What (more) people say...
From service-providers who have attended training/collaborated with HITH:
(See testimonials from community workshop participants here)
(See testimonials from community workshop participants here)
It’s been a delight to have worked with Tam over the past 5 years. I cherish our conversations and collaborations and hope that they will long continue!
Dr Tehseen Noorani, Senior Research Fellow & Project Lead (non-Indigenous), University of Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand. (Former Senior Lecturer, Psychology, University of East London and Academic Advisor Integrative Mental Health University, United States)
As founder and senior advisor to the Enabling Environments project at the Royal College of Psychiatrists I would like to express gratitude for the help that Hope in the Heart have given us in launching and developing our new ‘Relational Practice’ movement and manifesto.
The art exhibition gave our events an extra dimension, which gave many senior psychiatrists (including, I believe, the president of the college) pause for thought – and recognition of the importance of other views on contemporary psychiatric practice.
HitH’s participation in developing collaboration and coherence across voluntary sector organisations through our new ‘TMM group’ has also been, and continues to be, invaluable.
Dr Rex Haigh, Consultant Psychiatrist in Psychotherapy, 1994-2022 Founder, Community of Communitiues (2002) and Enabling Environments (2007) at RCPsych CCQI
I have worked with Tam for years through a wide variety of projects, from taking delegations from the UK and the US to Hiroshima to doing online presentations in South Africa and Rwanda to asking her to read and improve my book about peace culture. She does what she says she'll do, is appropriately assertive while being fundamentally cooperative and easy to work with, has an incredibly broad set of interests and talents to which she brings incredibly deep understanding and skills...Her mind sees clearly and critically. Her heart, filled with hope, wants everyone to be happy.
Steve Leeper, Chair Peace Culture Village (based in Hiroshima)
Former Chair Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation
My research team have been hugely inspired by Hope in the Heart’s work over the last year, especially their ‘messages from the heart’ exhibition, which we have positively reviewed on our madzines website and in Asylum magazine. We hope to continue to work with them over the coming years.
Hel Spandler, Professor of Mental Health, University of Central Lancashire, Principal Investigator, Madzines research project, Managing Editor, Asylum: the radical mental health magazine
Dr Tehseen Noorani, Senior Research Fellow & Project Lead (non-Indigenous), University of Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand. (Former Senior Lecturer, Psychology, University of East London and Academic Advisor Integrative Mental Health University, United States)
As founder and senior advisor to the Enabling Environments project at the Royal College of Psychiatrists I would like to express gratitude for the help that Hope in the Heart have given us in launching and developing our new ‘Relational Practice’ movement and manifesto.
The art exhibition gave our events an extra dimension, which gave many senior psychiatrists (including, I believe, the president of the college) pause for thought – and recognition of the importance of other views on contemporary psychiatric practice.
HitH’s participation in developing collaboration and coherence across voluntary sector organisations through our new ‘TMM group’ has also been, and continues to be, invaluable.
Dr Rex Haigh, Consultant Psychiatrist in Psychotherapy, 1994-2022 Founder, Community of Communitiues (2002) and Enabling Environments (2007) at RCPsych CCQI
I have worked with Tam for years through a wide variety of projects, from taking delegations from the UK and the US to Hiroshima to doing online presentations in South Africa and Rwanda to asking her to read and improve my book about peace culture. She does what she says she'll do, is appropriately assertive while being fundamentally cooperative and easy to work with, has an incredibly broad set of interests and talents to which she brings incredibly deep understanding and skills...Her mind sees clearly and critically. Her heart, filled with hope, wants everyone to be happy.
Steve Leeper, Chair Peace Culture Village (based in Hiroshima)
Former Chair Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation
My research team have been hugely inspired by Hope in the Heart’s work over the last year, especially their ‘messages from the heart’ exhibition, which we have positively reviewed on our madzines website and in Asylum magazine. We hope to continue to work with them over the coming years.
Hel Spandler, Professor of Mental Health, University of Central Lancashire, Principal Investigator, Madzines research project, Managing Editor, Asylum: the radical mental health magazine
Collaborating with Hope in the Heart for our Public and Patient Engagement Art Showcase, at the suggestion of another community collaborator, has been extremely fruitful. We were hoping to engage with a broader audience than we usually do, and open conversations around mental health, experience of services, and our research, which we were able to do to a much greater extent due to this collaboration. The staff were also super helpful and supportive, and made the entire experience seamless. I am hoping that we can collaborate further in the near future.
Katherine Clark, Programme Coordinator for ODESSI, Centre for Outcomes Research and Effectiveness (CORE)
University of Central London
Hope in the Heart gives opportunity to people with lived experiences to be seen, heard, raise their voice by using creativity to show case their talents beyond their mental health experiences…Hope in the Heart addresses the need for creative and personal approaches to mental health support (and) differentiates itself by leveraging the power of creative expression and personal experiences to promote mental health awareness. They emphasize relationship-building and community support rather than traditional, system-focused approaches
Miria Papasofroniou, Learning and Development Lead, Apax, London
Among those taking part (in the HITH training) were some of the very people employed to make decisions about the types of services with which many of these artists might be familiar. On a day of workshops and reflection organised with POP and the Belong in Plymouth initiative (to reduce loneliness and social isolation across the city), we had commissioners from the city council and healthcare professionals from Livewell SW participating alongside the artists and service-users who were sharing their experiences.
The collective voice of the artworks…was loud and it was clear: “Listen to us; hear our story”. And we did: we ‘heard’ and ‘felt’ the lived experiences of those artists, many of whom were depicting deeply moving circumstances of, for example, domestic abuse, eating disorders and homelessness. Together, the collected works raised their voice, and they were heard.
Caroline Blackler, Community network leader, Plymouth Octopus Project
The Oleander Initiative has collaborated with Hope in the Heart in its resilience, trauma recovery and peacebuilding programs since 2018. We have co-implemented four programs together, three in Hiroshima, Japan and one in London, UK. I cannot emphasize enough what a pleasure it is to work with Hope in the Heart. It is an extraordinarily well run organization that focuses its efforts on the needs of the communities it serves with great sensitivity and thoughtfulness. As a result, each of our programs have been remarkable successes that have been truly life changing experiences for our participants. In my opinion, Hope in the Heart is at the top of its field and I recommend it without reservation.
Ray Matsumiya, Executive Director, UME Oleander Initiative www.oleanderinitiative.org
Katherine Clark, Programme Coordinator for ODESSI, Centre for Outcomes Research and Effectiveness (CORE)
University of Central London
Hope in the Heart gives opportunity to people with lived experiences to be seen, heard, raise their voice by using creativity to show case their talents beyond their mental health experiences…Hope in the Heart addresses the need for creative and personal approaches to mental health support (and) differentiates itself by leveraging the power of creative expression and personal experiences to promote mental health awareness. They emphasize relationship-building and community support rather than traditional, system-focused approaches
Miria Papasofroniou, Learning and Development Lead, Apax, London
Among those taking part (in the HITH training) were some of the very people employed to make decisions about the types of services with which many of these artists might be familiar. On a day of workshops and reflection organised with POP and the Belong in Plymouth initiative (to reduce loneliness and social isolation across the city), we had commissioners from the city council and healthcare professionals from Livewell SW participating alongside the artists and service-users who were sharing their experiences.
The collective voice of the artworks…was loud and it was clear: “Listen to us; hear our story”. And we did: we ‘heard’ and ‘felt’ the lived experiences of those artists, many of whom were depicting deeply moving circumstances of, for example, domestic abuse, eating disorders and homelessness. Together, the collected works raised their voice, and they were heard.
Caroline Blackler, Community network leader, Plymouth Octopus Project
The Oleander Initiative has collaborated with Hope in the Heart in its resilience, trauma recovery and peacebuilding programs since 2018. We have co-implemented four programs together, three in Hiroshima, Japan and one in London, UK. I cannot emphasize enough what a pleasure it is to work with Hope in the Heart. It is an extraordinarily well run organization that focuses its efforts on the needs of the communities it serves with great sensitivity and thoughtfulness. As a result, each of our programs have been remarkable successes that have been truly life changing experiences for our participants. In my opinion, Hope in the Heart is at the top of its field and I recommend it without reservation.
Ray Matsumiya, Executive Director, UME Oleander Initiative www.oleanderinitiative.org
Hope in the Heart is a leading example of listening to the voices that come from a service user perspective. With lived experience at the helm of their leadership, HiTH implement creative workshops, commission art and sculpture, and share the unheard messages from disillusioned recipients of ‘broken’ mental health services to commissioners and policy makers, senior management within the NHS and other influencers. This can only help to bring about change where change is so desperately needed.
...Mental health services are looking to transform into better care facilities that can work relationally and more organically with their recipients. HiTH can really help radicalise the way in which public mental health services that are ‘broken’ recreate themselves to take on board the co-creativity of lived experience, dissatisfied and burnt-out clinicians and service delivery partners. They have embraced the Relational Practice Manifesto wholeheartedly, and delivered bespoke training, including to the senior managers and leadership of Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust earlier this year...Unlike other mental health support groups, they work in a unique way to create lasting change that can count towards services working relationally with the recipient. Their innovative approach is progressive and invites autonomy, which is very different to the work of other support groups in mental health services and interventions.
Neelam Khawani-Connett, Director and Chair, Growing Better Lives (CIC), Peer Advisor, Royal College of Psychiatrists, Trustee, The Consortium for Therapeutic Communities
...Tam and I have co-produced some educational workshops on the topic of psychosis. The workshops were delivered in the community and were attended by people experiencing psychosis, their friends and family and mental health workers. Tam’s warm, gentle and creative style of delivery allowed workshop attendees to feel comfortable to ask questions. Sharing her lived experience through art enabled participants to engage with a perspective beyond that which they may have received through professional training. I also really appreciated Tam’s creative input in the planning stages of this project. Her suggestion to use collage as a way to help participants reflect on their own self-care proved a highly effective tool.
Dr Claire Whiter, Principal Clinical Psychologist, Insight Early Psychosis Team
...Mental health services are looking to transform into better care facilities that can work relationally and more organically with their recipients. HiTH can really help radicalise the way in which public mental health services that are ‘broken’ recreate themselves to take on board the co-creativity of lived experience, dissatisfied and burnt-out clinicians and service delivery partners. They have embraced the Relational Practice Manifesto wholeheartedly, and delivered bespoke training, including to the senior managers and leadership of Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust earlier this year...Unlike other mental health support groups, they work in a unique way to create lasting change that can count towards services working relationally with the recipient. Their innovative approach is progressive and invites autonomy, which is very different to the work of other support groups in mental health services and interventions.
Neelam Khawani-Connett, Director and Chair, Growing Better Lives (CIC), Peer Advisor, Royal College of Psychiatrists, Trustee, The Consortium for Therapeutic Communities
...Tam and I have co-produced some educational workshops on the topic of psychosis. The workshops were delivered in the community and were attended by people experiencing psychosis, their friends and family and mental health workers. Tam’s warm, gentle and creative style of delivery allowed workshop attendees to feel comfortable to ask questions. Sharing her lived experience through art enabled participants to engage with a perspective beyond that which they may have received through professional training. I also really appreciated Tam’s creative input in the planning stages of this project. Her suggestion to use collage as a way to help participants reflect on their own self-care proved a highly effective tool.
Dr Claire Whiter, Principal Clinical Psychologist, Insight Early Psychosis Team
I wanted to officially say a huge thank you for presenting last week. It felt a really momentous day and I felt quite choked as I looked around the room and saw a whole conference, full of Peer and Lived Experience Workers for the first time...I do hope we get to work together again.
Fi Kuhn-Thompson, Interim Head of Lived Experience Workforce, Central & North West London NHS Foundation Trust
Looking at the artworks was such an incredibly powerful experience for me: I’ve never felt emotion like it...recognising their bravery, and knowing that each individual picture validated someone’s experience, was, honestly, like a lightbulb moment for me. I just know that, as a city leader, I feel bound to bring it to more people and give them the opportunity to create their vision for Plymouth and the area in which they live.
Zoe Reilley, Labour Councillor, Plymouth (re Messages from the HeART exhibition)
…Hope in The Heart have collaborated with Soteria London on numerous occasions over the last year with their creative art and writing workshops which are fun playful ways to help people express their voices and stories in words or pictures...Hope in The Heart has been such an inspiring, creative, skilful and supportive ally for Soteria London and we always look forward to collaborating and working with them.
Eamonn Flynn, Founder/CEO Soteria London CIC, Family Facilitator Hearing Voice Network, Trustee ISPS UK, Soteria UK, Associate of The International Institute for Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal
Cornwall Partnership Foundation Trust had the great fortune to work with Tam and Hope in the Heart, who delivered two one day relational practice/trauma informed courses to workers throughout our Trust and VCSE.
What was most striking in organising these events, was the overwhelming appetite from staff for the information offered. The course drew applications from all levels of our service, from psychiatrists to students!
If you are seeking a value proposition in your training programme, capable of improving quality of care, experience of services and that also targets improving staff and service user wellbeing, Hope in the Heart provides!
Cornwall trained 68 people over two days, Tam's fees were highly achievable - even in these uncertain times - and on our post-course feedback forms , the one word most repeated? 'Validated'.
We simply can't recommend the course, or Tam, highly enough.
Peta Temple, Advanced Lived Experience Development Lead, Complex Emotional Difficulties Team, Lighthouse Peer Support, Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Fi Kuhn-Thompson, Interim Head of Lived Experience Workforce, Central & North West London NHS Foundation Trust
Looking at the artworks was such an incredibly powerful experience for me: I’ve never felt emotion like it...recognising their bravery, and knowing that each individual picture validated someone’s experience, was, honestly, like a lightbulb moment for me. I just know that, as a city leader, I feel bound to bring it to more people and give them the opportunity to create their vision for Plymouth and the area in which they live.
Zoe Reilley, Labour Councillor, Plymouth (re Messages from the HeART exhibition)
…Hope in The Heart have collaborated with Soteria London on numerous occasions over the last year with their creative art and writing workshops which are fun playful ways to help people express their voices and stories in words or pictures...Hope in The Heart has been such an inspiring, creative, skilful and supportive ally for Soteria London and we always look forward to collaborating and working with them.
Eamonn Flynn, Founder/CEO Soteria London CIC, Family Facilitator Hearing Voice Network, Trustee ISPS UK, Soteria UK, Associate of The International Institute for Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal
Cornwall Partnership Foundation Trust had the great fortune to work with Tam and Hope in the Heart, who delivered two one day relational practice/trauma informed courses to workers throughout our Trust and VCSE.
What was most striking in organising these events, was the overwhelming appetite from staff for the information offered. The course drew applications from all levels of our service, from psychiatrists to students!
If you are seeking a value proposition in your training programme, capable of improving quality of care, experience of services and that also targets improving staff and service user wellbeing, Hope in the Heart provides!
Cornwall trained 68 people over two days, Tam's fees were highly achievable - even in these uncertain times - and on our post-course feedback forms , the one word most repeated? 'Validated'.
We simply can't recommend the course, or Tam, highly enough.
Peta Temple, Advanced Lived Experience Development Lead, Complex Emotional Difficulties Team, Lighthouse Peer Support, Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust