For the last decade particularly, we have been aware of a mental health issue in our prisons. We have also been aware of the link between poverty and low education to poor health outcomes across the board. The World Health Organisation continues to identify ‘The most prevalent condition among people in prison was mental health […]

Here are some practical solutions alongside some familiar universal practices that your organisation can put in place to support an individual with ADHD include:   Give instructions in both writing and verbally. Convey the end goal and the timescale in which work is to be delivered. Break tasks down into smaller step-by-step tasks if it […]

There are a lot of initiatives to support wellbeing at work and it is hard to know what to do for the best, particularly if you are a small company. There are four main areas you can address in your company but it is always sensible to focus on statutory requirements first. 1.Checking in on […]

Introduction ‘Talking’ therapy, also known as psychotherapy or counselling, is a widely recognised and effective approach to addressing mental health challenges. It involves engaging in conversations with a trained therapist or counsellor to explore and understand thoughts, emotions, behaviours, and the underlying factors contributing to psychological distress. In this blog, we will delve into the […]

Apparently, Philip Schofield’s big error was lying to ITV and his colleagues which ‘let them down’. This has prompted moral outrage. Politicians lie, professionals lie and everyone lies. But why do we lie? Are we all in agreement that lying is bad? Is the moral compass clear on lying? Have you ever said any of […]

I recently wondered about how older people can have better mental health by feeling more included and keeping up to date with societal norms. Low and behold this research emerges below. A recent study looked at belief in the malleability of opinions in older people. The authors suggest that a belief in the rigidity of […]

  There are a range of workshops aimed at women to improve their confidence and address softer language associated with females. Apparently, there are many women who say ‘Sorry’ and ‘use self- minimizing language’ or qualify what they say with ‘I am not sure I am an expert on this’. Of course, it could be […]

Nurture your impostor ‘Impostor syndrome, also known as impostor phenomenon in which people doubt their skills, talents, or accomplishments and have a persistent internalized fear of being exposed as frauds. Despite external evidence of their competence, those experiencing this phenomenon do not believe they deserve their success or luck.’ So let’s debunk some of this. […]

Menopause is a topic of interest; shortages of HRT and access to it, prescriptions for women at reduced cost and workplace policies to support women are all in focus. There was a lot of scare mongering about HRT in past decades and risks of medication were magnified. Now HRT is produced in different ways to […]

  If you are a parent and are not sure how to support your child perhaps you could share this article with your child?   Studies have shown that people have poor insight into their exam preparation and thus their potential success in exams in the future. This is down to students not knowing the optimal […]

Psychological research indicates that we are more likely to recall negative emotional events and that we have more vivid memories for negative situations in our lives than positive situations. The researchers suggest that an alertness to the negative and potential threatening situations can help us to navigate difficulties in the future. We’re also better at […]

In case you are thinking that the negative effects of stress at work is not replicated elsewhere, think again. This research shows how stress negatively impacts elite sports people too. During the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, remote cameras measured the heart rates of  archery competitors. Higher heat rates — an indicator of greater stress — were […]

Have you ever spent time worrying about how you were going to tell someone something that you wanted to tell them or ask someone something that was important? It should be easy but our emotions about what we want to ask or share or our concerns about how we will be judged get in the […]

Managing Stress By Sara Ireland Stress results when the demands of the environment are greater than the individual’s perceived coping resources. It refers to a collection of physiological, emotional, behavioural and cognitive reactions that occur in response to environmental demands. ‘Pressure’ to a varying degree has benefits but when it edges into prolonged stress; there […]

  We all know that when we have too much to do and or  the wrong type of work and not enough time, capacity or capability to do it- we can get stressed. Effective delegation can support wellbeing at work and address elements of over work, organisation  and  promote role boundaried work. Effective delegation can […]

Walsall Primary CARE Single Session Mental Health Support Service Do you want to learn more about supporting yourself or getting more support? We offer: Goal and solution focused support – everyone gets an action plan. By phone or online. How it works: ·         Get in touch with us via the contact details below. ·         You’ll […]

Sometimes things are not simple. An absence could be a week or two or a long- term absence. Absences could been triggered by a set of circumstances which resulted in a mental health impact e.g. a grievance or complaint at work about a manager, a disciplinary hearing or a health condition that also has impacted […]

For a lot of our workplace clients, these have been tough times. For  our professional carer organisations and small business clients, colleagues are required to cover for vacancies and sickness when recruitment and retention of staff remains challenging. Staff also have families and their own life struggles and might put off asking for help themselves. […]

Atrium Clinic is delighted to be partnering Agora Publishing on a series of webinars on mental health in the workplace. The first webinar is on supporting staff through the cost of living crisis at 2pm  11th January 2023. For more information https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/line-manager-training-supporting-employees-during-the-cost-of-living-tickets-481490770857?aff=Atrium

It’s really easy to pick up on the national troubled mood and see every thing through that lens. I practiced challenging myself as I sat in traffic queues today. My first  thought was that congestion was down to the impact of both the rail and postal worker strikes but again it could be as much […]

  Some of the most inspiring and productive women I know have an ADHD diagnosis. They have been diagnosed as part of an exponential rise in ADHD assessments for girls and women in the last year. The chances are that you know a girl or woman with ADHD and you might not be aware that […]

  The summer holidays are here again. There may be extra complications this year; cancelled flights by airlines, queues to get away and worries about holiday spending at a time when people are worried about the rise in the cost of living. Good holidays relate to our state of mind. They aren’t measured by how far […]

It can be tricky to know how to have that first chat about mental health, or to find the ‘right’ words once you do. This resource developed by Mental Health UK is to support with exactly that. Conversation Guide: Talking to someone about mental health

Earth Day is celebrated on 22 April this year. Environmental organisation WWF-UK and the Mental Health Foundation have created a comprehensive guidebook for mental health. The free guidebook, ‘Thriving With Nature’, which you can download below, aims to raise awareness and open conversations about mental health issues, while recognising the increasingly important role that nature plays in supporting […]

Yes, death happens to us all. We all die. Life is too precious to deny the key stage of death. Not every death is a tragedy and some deaths are a shock, uninvited and incredibly sad. If you love someone, you can miss them terribly. But we need to embrace the hurt of death so […]

All of life marks the beginning of one phase and the closing down of another. We anticipate the births and beginnings, the leavings, the deaths, the changes, the comings together and we worry .We imagine the worst scenarios of every transition for ourselves and those we love. We could be planning instead for scenarios which […]

How can companies help their employees navigate complex emotions in the workplace? Grief, stress, loneliness have all increased over the global pandemic, and most of us are not accustomed to navigating this in the workplace, at least at the scale we’re seeing now. Check out this podcast from McKinsey Talks Talent: McKinsey Talks Talent: Grief, Loss […]

Financial concerns are not good for our mental health; we tend to ruminate on worry and this can affect our wellbeing. In this blog post, Debbie Taggio writes about the benefits of looking at how we use our money. If you are worried about money issues, have a look at the government’s free finance and […]

 Wellbeing check- ins for employees Key components to workplace wellbeing are a combination of employer and employee responsibilities to maximize wellbeing and performance at work. A wellbeing check- in helps the employee assess their wellbeing and actions they can take to improve it. Stevenson and Farmer (2017) reviewed mental health at work practices by employers […]

Wellbeing is a mixture of things… Wellbeing is not a one element but combines several. It is impacted by physical and emotional health, the relationships in our life, our current challenges often beyond our control and external to us, our beliefs and general optimism about life’s course, our belief in our own coping abilities and […]

Christmas can be a difficult time of year for many people. If you need urgent help, you can call Samaritans on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org. They’re available to offer support 24/7 every single day of the year. You can also text SHOUT to 85258 anytime day or night and chat by text to share […]

Suggested actions for mentally healthier integrated care systems | Source: Centre for Mental Health The Centre for Mental Health has published a briefing: Better together: A public health model for mentally healthier integrated care systems. Ed Davie, Policy and Public Affairs Lead at Centre for Mental Health, writes: ‘The Covid-19 pandemic is being accompanied by […]

A shortage of HGV drivers has been blamed for the recent fuel crisis, but as the army are being drafted in to ease the pressure, what are your rights if you can’t get to work because of the fuel shortage? Can I be dismissed if I can’t get to work? Your employer cannot instantly dismiss […]

  You may have never heard of inclusion, so are oblivious to how inclusion at work affects you. Many use the word ‘inclusion’ interchangeably with diversity or equality, and as a culture, it includes those issues. But when focussed on in the round, inclusion helps to lessen workplace inequalities, encourages greater diversity and promotes equality […]

Under the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981, employers must make appropriate first aid arrangements within working environments. The legislation gives employers a duty of care to employees to provide first aid, which may, in certain circumstances, extend to members of the public.   In the current coronavirus crisis, employers will need to consider […]

This article summarises the things an employer should do to allow their workers to continue to work safely, and the steps they should take to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace. Risk Assessments Your employer should have updated their risk assessment policies to manage the risk of COVID-19 within the workplace. This will […]

Following on from my previous article surrounding compulsory COVID-19 regulations for care home staff, from 11th November, anyone working in a Care Quality Commission registered care home in England and Wales must have two vaccine doses unless they have a valid medical exemption.   To whom do the regulations apply? They will apply to all […]

Many brain injuries result from assaults and domestic situations, so it is not unusual for prison inmates to suffer from cognitive and developmental disabilities. Studies carried out in 2016 showed that around 60% of adults in prison have a history of brain injury. This is six times the rate of the general population. It will […]

Atrium Clinic has key policies and statements that you can access here. Modern Slavery statement  Atrium policy Modern Slavery and Human trafficking  Data Protection Data protection policy Complaints policy Atrium Complaints Procedure For many more of our policies and processes, please contact the atrium office info@atriumclinic.co.uk or call on tel. 01702 332857

You can download a copy of this document here.

You can download a copy of this report here.

You can download a copy of this report here. 

The Future of Prison Mental Health in England | 2021 Engaging With Complexity | Providing Effective Trauma-Informed Care for Women | 2019 Guidance for Therapists & Counsellors | Providing Care for Children and Adults Affected by Trauma Race, Culture, & Diversity | A Collection of Articles | 2017 Taking Trauma Home | Reducing the Likelihood […]

Sometimes we feel good or our wellbeing dips and we notice. It may be that you start to feel better and in hindsight, realise that you have been feeling ‘off’ or ‘tired’. It can be hard to name what is troubling us or making us tired. Consider a self review to help you drill down […]

Opinions are divided on “duvet days”. Some employers see them as a perk to attract the best talent, others believe they are harmful to their business. Although suspecting an employee is ‘pulling a sickie’ at home and cuddled up with the dog, on the sofa watching TV whilst their colleagues are stuck at their desk […]

When dealing with poor performance or incapability issues because of ill health, an employer needs to exercise great care if they are to avoid an employment tribunal claim. A written capability policy is the gold standard, however, not all employers have one in place. In all cases, the capability process must be fair and transparent, […]

Adult workers in the UK are covered by the Working Time Regulations. These regulations entitle workers to an uninterrupted rest break of at least 20 minutes from work during a working day exceeding six hours. Young workers aged between 16 and 17 are entitled to an uninterrupted break of at least 30 minutes after working […]

It can be particularly stressful when your employer is short-staffed, and your line-manager is doing the rounds with their clipboard looking for “volunteers” to cover shifts. It might not be easy, or even possible, to step into the breach. You may have difficulties arranging childcare or have to care for other relatives, you may not […]

‘ ‘In wealthier countries, we can expect 1/10 people to be impacted in some way by brain injury’, according to the Economist author. ‘Those who have experienced such injuries are more likely to suffer mental-health problems and loneliness. They are more likely to struggle with addiction to drink or drugs, or to be homeless. They […]

Managing Stress By Sara Ireland Stress results when the demands of the environment are greater than the individual’s perceived coping resources. It refers to a collection of physiological, emotional, behavioural and cognitive reactions that occur in response to environmental demands. ‘Pressure’ to a varying degree has benefits but when it edges into prolonged stress; there […]

Managing Confidence and Self Belief By Sara Ireland Confidence, self confidence, self belief and self esteem are often linked. Confidence relates to knowing your own abilities. Self confidence is learnt and externally driven and self belief is a trust in your own abilities and positive regard for yourself irrespective of your achievements (internally driven). The […]

Can my Employer Force me to have a Coronavirus Vaccine? By Debbie Taggio Among the first to receive the coronavirus vaccination are high risk healthcare and care home workers, and over the coming year it is expected tens of millions of people will follow suit. So, what are your rights as an employee, can your […]

Can my Employer force me to have a COVID-19 test? By Debbie Taggio Some employers consider providing testing for their employees, even where the employees are not displaying symptoms will help prevent transmission of COVID-19 in the workplace. But what if you feel constant testing is invasive or unnecessary, do you have to take a […]

Loneliness And Social Isolation In The Workplace – Why Does It Matter? By Dr Paul Husselbee In a world as connected as it is today it is perverse to think that loneliness is on the rise. Increasing numbers of us are feeling more socially isolated than ever. Loneliness can have long-lasting and damaging effects on […]

All of life marks the beginning of one phase and the closing down of another. We anticipate the births and beginnings, the leavings, the deaths, the changes, the comings together and we worry. We imagine the worst scenarios of every transition for ourselves and those we love. We could be planning instead for scenarios which […]

Debt and Wellbeing – Part Two By Debbie Taggio In part one, I discussed dealing with growing debts and the best way of dealing with them. But what if you’re past that point? What can you do if enforcement action is being taken against you? Is there anything you can do? If you haven’t paid […]

Debt and Wellbeing – Part One By Debbie Taggio Does a shiver of dread run along your spine each time the phone rings or there’s a knock at the door? The worries of debt and persistent creditor contact can result in stress, difficulty sleeping, extreme anxiety, muscle tension, chest pain and irritability. You might spend […]

Frequently asked questions 1.What happens in a Wellbeing Coaching session? The Atrium pathway coordinating team will already have told you the name of your wellbeing specialist. In the first session, your wellbeing specialist will introduce themselves to you. They will check- in on your wellbeing at the beginning of the session to see if there […]

Welcome, Debbie! What am I about? A question we all ask ourselves at one time or another, I think. Certainly, for me it’s a question that doesn’t just have one answer. In my early twenties I was about caring for my young children, but towards the end of the decade I wanted something else and […]

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Coronavirus has changed our adult lives but what about the impact on your children? Surveys carried out in this period, indicate that whilst some children are loving being at home for a prolonged period, others are showing signs of distress and parents are not sure what to do to help. If you’re worried, here are […]

Are you worried about your child’s wellbeing? Are you wondering what you can do to support them better? Or are you worried about your teenager and you are not sure what is normal teenage behaviour or what needs more specialised help? We run groups on supporting you to help your child with worries or challenging […]

Mental health We all have mental health, just as we all have physical health. How we feel can vary from good mental wellbeing to difficult feelings and emotions, to severe mental health problems. Mental wellbeing Mental wellbeing is the ability to cope with the day-to-day stresses of life, work productively, interact positively with others and […]

Are your staff qualified? Yes all our psychologists, therapists and coaches are qualified to support you. How long will I attend sessions for? That depends on your needs. The research says many people only need to attend a single session. Others need more. When you finish your course of coaching or therapy, you will have […]

Telephone 01702 332857 or info@atriumclinic.co.uk Atrium Online Services Are you a mental health practitioner or a GP getting calls from patients with worries? Atrium Clinic  offers support to your practice and patients. We have experience in working with traditionally underserved communities and adapt services to meet the needs of these groups.   Atrium has been […]

In our everyday lives, we are deluged with information about our wellbeing. Our consumerist culture tells us it can be cultivated with the help of mindfulness meditation apps, wholesomely marketed vitamin supplements and exorbitantly priced sessions of goat yoga (sadly no longer practicable unless you have your own goats at home). Celebrities and influencers peddle […]

Telephone 01702 332857 or info@atriumclinic.co.uk  Terms for Workplace We assume terms are accepted unless you tell us otherwise before the service commences. Please request additional policy information from the Atrium office. Each business has a slightly different service delivery model with Atrium so please call Atrium office if you have queries about your specific service […]

Single Session Therapy or SST is a model of service delivery that recognises that most people can benefit from one session of therapy alone. It can be useful when there is a high demand for help, such as during a time of crisis like we are now facing with the Coronavirus outbreak. By tapping into […]

Samaritans www.samaritans.org Call Day or Night 116 123 jo@samaritans.org Dial 111 NHS Direct (and request option 2 for mental health issues) or seek advice on whether the situation warrants urgent action.  Contact your GP MIND www.mind.org.uk www.anxietyuk.org.uk http://learn.4mentalhealth.com/ Other Tips and Resources https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/coronavirus-covid-19-anxiety-tips/ For support in a crisis, Text Shout to 85258. If you’re experiencing a personal crisis, […]

These are devastating times for some people, very worrying and inconvenient times for others and strange times (for us all- not least the children). We are affected by multiple levels of uncertainty and change – at the national level of purpose and policy, how our communities and local services function, the impact on our work […]