Mental Health Support Sessions
During the winter of 2020-21, a programme of sessions designed to support the mental health of sex workers was devised. An initial list of potential topics was established, as the result of discussions with our Research & Development Team.
We approached some of the therapists on our Directory, to gauge who would be able to present on the topics on our initial list.
We then decided on a programme of 5 sessions, based on the above, as well as trying to cover as wide a range of topics as possible.
This is a list of the sessions that were presented. The description of the topic is provided by each presenter.
Emotional regulations and how to look after your mental health, with Silva Neves
18th February
This workshop aimed to briefly teach some basic psychological processes that automatically happens when people are upset and distressed. The second part of this workshop focussed on learning about various easy tools and techniques to regulate one’s emotions when faced with a distressing time. These techniques are useful during a period of adversities (such as a pandemic) and also useful for every day balanced life.
An introduction to Solution-focused Hypnotherapy, for dealing with Stress, Anxiety & Depression, with George Lewis
4th March
In this session, we were taken through a typical SFH session, learning a few tips to help deal with stress, anxiety and depression. This was then topped off by a relaxing and uplifting trance session.
Understanding Grief and Loss, with Silva Neves
18th March
In this workshop participants learned in details the relationship between loss and grief from a psychological and emotional point of view: how it manifests and how the grief process unfolds. The second part of this workshop offered several practical and emotional tools on managing grief. Finally, we briefly discussed what to say and what to do when a loved one is grieving.
Introduction to Dialectical Behaviour Therapy Skills for Surviving a Crisis, with Sophia Graham
27th April
This session was all about developing skills to survive an emotional crisis. The truth is that no one thing will work for everyone, so we talked through a lot of different strategies that folks can use when their emotions get overwhelming. It is all about treating your emotion like it is the emergency and learning tools to reduce activation so that you can get through it (without making things worse).
‘Sex Worker Friendly Therapy: What does this look like?’, with Fiona Gilbertson
1st June
The session took a collaborative approach to discuss the issues and barriers faced by sex workers when attempting to access mental health support and therapy. Topics includeed safety; discretion; what it means to effectively support a sex worker; variations in issues of access and support based on intersectionality and the whorearchy; trauma-informed approaches; issues of stigma and discrimination; maintaining an assumption free approach as a therapist; how the law impacts barriers and issues towards access and support, and more. The session concluded with the opportunity to make recommendations for change and improvement.
