Our Programme
Room to Heal is a unique therapeutic community supporting survivors of torture, trafficking, and other human rights abuses. Community is at the heart of everything we do.
Our assessment process is an opportunity for a prospective member to talk about their mental health and asylum-related issues with a therapist. It is a chance for us to look at a person’s psychological and material needs and determine both how they are best addressed and whether Room to Heal is the right place to address them.
We offer short-term individual therapy, aimed at preparing new members to join the Room to Heal community and, where appropriate address enduring post-traumatic symptoms.
We run three weekly therapeutic support groups, each facilitated by an expert therapist. Two of the groups are open to anyone of any age, nationality, or gender. A third group is a psychosocial support group for mothers who have experienced torture.
Group therapy does not just enable our members to begin to heal from their traumatic experiences. Torture destroys trust: group therapy is an important first step in building community among members, and helping them to develop the confidence they need to build community outside Room to Heal.
We support a therapeutic community outside group therapy sessions. Weekly meals in nature at Culpeper Community Garden are an opportunity for all members – those in active therapy, and those who have completed therapy – to come together. Our mothers’ group come together regularly for play sessions, and we offer activities throughout the year including therapeutic movement, gardening, and socials.
We recognise that it is futile to offer counselling to a person who has no food, no money, and no place to sleep at night. Our casework team works closely with a range of partners to help members resolve practical issues they face, for example helping them to access suitable legal representation, housing, and medical care. The casework team also supports members to develop their potential and prepare for employment, education and training.
Members shape the direction of the community at our community forums: developing new services, exploring opportunities to speak out and effect wider change, and sharing information about the government policies that affect them.
Please get in touch to find out more.