Lunch With A Side of Mindfulness
By Amandeep Kang (Harmless Clinical Support Worker) A routine I think we all engage in is ‘working through our lunch’, where we spend our allocated lunch break combining eating with work-related tasks. This is often as simple as reading emails while eating your delicious meal deal sandwich. Studies show that carrying out work-related tasks during […]
Safety planning and risk assessment
By Caroline Harroe (Harmless CEO) Safety planning and risk assessment are two interventions used in mental health care, particularly in suicide prevention. Safety planning involves identifying strategies to reduce the risk of suicidal behaviours and developing safety measures to manage crises. On the other hand, risk assessment involves evaluating the likelihood of an individual engaging […]
The Importance of Maintaining Progress in Suicide Bereavement During a Cost of Living Crisis
By Caroline Harroe (Harmless CEO) Suicide is a complex issue that affects everyone around the person who has lost their life. Suicide bereavement is a difficult and complex journey that many families and loved ones experience. According to recent data by the UK Office for National Statistics, the number of suicides recorded in 2020 was […]
Autism and Mental Health
By Caroline Harroe (Harmless CEO) Autism and mental health are deeply intertwined, with research indicating high rates of co-occurring mental health conditions in individuals on the autism spectrum. Understanding these relationships is crucial for healthcare professionals to provide more effective support and interventions for autistic individuals. Barriers for Autistic Individuals in Mental HealthAutistic individuals can […]
Mental Health Awareness Month
By Caroline Harroe (Harmless CEO) May is Mental Health Awareness Month. This is an important time for society to reflect on the strides we have made in terms of understanding and discussing mental health. For decades, mental illnesses have been stigmatised, shamed and misunderstood. People have suffered in silence, feeling alone, isolated and unsupported. Fortunately, […]
A Day in the Life of Harmless
By Sydney Cooke (Self Harm Team Lead) This picture was taken on a Friday afternoon at 4pm. My colleague and I had gone a bit stir crazy by this point in the week. Could we string a sentence together? Absolutely not. No two days at Harmless are the same. One minute you are preparing a […]
A tribute to our friend and colleague, Trevor Harris.
Today, we say a heartfelt goodbye and thank you to a dear friend, colleague, and mentor. Many of us have been blessed to know Trevor Harris. He was a loyal, generous and kindhearted friend. With an infectious laugh and hearty smile that could light up any room, Trevor had the capacity to bring joy to […]
When anti-stigma mental health campaigns go too far… Is it possible to cause harm whilst trying to achieve good?
By Caroline Harroe (Harmless CEO) When anti-stigma mental health campaigns go too far… Is it possible to cause harm whilst trying to achieve good? In brief, the short answer, is yes. While anti-stigma campaigning for mental health has gained momentum in recent years, it is important to acknowledge that there is a potential for over-pathologising […]
Lived Experience and Being a Leader
By Caroline Harroe (Harmless CEO) As a mental health leader, owning your own mental health experience can be a difficult and complex experience. On one hand, sharing your experiences can help reduce the stigma surrounding mental health and show others that it’s okay to seek help when needed. On the other hand, it can be […]
Harmless and its Values
By Caroline Harroe (Harmless CEO) Values are central to the work of Harmless because they guide the organisation’s mission and approach to supporting individuals who self harm and are at risk of suicide. Harmless is grounded in the values of compassion, respect, empowerment and collaboration. Compassion is at the heart of Harmless’ work, as the […]