My name is Leota Benjamin and I have worked for Touchstone for several years. My current role is a Mental Health Outreach Worker with The Community Support Team. In addition, I work as an approved Foster Carer, employed by Leeds City Council Children Services for more than 10 years. Being a Foster Carer is a highly skilled and specialist role, which requires energy, compassion and understanding. My main role amongst
I’m a cognitive behavioural therapist who joined the IAPT team at Touchstone this month and this is my first ever blog. I’ve chosen dementia as my first topic, quite simply because I was asked! :) Dementia is a term I understand but is not something which I’ve ever fully considered. I guess the way life is set-up means if we’re not dealing with things of immediate concern then there seems
On the 13/14th April, Sikhs all around the world celebrate Vaisakhi and a procession called 'Nagar Kirtan' led by five Khalsa proceeds through public spaces. Vaisakhi marks the inauguration of the Khalsa, the body of committed Sikhs who have decided to dedicate their lives to the values of the Sikh Gurus. The Khalsa meaning "pure sovereign" was founded to create a group of people who were prepared to stand up to
There’s a set of cutlery from 1950, with the embossed numbers hammered in. It represents my fathers RAF National Service, over 2 years spent as a 20 year old young man straight from College. Like his tools he made at English Electric in Thornbury after National Service that as an Apprentice, or the Morris Dancing hat and bells, or the songbooks from his years in the Folk music world,
Touchstone is proud of the contribution we make to the city-wide Leeds Dementia Strategy. There are an estimated 8,500 people living with dementia in Leeds, of whom just over 6,400 have a diagnosis. Since 2013, the number of people with a dementia diagnosis in the city has increased by 40%. Touchstone, along with other charities, local people and communities has risen to the challenge to make Leeds a dementia-friendly place
Written by Matthew Hall – Crisis Support Worker at WBC The Well-Bean Café (WBC) has been open in Leeds since November 2016, initially at the Lincoln Green Community Centre (Sat to Mon) and from this past January extended to 5 nights a week – running an additional two nights per week (Tue to Wed) at Touchstone House in Beeston. We recently received the news from our funders that the service
There are loads of apps out there aimed at promoting wellbeing and good mental health. Here are 6 free apps that we have come across at Touchstone IAPT to get you started. This list is by no means exhaustive. Please feel free to add your free app recommendations in the comments below! Catch it: Allows you to record your mood, the situation you were in, your thoughts and then
International Women’s Day events are held worldwide on March 8 to celebrate women and their global contribution. Various women, including political, community, and business leaders, as well as leading educators, inventors, entrepreneurs, and television personalities, are usually invited to speak at events on the day, highlighting their successes to illustrate how much progress has been made, and often how much further there is till yet to go. Many students in
In celebration of LGBT History Month, Touchstone is profiling a different LGBT celebrity each week in the month of February. The chosen celebrity this week is Laverne Cox: twin; actress, television producer and LGBT advocate. Born in Mobile, Alabama, Laverne was bullied constantly as a child and describes how she attempted suicide when, aged 11, she realised she was attracted to boys but knew this would be seen as sinful
Victoria Louise "Vicky" Beeching (born 17 July 1979) is an English musician and religious commentator. She is best known for her work in the American contemporary worship music genre, and has been described as "arguably the most influential Christian of her generation" due to of her Twitter following and appearances on BBC's Thought for the Day. Vicky Beeching is an avid blogger, writing on many difficult Christian issues such as