Resources & Signposting

Here, you can find a treasure trove of resources & signposting to help learn and develop healthy coping skills. There is also links to other services that can be of a benefit to anyone struggling with mental health, and need help.

Check out the learning materials too which can help you better understand trauma and it’s long lasting impacts.

Helplines and Services

Samaritans

Samaritans is a registered charity aimed at providing emotional support to anyone in emotional distress, struggling to cope, or at risk of suicide throughout Great Britain and Ireland, often through their telephone helpline.

https://www.samaritans.org/

Give us a Shout

Shout 85258 is a free, confidential, 24/7 text messaging support service for anyone who is struggling to cope.

https://giveusashout.org/

Nottinghamshire Sexual Violence Support Services

Their service is now available to survivors of all genders, aged 13+, and offers many services in addition to face-to-face counselling, with male and female counsellors, and Counselling Line services. They can provide their services for women in a women-only space.

https://nottssvss.org.uk/

Resources & Signposting

Learning Corner

Hippocampus: The hippocampus processes trauma memories, by recycling the memory, mostly at night via dreams, which takes place over weeks or months. It then transfers the integrated stored memory to another part of the brain. High levels of stress hormones causes the hippocampus to shrink or under-develop, resulting in impaired function. Childhood trauma exaggerates this effect. The trauma memory therefore remains unprocessed in the hippocampus, disintegrated, fragmented, and feels ‘current’ rather than in the past. (Some people may be born with a smaller hippocampus making them more vulnerable to develop PTSD.)
Prefrontal Cortex: The pre-frontal cortex helps us to assess threats, manage emotion, plan responses, and control impulses. It is the centre of rational thinking. Childhood trauma causes under-development of the pre-frontal cortex, which results in impaired ability to assess threat through rational thinking, manage emotions and control impulses.
Amygdala: The brain’s ‘fear centre’. The amygdala helps to store memories, particularly emotions and physical sensations. It also controls activation of stress hormones – the body’s fight or flight response. In PTSD, the amygdala becomes over-reactive causing frequent or near constant high levels of stress hormones.

Learn the “Hand-Brain” Model

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-m2YcdMdFw

Learn the “Hand-Brain” Model

A more in depth overview, and easily accessible tour of the brain

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6vqSehMYQQ

Sexual Violence – Myths Vs. Realities

icon-https://tinyurl.com/5r9axx4w

Resources & Signposting

Self-help Coping Skills

Victim Focus

Free self-development course: Caring for yourself after sexual violence.

Written and Presented by Dr Jessica Taylor

https://tinyurl.com/v4nzrkdv

Treating Trauma: 2 Ways to Help Clients Feel Safe, with Peter Levine

https://tinyurl.com/yr98umk8

Vagus Nerve Reset To Release Trauma Stored In The Body (Polyvagal Exercises)

https://tinyurl.com/4c67zn5k

Hand Breathing Relaxation and Regulation Tool by Dr Karen Treisman

https://tinyurl.com/3c9nbnbb

Diaphragmatic Breathing

https://tinyurl.com/zehjd9zz