1.0 Setting the Scene

Listen, we get it.

We know sitting here to do this might feel a bit strange, different, weird, or scary. Or you might be fine.

In both cases the first thing to say is nice one for giving it a try. It's good to take yourself out of your comfort zone every once in a while and try new things, especially when those things are about developing yourself, learning new skills and empowering you to be the best you.

At the same time, you will become part of a national movement of like-minded people, opportunities, stories, adventures and communities of support.

It's great that you’re here, as we start this part of the journey together.

We’ll go on to what Bazaar is in a minute but it makes sense to spend a bit of time getting to know your mentor first as they will be alongside you throughout the journey.

You’re going to be spending an hour each week over the next 8 weeks together so it makes sense to say hello, introduce one another, and tell each other a bit about your story before we get underway.
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Let's get the housekeeping underway.

We take your safety seriously, and we won’t skirt around asking the questions we need to ask to make sure that you are safe.

So each week, before you get into things, there are a few standard questions which we will ask you.

These are on the next page. At the same time as checking you are safe and if needed, getting you additional support, we are going to record some scores each week as a way of you being able to see your progress through Bazaar.

We are totally confident that if you invest a bit of time in the things you learn, build a bit of routine around the programme and go into this from a position of curiosity and openness, you will see these scores improve.

Answer these questions now. Again, the more open you can be and the more you put into Bazaar, the more you will get out of it.

We will ask you to complete these questionnaires today, on Week 5 and Week 8. They are standard clinical tools to measure for the presence of anxiety and depression. We will not be attempting to diagnose you or put labels on you.

Where we are now

Let's talk about the format of each week.

We’re going to organise each week into three areas. First, we'll set the scene, then we're going to learn some information, skills, and techniques. Lastly, we’ll spend some time putting it into practice and applying what you've learnt to your own life.

There’s going to be some self-guided parts to get you doing some digging around theories, concepts and approaches, as well as some tasks to be carried out, and ultimately, loads of conversations with your mentor.

It’s important to remember that they are not here as a counsellor, expert or teacher. Think of them as walking alongside you on your journey and as a sounding board.

They are here to add conversation, helpful insight, interaction and another viewpoint to discuss and unpick things as we go through, to make it real for you and your life. We could spend all day learning about the mind, but unless it’s real to you and your mind, what’s the point?

We want to make peace with the past, and look forward to the future. The main focus of Bazaar is going to be on changes you can make in the present – learning skills to be the best version of yourself, with a life you want to live.

The idea is to now draw a line under anything that’s gone before, start with a clean slate and make the best we can of our present and future.

If you have done any form of support, counselling or therapy before, take the next five minutes to talk about how that went with your mentor. If you haven’t done any, talk about what you are expecting.

If you’re worried, unconvinced or hesitant tell us that too! It’s totally understandable.

It’s not about us having answers at this stage, it’s about you and your mentor being in sync and on the same page.
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Ok, let's start thinking about mental health and general wellbeing.

What do the concepts above mean to you? Discuss with your mentor and make some notes.

It’s important that we have a clear idea of what we are going to be exploring. In your booklet you'll find a bit more information on Mental Health and Wellbeing.
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Your mental health and physical health affect each other, as you will see...

On your worksheet there is a picture of a brain. On this, write down any emotions you have been feeling lately. On the picture of a body, write down any bodily sensations you have been experiencing.
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For today’s final exercise, set yourself 3 goals you would like to achieve over the next 8 weeks.

Try to make these goals achievable, measurable and specific. For example, rather than aiming to find a job, you could aim to apply for 3 in the next month.

We will review these in our final session together.
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At the heart of Bazaar is our Drills.

Drills are your opportunity to put the stuff we go through into practice during the week. It’s so important you do them. Set a reminder on your phone, post notes on the fridge or whatever you need to do to make it happen.

We've provided a space on the back of your booklet to complete your drills, but you're welcome to use your own notepad, journal, or phone if that works better for you.

You will discuss your drills with your mentor at the start of each week. Be sure to bring them with you!

This week you will need to complete a mood diary.

Yes, keeping a diary is a bit old school, but it’s a really useful tool to record how you have been feeling and what you have been doing. It can be beneficial to reflect on experiences and emotions and it can help you to monitor which things have a positive impact on your mood as well as what things present as challenges.

Also, by doing this you may be able to see if there are certain times or days in the week which are more challenging. Keeping a diary can also help you take responsibility for improving your well-being and mood and can also be used long-term to track progress.

Be sure to make the most of your account on our website, www.Bazaarmindmarket.co.uk. Once you've signed up, you can access all of the Bazaar programme content and videos any time from home. You'll also be able to find loads of extra articles, podcasts, mindfulness sessions and videos that might be helpful.

You can also use the Library section to book on to Membership events for free! Membership events are a collection of gigs, art workshops, support groups, games nights and more taking place in the Bloom Building and with local partners. We're covering the costs to help you try something new, enjoy your free time, and get involved with an amazing community.

Before you go each week, we want to slot in a short mindfulness exercise.

All you need to do is sit back, close your eyes and relax. For now, try and be aware of when your mind wanders while you are listening to the audio, because we’re pretty sure it will! When it does, bring your attention back to the audio.

We will be building on this session and explaining mindfulness in more detail throughout the programme.

Mini Mindfulness

After each mindfulness session, we will be asking you to think of one thing you are grateful for in your life. It can be absolutely anything. We will cover the benefits of gratitude later in the course, but for now, just think of something that you are thankful for.

What are you grateful for?🙏
Write this down now.
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At the end of each session, we will be finishing off with a positive affirmation.

Affirmations are positive statements that can help you to challenge and overcome self-sabotaging and negative thoughts. When you repeat them often, and believe in them, you can start to make positive changes.

❤️ I am worthy. I am loved. I am enough.