Anyone over the age of 18 years with an interest in mental health and wellbeing.

1. Co-produced Educational Content: Our workshops will provide you with information and insights related to recovery. The content is designed to empower you with knowledge and skills to support your recovery journey. All our content is co-produced by people with lived experience of mental health challenges, their families, carers and supporters, mental health staff and community partners.

2. Structured Sessions: Recovery education workshops are typically structured with stated aims and clear learning objectives. Sessions may include presentations, multi-media, discussions, and activities focused on specific topics.

3. Interactive Learning: While the workshop is educational, it’s also interactive. You can expect opportunities to participate in discussions, and share your thoughts or experiences. This interaction helps reinforce learning and allows you to benefit from the experiences of others. When sharing experiences we encourage participants to focus on what and who helped them on their recovery journey.

4. Facilitating Peer Support: You’ll be in a group setting with others who may be on similar recovery journeys. While the focus is on education, there is often a sense of community and mutual support that develops as participants share and learn together.

5. Experienced Facilitators: Our workshops are led by our trained and experienced Recovery Education Facilitators. The facilitators are there to guide the learning process, providing a safe space to discuss a variety of mental health recovery and wellbeing topics. Facilitators may share their own recovery story.

6. A Safe and Confidential Environment: Workshops are conducted in a safe and supportive environment where confidentiality, diversity and inclusion is highlighted and respected. This allows participants to feel comfortable sharing and engaging in the learning process without fear of judgment.

7. Resources and Materials: You may receive handouts, worksheets, or other materials that you can use during and after the workshop. These resources are designed to reinforce the concepts covered and help you continue your learning and recovery beyond the workshop.

8. Personal Growth and Empowerment: The ultimate goal of the workshop is to support your personal growth and empower you in your recovery journey.

9. Opportunities for Further Learning: Many recovery education workshops are part of a broader educational programme, so you may have opportunities to attend additional workshops, webinars or get access to self-paced learning resources. These can help you continue building on what you’ve learned and deepen your recovery.

While we gently encourage participants to engage, there is is no pressure to speak. You can just listen. Although you may find during the workshop that as you relax you will feel more able to contribute.

We do not offer group therapy. Recovery education is different to group therapy. Recovery Education is primarily focused on providing information, skills, and resources to individuals to help them understand their mental health, develop coping strategies, and navigate the recovery process. It’s educational and skills-based, aiming to empower individuals with knowledge and tools to manage their recovery journey.

We do not offer peer support but rather facilitate peer to peer learning and as a consequence peer support where people with lived experience share helpful recovery strategies in the context of education.

You can find more information on groups such as Grow and Shine on our Signposting page.

Check out our What’s On page and book a workshop there, alternatively send an email to bookings@midwestaries.ie or cillian.keane@hse.ie.

To cancel a booking simply send on email with your name and the name of the workshop to bookings@midwestaries.ie or cillian.keane@hse.ie.

We host all of our online community workshops via Zoom. To attend an online Zoom meeting, you’ll need the following:

• An Internet-Enabled Device. You can join a Zoom meeting using a computer, smartphone, or tablet. Ensure that your device has a working camera (if you plan to use video) and a microphone.
• Internet Connection: A stable internet connection helps. A broadband connection with a minimum speed of 1.5 Mbps is recommended for video meetings.
• Zoom Application: Download and install the Zoom app on your device before the meeting. The app is available for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. Alternatively, you can join the meeting directly through a web browser without downloading the app, but using the app is generally more reliable.
• Download Zoom here.
• Meeting Link or ID: We will send you a link with a Meeting ID. You’ll need this information to join the meeting. Simply click on the link, or open the Zoom app and, if prompted, enter the Meeting ID.
• Headphones or Speakers: For better audio quality and to minimize background noise, consider using headphones with a built-in microphone. If you don’t have headphones, ensure your device’s speakers and microphone are functioning properly.
• Quiet Environment: Find a quiet, well-lit space to join the meeting. This helps reduce distractions and ensures you can hear and be heard clearly.
• Steps to Join a Zoom Meeting:
  • Click the meeting link we provide in your confirmation or reminder email, or open the Zoom app and enter the Meeting ID and password.
  • Follow the on-screen prompts to join the meeting, which may include allowing access to your camera and microphone.
  • Wait for the host to admit you to the meeting (if a waiting room is enabled).
  • Participate in the meeting by turning on your video (optional) and unmuting your microphone when you wish to speak.
  • That’s it! You’re ready to attend your Zoom meeting.

No, you don’t have to have your video turned on during our online workshops if you don’t want to. Whatever is comfortable for you.

No, we do not record any of our workshops in order to protect the privacy of our participants. However, we do record our monthly webinars in partnership with Mental Health Ireland and these can be viewed here.