Mental Health
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Blog: Emotional safety in the wilderness
During the Covid-19 pandemic, nature has played a key role in supporting our everyday wellbeing and it has a further part to play in ensuring longer-term healing and...
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Blog: How nature can benefit your mental health
In a year of Covid-19 restrictions and lockdowns, millions of people have discovered how being in nature supports and protects our mental wellbeing. With the loss of...
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Blog: Artificial Intelligence for mental health
You’ve probably heard the statistic that 1 in 4 people in the UK experience a mental health condition each year. But did you know that suicide is the biggest killer of...
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Blog: From grief to hope
Each year some 6,500 people die by suicide in the UK, according to the Office for National Statistics. Each suicide impacts a further 135 people - and many of those who...
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Blog: Protecting young people at risk of self-harm and suicide
Suicide rates among the under 25s have increased in recent years, particularly among 10-24-year-old females, according to the Office for National Statistics. Suicides...
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Long read: Embedding the arts in healthcare
As Greater Manchester launches its new Youth Mental Health Arts & Culture Evaluation Kit, I explain why a better understanding of the role of arts and culture in...
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Long read: Treating patients with PTSD through online therapy
The unprecedented situation we find ourselves in this year has led to everybody’s lives being affected in some way or another. Mental health services all over the world,...
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Blog: Mental health support for BAME health and social care workers
Media coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic has repeatedly confirmed the disproportionate representation in both exposure to and death from Covid-19 among Black, Asian and...
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Blog: Providing online trauma therapy for key workers
Key workers providing treatment, care and emergency response on the frontline are at risk of developing mental health problems linked to the current Covid-19 crisis. My...
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Blog: Can storytelling improve children’s mental health?
September 7 is Youth Mental Health Awareness Day – and this year it is needed more than ever.
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News: Global insights on mental health published today
News | 28 Jul 2020 |Today we publish a series of podcasts and briefing papers summarising the findings of our three-year mental health category, in partnership with the Mental Health...
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Podcast series: Mental health in the community
Page'Mental health in the community’ is a series of six podcasts brought to you by WCMT and the Mental Health Foundation....
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Covid-19 Action Fund winners: mental health
PageThe Covid-19 Action Fund provides grants for Churchill Fellows to run projects combatting the effects of Covid-19 in all areas of society. Hundreds of pandemic projects...
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Long read: Looking after your mental health in lockdown
Mental health ambassador Tod James reveals how he is looking after the mental health of his community - and of himself - during the Covid-19 pandemic
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Blog: Acts of kindness during the pandemic
News | 22 May 2020 |As Mental Health Awareness Week ends, we asked the team here at WCMT to share their own lockdown experiences of 'kindness' - which is the theme of the week.
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Blog: Protecting nurses’ mental health during Covid-19
In the current context of the Covid-19 outbreak, there is an urgent need to recognise the unprecedented situations in which nurses are working on a daily basis, and to...
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Blog: Mindfulness for older people during the lockdown
For Mental Health Awareness Week mindfulness instructor Lynette Robinson (CF 2010) describes how she is supporting socially isolated older people with mindfulness...
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Blog: Connecting with nature during lockdown
Nature campaigner Raj Patel (CF 2017) finds new ways to reconnect with nature during lockdown.
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Blog: Supporting the mental health of NHS and key workers
Frontline staff wellbeing champion Dan Farnworth offers his advice for protecting your mental health during lockdown
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Blog: Yoga health for all
Health inequality in Scotland is a significant issue. The number of people living in poverty who experience poor mental and physical health outcomes is high. There are...
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Blog: Science fashion – how scent technology can help mental health
Mental health issues affect 1 in 4 people in the UK each year and new treatments are urgently needed. Common conditions include anxiety, depression, schizophrenia and...
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Q&A: New book by ambulanceman reveals mental health challenges in emergency services
On 24 January award-winning first-responder Dan Farnworth (2018 Fellow) will publish a memoir exploring the mental health problems of frontline staff in the emergency...
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Exhibition of veterans’ art at US Embassy organised by Churchill Fellow
News | 29 Oct 2019 |An exhibition of paintings by UK veterans has been organised by Churchill Fellow Janice Lobban (2016) at the request of US Second Lady Karen Pence.
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News: Social Worker of the Year Award nomination for Churchill Fellow
News | 18 Oct 2019 |Veterans campaigner Tony Wright (2011) has been nominated in the Lifetime Achievement category at the Social Worker of the Year Awards 2019.
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Blog: How digital art therapy can help people with terminal illness
My Churchill Fellowship in 2015 explored how digital technology is helping hospices deliver art therapy to enhance, extend or limit the care of people with a terminal...
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Blog: How the arts can help children's mental health
Children's mental health services are struggling to cope. The arts offer some alternative solutions.
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Blog: Helping prisoners with dementia
Dementia among prisoners in our prison system is a growing but little-studied problem.
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Blog: Protecting students’ mental health
Going to university can be fun and fulfilling, but it can also be a tough learning curve. Seeing friends and peers experience challenges, when I was a student, was what...
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Blog: Bringing people together after loss
After my father died of cancer in 2008, my family and I struggled to find the support we needed. The help there was, if any was available at all, seemed to be time...
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Supporting young people with Borderline Personality Disorder: Sarah Maxwell’s Story
Story | By Sarah Maxwell | How to work with teenagers presenting with emerging Borderline Personality Disorder: Lessons from HYPE | 2016Psychiatrist Sarah Maxwell travelled to Australia in 2016 to research treatment for young people with Borderline Personality Disorder. Her findings have influenced the...
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Blog: Self-injury and mindfulness
Today is self-injury awareness day, and I find myself reflecting on the fact that almost one in four teenage girls in the UK are known to hurt themselves as a way of...
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The Willow Project: Suicide Prevention in Children and Young People
Naomi Watkins-Ligudzinska is a Psychotherapist, Domestic Abuse Consultant, Speaker, Author, Researcher and CEO from Lincoln. She travelled to Australia and New Zealand...
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Towards zero suicide
Oscar Donnelly, from Belfast, and Director of Mental Health Services at Northern Health and Social Care Trust, travelled to Australia and the USA to study approaches to...
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Using performing arts to support recovery from interpersonal trauma
Evelyn Sharp, a counsellor and psychotherapist, travelled to the USA to explore the use of performing arts to support psychological recovery from trauma. She will seek...
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Suicide prevention programmes for displaced populations
Yuriko Matsukawa, a charity volunteer from London, travelled to Australia, Canada and the USA to research suicide prevention for refugees and asylum seekers. She will...
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Understanding the role of the 'talking circle' in enhancing well-being
Sophie Redlin, a General Practitioner from London, travelled to the USA to investigate the impact of American Indian and Alaska Native 'talking circles' on the...
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Suicide prevention at high risk locations; Derry/Londonderry bridges.
Bob Blemmings, a police officer from Coleraine, travelled to Canada and the USA to research suicide prevention at bridges and other high-risk locations. His findings...
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Therapeutic use of farming practices to reduce homelessness
John Harrison, from South Shields, and Executive lead for the homeless charity Emmaus North East, travelled to Belgium, Canada, Italy, Norway and The Netherlands to...
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The defence gardens scheme; for today's and tomorrow's veterans
Sally Coulthard, a serving reservist from Bath, travelled to USA and Denmark to investigate horticultural therapy for armed forces personnel with mental health issues....
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Blog: LGBTQ inequality in mental health
Discrimination and inequality in health and social care settings have been revealed in a recent government survey of LGBTQ people.
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Blog: How sunlight strengthens our minds and bodies
Humans evolved on a revolving planet with daily extremes of light and darkness. Our ancestors revered the sun as both a creator and destroyer of life, marking the...
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Overcoming battlefield trauma: Garreth Murrell’s story
Ex-soldier Garreth Murrell travelled to the USA and Canada in 2012 to investigate the use of neurolinguistic programming (NLP) to treat veterans with Post-traumatic...
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Blog: Supporting refugee children’s mental health
Over 2,000 unaccompanied children claimed asylum in the UK in the past year, and a further 2,817 children arrived in the UK directly from conflict regions as part of...
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Blog: Mental health in the police
My family and I will never forget this year, as I was greatly honoured to be mentioned in the New Year’s Honours List, attending Buckingham Palace in June to be invested...
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Video: "It's good that somebody believes in me"
Watch clinical psychologist Erica McInnis talk about her Churchill Fellowship researching African psychology and its benefits for mental health and wellbeing, and the...
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Report: Art Thou Well? Global insights into how creativity can benefit mental health
The arts can be used to save money in health and social care services, according to a new report by clinical psychologist Dr Kat Taylor, who travelled to Finland and the...
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Blog: Peer based support for socially marginalised pregnant women
In the UK today, some 7,000 women each year give birth without the emotional support of a birth partner. The effects of this can be profound and long-lasting, with...
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Blog: Modern solutions to modern stress
Today marks the start of Mental Health Awareness Week, with stress as this year’s theme. Stress has become part of the accepted tapestry of modern life: how many times...
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Blog: Catching up with our cousins. A catalyst for innovation
In 2015 I was given the life-changing opportunity of a Churchill Fellowship, aware that with this opportunity came a responsibility to use my research to benefit society...
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Churchill’s Babies
Event | 15 Jun 2018 | Greater London | Public eventA one-day conference offering global perspectives on best practice in infant mental health, focused on the complex needs of vulnerable parents and their children.
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Promoting Mental Health and Well-Being in Schools and Districts
Robert Brooks, an Educational Psychologist from Coleford, Gloucestershire, travelled to Canada to investigate whole-school / whole-district approaches to the promotion...
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Co-productive use of trauma informed practice in the early years
Cheryl-lee Brown, from Livingston, and Chief Executive at Midlothian Sure Start, travelled to Australia and the USA to investigate trauma-informed early years intervention.
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Beyond mindfulness: Best practice for Veterans with PTSD
Charlie Morley, an author and mindfulness teacher from Bermondsey, travelled to Canada and the USA to study mindulness-based treatments for veterans with PTSD.
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Parenting in the digital age: Family approaches to digital resilience
Natalia Clifford, a public health consultant from London, travelled to Denmark, Sweden and the USA to explore approaches to fostering healthy online behaviours for...
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Decoding Digital Solutions for Workplace Mental Healthcare
Marcus Gardiner, a Software Developer and Management Consultant from Bath, travelled to the USA to explore the use of digital technology to support good mental health in...
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Exploring the different models of community based care for those with complex health needs
Luke Skelton, a psychiatry doctor from Peckham, travelled to Australia and the USA to explore the impact of the Health Care Homes model on patients' mental health.
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Improving dementia services for people who are LGBT
Allison O'Kelly, a nurse from Callington, Cornwall, travelled to Australia to investigate support for LGBT people with dementia.
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Becoming a more culturally, adversity, and trauma-informed infused, and responsive organisation
Karen Treisman, a clinical psychologist from Kings Cross, travelled to the USA to research approaches to integrating trauma-informed principles at an organisational level.
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Horticultural Community Restitution Work Programmes for Mentally Disordered Offenders
Richard Eltringham, an Occupational Therapy Assistant Practitioner from Leicestershire, has recently returned from a four week research trip to the USA to investigate...
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Supported Decision-Making: Learning from Australia
Janet Killeen, from Edinburgh, was the Director of Public Policy for Alzheimer Scotland before her retirement in 2012. She travelled to Australia to research best...
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Music & mental health: Eva Okwonga's Story
Eva Okwonga travelled to the USA in 2016 to explore peer-led music projects for people with mental health issues.
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Mindfulness interventions for children and young people in school and family settings
Dan Trevor, a Psychotherapist from Conwy, Wales, travelled to the USA to investigate mindfulness interventions for children and young people.
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Arts in healthcare pioneers: informing and supporting the Greater Manchester devolution
Dr Kat Taylor, a Clinical Psychologist and researcher from Lancaster, travelled to Finland and the USA to study initiatives embedding the arts in health care.
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Improving the management of sleep problems
Dr. Ajay Thapar, a General Practitioner from Cardiff, travelled to the USA to study innovative approaches to treating people with distressing sleep problems.
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Shaping cancer bereavement care: developing a framework for action
Dr Erin Hope Thompson, from Kilburn, and the Founder and Director of The Loss Foundation, travelled to the USA to research best practice in bereavement support.
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The Art That Doesn’t Know Its Name: Exploring Outsider Art In the USA and Japan
Angela Samata, an Arts and Mental Health Practitioner from the Wirral, travelled to Japan and the USA to investigate attitudes to artists with diagnosed mental health...
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LGBTQ mental health: exploring advocacy approaches to health inequalities
Jacqui Jobson, from Newcastle, and Director of Advocacy Centre North, travelled to Australia and Canada to explore advocacy approaches addressing mental health among...
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Horticultural community restitution work programmes for Mentally Disordered Offenders
Richard Eltringham, an Occupational Therapy Assistant Practitioner from Thurmaston, Leicestershire, travelled to the USA to investigate horticulture based community...
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Preparing UK Nurses to care for the Armed Forces community
Alan Finnegan, a Professor of Nursing and Military Mental Health from Chester, travelled to the USA to study approaches to preparing nurses to care for military personnel.
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Mental health and digital technology
Rebecca Cotton, from Dulwich, and Director of Mental Health Policy for the NHS Confederation, travelled to Australia and the USA to research approaches to using digital...
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Dawn Edge’s Story
Story | By Dawn Edge | Exploring mental health and resilience in African Caribbean communities | 2014Dr Dawn Edge travelled to Canada and the USA in 2014, and Jamaica and Barbados in 2015, to explore different approaches to supporting African-Caribbean people with...
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Assistance dogs and PTSD: Garry Botterill’s Story
Garry Botterill travelled to the Netherlands and the USA to investigate the use of specially trained assistance dogs to help veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder...
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Mental Health Fellows' Story Collection
Read more about some of our Fellows' achievements in this area - from tackling parental mental illness, PTSD, street gangs, suicide prevention, and supported...
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Supporting children and families through parental substance misuse treatment journeys
Louis Boyd is Operations Manager for South Westminster Drug & Alcohol Service. He travelled to Canada and the USA to investigate supporting children and families...
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Learning from best practice in Australia: Developing perinatal mental health services
Dr Jill Domoney, a clinical psychologist from London, travelled to Australia to research ways of integrating research, practice and service development in perinatal...
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Transforming Trauma: Moral Injury and Arts with Military Veterans, Families and Communities
Alison O'Connor, from Penarth, is Co-Director of Cardiff arts organisation Re-Live. Alison travelled to Bosnia & Herzegovina and America to investigate the...
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How to work with teenagers presenting with emerging Borderline Personality Disorder: Lessons from HYPE
Dr Sarah Maxwell is a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist from Norfolk working for the Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust. Sarah travelled to Australia to...
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Dementia and Sensory Challenges
Agnes Houston, from Coatbridge, travelled to Canada and Ireland to meet with people who, like her, have a diagnosis of dementia. She will be collecting their lived...
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Soldier of Hope: Lessons from the international community in recovery and growth from battlefield trauma and mental health
Simon Edwards, from Bath, is the Founder and Trustee of the humanitarian response charity Serve On. Simon travelled to Australia and the USA to investigate the root...
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Family Involvement in Collaborative Adult Community Mental Health Treatment
David Humphreys, a psychotherapist from Bishops Stortford, travelled to Canada and the USA to explore ways of improving family member involvement in community mental...
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The Story Project: supporting young peoples' mental health through literacy
Olivia Richards, an English teacher and co-founder of The Story Project, travelled to the USA and Canada to explore supporting young peoples' mental health through...
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The Good Grief Project: A journey to the USA and Mexico in search of another way of grieving
James Edmonds, a film and TV editor from Stroud, travelled to the USA to meet with bereaved parents and the charities that help them through their loss.
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Real-time functional imaging and neurofeedback for tailored psychiatric treatment
Cassandra Gould is a Research Fellow in Clinical Medicine from Brighton. She will be travelling to the Netherlands to investigate real-time functional imaging and...
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Art for all: exploring new platforms for artists from diverse backgrounds
This Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowship report examines the original ideas and strategies that I identified at six organisations in the U.S and Canada that offer...
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PTSD: the power of dogs and the positivity of helping comrades
This report looks at how specially trained assistance dogs can mitigate the symptoms of PTSD in veterans from the armed forces and emergency services. It will look at...
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Understanding best practice: the emergency response to mental health crisis
Alex Crisp, a police constable from Leicester, will be travelling to North America and Australia to research best practice in the emergency response to mental health...
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A study to develop alternatives to women's imprisonment in Wales
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Rebuild, reconnect and rediscover through mental health recovery
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Veterans' Community Mental Health Care: learning from our Canadian allies
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Using African example to enable UK girls to refuse FGM
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Witnessing Good Practice in the Field of Suicide Bereavement
Sharon McDonnell has specialised in suicide bereavement research for 16 years at the Centre for Mental Health and Safety, University of Manchester, in the UK. Sharon...
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An exploration of comprehensive cancer survivorship care models
There is no formalised method of follow up care for patients who have completed treatment for haematological cancers in the UK. Australia and Canada have well...