Jill Eastham Consultancy and Self Harm Training

A ground-breaking Conference which explores the real meaning of self-harm to those people who self harm in significant and severe ways. The Conference brings together people who have used self-harm to offer their personal insights into their behaviours and also professionals who have been working to meet the needs of people who self-harm and who will explain their understanding of why this behaviour develops and how you can support people who self-harm through acceptance

and positive risk-taking of their self-harm

Main Speakers:

Jill Eastham – Trainer and Consultant in Self-Harm and Related Issues

Jill is a former nurse and qualified counsellor who works independently as a trainer and consultant in self-harm. Jill came into the professional field of self-harm from her own past experience of personally using self-harm to cope with the trauma of reliving painful memories of childhood sexual abuse. She formed, developed and managed the charity SIS (Self-Injury Support in North Cumbria) for over 8 years until she left to work independently developing multi-agency and in-house training workshops in self-harm. She has worked independently for nearly 3 years now raising the awareness and understanding of self-harm for carers and professionals across the North of England.

Jill has always dreamed of organising a conference to bring together people who have self-harmed and professionals to jointly explore and discuss positive ways of meeting the needs of people who self-harm. She has chosen to present her first conference in her home county of Cumbria but hopes to take similar conferences across the North West in the future.

Dr Jonathan L.Middleton, Chartered Educational Psychologist and Child Psychologist

Until December 2009 I was Principal Educational Psychologist and Assistant Director of Children’s Services in St Helens (Education & Social Services). I am an Associate Tutor at Manchester University. I have worked directly with children for over twenty two years, the last fourteen as a psychologist. I have expert skills in assessment particularly relating to young people in care and/or with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. I have worked closely with many partner agencies including Social Services and Child Mental Health Services. I have produced Formal Assessment reports for the statementing procedure and I have written court reports on behalf of the Local Authority and on a private expert witness basis. On several occasions I have appeared at tribunal and I have produced a forensic psychological report for a Crown Court murder case.

I have had extensive experience in respect of working with parents and I have provided evaluations, assessments and interventions accordingly. I have vast experience in assessing young people within the full spectrum of need (including special educational).

I am an author and researcher with particular focus on emotional well being, children in care and therapeutic interventions with children exhibiting social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. I have presented papers nationally and internationally. I remain committed to improving the life chances for children, young people and their families.

AnneMarie Norman, Project Manager, and Maureen McGrath, Independent Counsellor, NIWE Eating Distress Service

Annemarie Norman – state registered art therapist and BAAT registered supervisor. Since qualifying in 1991 she has worked with NIWE Eating Distress Service, specialising in group work with women and in training. Since 1996 she has been the Project Manager of NIWE. She has also worked as an art therapist in a psychiatric hospital. In addition to a fascination with imagery and its healing potential she is interested in psychoanalytic understanding of distress.

Maureen McGrath – MA in Counselling – graduated University of Durham – research paper entitled

‘A Study in the Use of Symbolism in Counselling’. MBACP Senior Accredited. UKRC Registered Independent Counsellor. Currently working in private practice, using art and symbolism. Co-facilitating Art Therapy Groups with NIWE Eating Distress Service.

Workshop Facilitators:

A: Ellen Carr

I am a qualified BACP accredited counsellor, working with adults as a member of the NHS Adult Mental Health Team, who have various psychological difficulties.

I also work with young people, who are in residential care, and where I deal with a lot of self harming

issues. Worked at S.I.S (Self-Injury Support in North Cumbria) for approx 2 years, with clients, from a variety of ages, who self injured in a variety of ways. I am also a trained Supervisor and a qualified mediator.

B: AnneMarie Norman, Project Manager, and Maureen McGrath, Independent Counsellor, NIWE Eating Distress Service

See details above

C: Sarah Holmes – an “ex-cutter”

“I am an ex cutter and have been suffering from intense emotions and difficulties dealing with these since the age of thirteen. At my worst point I was hospitalised due to the severity of my self harming and repeated suicide attempts. During that time I have worked with professionals who have been less than useful with their hurtful comments and refusal to at least try and understand what I was going through. I have also worked with some wonderful people, who through their belief in me and willingness to listen and try to understand me, helped me get where I am today.

Now, I am working with my CPN and the eating disorders team to help myself through bulimia. I still have issues but the difference is now I am a Trainee Youth Worker and I am an active part of the community not a bulimic or a self harmer, I now have an identity which is not centred on my mental health/ illness’. My focus now, is my work and my future rather than self destruction, which in itself helps me to keep myself safe.

D: Liz Inch- Person Centred Counsellor and Supervisor.

Has worked for the last 10 years with Dumfries / Galloway PCT. Several years as a tutor on Certificate & Diploma Courses in Person Centred Theory. Many years working as a Couple Counsellor for Relate where she trained as a Supervisor. Experience with CRUSE Bereavement Care.

D: Sarah Jane Connell, Clinical Team Lead & Deputy Ward Manager & Susan Hornby, Staff Nurse, Beckside Ward, Dane Garth, Furness General Hospital, Cumbria.

Sarah has over 10 years of experience of working on an acute and busy psychiatric unit. She has recognised that NHS Trust policies of trying to protect patients from further harm by using methods to prevent them form self-harming, creates distress in patients. She will talk about the dilemmas staff face in inpatient units and what can be done to reduce distress of patients in these settings.

E: Rachel Welch , Project Director of selfharm.co.uk

Rachel has a long history of self-harm and eating disorders so the theme of this conference is a cause close to her heart both personally and professionally. Rachel is the Project Director for www.seflharm.co.uk which is a new national resource for young harmers and their families and provides training and support to schools and health services.

Who should attend?
All health & social care professionals, managers of services in the voluntary and statutory sectors,
psychologists, psychotherapists, counsellors, nurses, support staff and anyone whose role brings them into contact with people who self harm

Course Fee: £130 + VAT= £152.75
Includes detailed resource pack, attendance certificate and all refreshments and lunch

CONFERENCE 2010