Taking steps towards hope
When Bridgwater-based Dawn first met Claudia, her Recovery and Wellbeing Worker, she was stricken with grief after the death of her mum. She was unable to leave her home and was experiencing panic attacks every time she heard a noise from outside. This is the story of how she found her way again.
The initial struggle
Dawn was struggling with the loss of her mum. She’d become very anxious and was finding it hard to leave her house. At her first meeting with Claudia, she explained how she couldn’t see the point in doing anything for herself.
As a recovery and wellbeing worker, Claudia met Dawn with a view to helping her start to accept what had happened. She referred her to bereavement counselling and while Dawn was on the waiting list for counselling support, she confided in Claudia that the other area she was struggling with was going outside or leaving her house at all.
Finding a passion
As they talked, Claudia found out more about Dawn and discovered she adored bird watching. She was fascinated by the birds in her garden and loved working out what they were and finding out all about them. One of the things Dawn mentioned was finding a way to attend a local nature and bird watching group called Seeds of Hope.
Claudia decided to expose Dawn gradually to the concept of leaving the house and going outside, with a view that over time she’d grow in confidence and be able to get to her nature group.
Small steps to recovery
They started with tiny steps, with Dawn simply opening the back door and standing there. She then moved to taking one step over the threshold, then the next day she took two steps. Gradually, very slowly, Dawn was able to go into her back garden. Once outside she was in an environment she loved and she was able to feed the birds. One day she even saw a fox in her garden. Bit by bit she built up her resilience until she managed to walk a little way down her road.
Because Claudia’s sessions were booked in weekly as in-person sessions, these small steps had to be done over the phone. Luckily this approach worked for Dawn. As she walked away from her house, she kept talking to Claudia on the other end of the phone.
Each week in their sessions, Dawn would chat about the progress she was making and set the goals for the next week. As time passed Dawn started to realise there were things worth living for and she began to look forward to her trips outside.
A milestone achievement
The day they left the house together to walk three miles to attend the nature group was an amazing day for Dawn, and for Claudia too.
Claudia said:
“It was a challenging journey, as it can be whenever change is involved. It was a pleasure to witness Dawn’s commitment to her recovery. Now Dawn has all the tools she needs to continue her journey independently.”
Dawn is so grateful for the support she received from Claudia and recalled:
“I was struggling with everything, day to day basics, going out… Just doing ordinary things…because of my anxiety and depression, because of the death of my mum. She was my life. I then got referred to Second Step. Claudia and me took steps by going out walking and getting me back in the open and helping me.”
Dawn said the sessions helped her a lot and enabled her to walk further and further and eventually she was strong enough to attend a group. She said:
“We met Kris at Seeds of Hope. I would have never done that until Claudia helped me through it, getting me out when she came to visit me and going on our walks. Our walks and talks, all of it was very helpful.”
Looking to the future
Dawn says she will continue to go to the group on her own and is considering joining other groups including a coffee and chat group run by Second Step. She said:
“[It’s been like] going back to reality. I’ll be able to go out bird watching, which I couldn’t do, that’s another thing I want to start doing. I’ll be able to meet people, which I hope will help with my loneliness.”
Robyn Butler, Open Mental Health Community partnerships Manager added:
“We are so proud of the support all our staff give to the people in our community. Being able to hear the impact that this has on peoples’ lives is the best part of the work we do. The passion for helping people that everyone in our team holds is something to be proud of and celebrated. We are privileged to be a part of Dawn’s recovery journey.”
Open Mental Health
The Open Mental Health Recovery and Wellbeing Service is a team of people who support individuals on their journeys towards improved mental health, wellbeing, and recovery from various mental health challenges or use issues.
Open Mental Health is an alliance of local voluntary organisations, the NHS and social care, Somerset Council, and individuals with lived experience of mental health who work together to improve the way people in Somerset receive support with their mental health.