journey together for 12 weeks to explore how to maintain positive mental and emotional wellbeing in the midst of our busy lives.