Bipolar disorder is a type of mood disorder which can cause people to go through extreme mood shifts and changes in their thinking, feeling and energy levels.
Here at St Patrick’s Mental Health Services (SPMHS), our Bipolar Recovery Programme is an online group programme that offers support and education for people living with bipolar disorder or symptoms linked with it.
The programme offers an opportunity to:
- help people to understand the bipolar experience
- enable them to identify and manage their symptoms
- improve their quality of life.
The programme uses models and principles from Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). It is run by a team of mental healthcare professionals with a wide range of experience and expertise, including cognitive behavioural therapists and psychiatric nurses. Support from a multidisciplinary team (MDT), including a consultant psychiatrist, occupational therapist, pharmacist and social worker, is also given.
Overview of the programme
There are four elements to the Bipolar Recovery Programme.
Bipolar Programme Workshop
The Bipolar Programme Workshop takes place while the service user is an inpatient in SPMHS or receiving care through our Homecare service. This single-session workshop is a chance for the service user to develop an initial understanding of bipolar disorder, the signs and symptoms, the phases of recovery, the triggers, and the treatment options available.
Bipolar Recovery Programme
The Bipolar Recovery Programme is a 10-week group programme available to day patient service users. It involves psychoeducation, which is a process of providing people with information and education about their mental health difficulties. The programme content includes psychoeducation on recognizing changes in mood, sleep hygiene, and awareness of triggers and early warning signs. The programme also provides peer support and guidance through the group experience, which has been found to be very beneficial in the recovery process.
The programme takes place for a full day every Wednesday for ten weeks.
Bipolar Aftercare Programme
The Bipolar Aftercare Programme is a group available to people who have completed the Bipolar Recovery Programme. It gives the service user the chance to continue developing skills around managing their bipolar disorder. This group focuses on developing self-compassion and mindfulness, and provides ongoing supports for service users throughout their recovery.
This aftercare group takes place for a half day on the first Tuesday of every month.
Bipolar Support Seminar
The Bipolar Support Seminar is a series of two information sessions covering topics helpful to friends and family supporting people taking part in the Bipolar Recovery Programme. Its goal is to provide helpful information to encourage people in recovery to seek help from others and to develop a support network around them. One nominated supporter can attend the information sessions to learn more about bipolar disorder and how to support a person experiencing it, as well as ways of supporting themselves as caregivers. The series takes place across two half-day sessions a year.
How to take part
GPs can refer their patients to the Bipolar Recovery Programme. An MDT can also refer inpatient service users in SPMHS to take part in the programme. The programme team will carry out an assessment to ensure that the programme best suits the person’s needs.
The programme is delivered online through videocalls on Microsoft Teams. Supports are available for service users attending online are available through our Service User IT Support service and guides to Microsoft Teams.
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