Body & Soul

Charity Overview

Body & Soul transform the life-threatening effects of childhood adversity and trauma by providing innovative, therapeutic support to children and families whose lives have been devastated by abuse, neglect, and family breakdown. They believe that everyone deserves to live a life free from the trauma of their past, free from isolation, shame, fear, and despair. Providing a safe and non-judgemental space, they offer an array of therapeutic services to support their members (service-users) rediscover their identity, purpose, and strengths.

Project Summary

A donation from ICAP Charity Day in 2018 was dedicated to Body & Soul's “You Are Not Alone” programme.

Thanks to Body & Soul, now my days are filled with hope and direction.
Danielle, Body & Soul Service-User

“You Are Not Alone” transforms the lives of young people aged 16-30 who have attempted suicide. With support from ICAP Charity Day, the charity transformed the lives of 97 young people who have attempted suicide. Each young person benefitted from a 24-week Dialectical Behaviour Therapy skills groups, one-to-one therapeutic support, and a range of creative workshops, all designed to transform young people’s mental health.

ICAP’s donation has been nothing short of life-saving. The programme can run at the quality and capacity it does thanks to your support. Our “You Are Not Alone” programme encapsulates viewing the person as a whole and working towards rebuilding resilience in young people’s lives. With your donation, we were able to provide the space and time our young people needed to connect with themselves and others around them. Your donation meant we could deliver evidenced-based therapeutic interventions such as Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, trauma-informed yoga, creative programming and complementary therapies like massage and shiatsu too. It is with this combination of support that we were truly able to co-create with our young people a life worth living. A massive thank you to ICAP for your generous support!
Hattie, “You Are Not Alone” Programme Manager

No young person coming to Body & Soul has died by suicide since accessing “You Are Not Alone”. Young people report that their self-harming has reduced significantly, that they feel better connected to their family and friends, and that their mental health has improved, enabling them to now live fuller and happier lives.

Danielle's Story:

Danielle* joined Body & Soul in January 2019. She had attempted suicide twice, once in 2011 and again in 2018 by overdosing. She self-harmed regularly by putting pins in her arms, hitting her head against a wall and punching herself. During childhood, Danielle had been verbally, physically and sexually abused and was constantly in contact with her GP and local crisis teams.

ICAP’s support has been a lifeline for Danielle. She completed her Dialectical Behaviour Therapy skills group in September 2019, and since then has not made any further suicide attempts, has called emergency services just twice and has completely stopped self-harming! 

Whilst attending her skills group, Danielle also chose to take part in a women’s group we held over the summer. The course was facilitated by a sex therapist who supported our young people to explore issues around sexuality, consent, and sexual abuse. During the course, Danielle opened up about her own experiences of sexual abuse, sharing the impact this had had on her life with a group for the first time.

Danielle is unrecognisable from when she first joined Body & Soul. She consistently demonstrates that even when life gets tough she can manage difficult feelings and circumstances, no longer turning to drink, binge eating or self-harm to cope.

 

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