Our impact
Our role is to be at the heart of local efforts to understand and shape the multicultural and multilingual quality of health, care and trauma recovery. Together with our referring organisations, local authorities, partners and supporters, we embed quality support and management across the provision of emotional, mental, social and physical recovery for women from trauma and abuse.
HSTAR applies a Human Rights Based Approach (HRBA), proactively using the PANEL framework (Participation, Accountability, Non-discrimination, Empowerment, Legality). This forms the basis of this project, placing women clients and local stakeholders at the core.
Our trauma recovery therapy for women applies several methods to encourage support, healing, and personal growth:
1. Empathetic Listening: A non-judgmental environment enables honest self-expression.
2. Unconditional Positive Regard: This safe place allows exploration of thoughts and feelings without fear of judgement
3. Reflective Feedback:: Summarising clients' sharing aids clients' self-understanding.
R4. Empowerment and Collaboration:: Involving women in setting goals and decision-making promotes autonomy.
5. Exploration of Feelings and Experiences: This aids in resolving root causes of difficulties.
6. Building Self-Awareness and Self-Compassion: Cultivating kindness towards oneself enhances wellbeing and personal growth.
Monitoring and Evaluation
Measurement tools play a crucial role in assessing an individual's progress during our trauma recovery services. These tools provide objective measurements, allowing us to track changes in therapy responses, functioning, and overall well-being. By using standardised and validated measurement tools, we can obtain reliable data, leading to person-centred support plans and therapies tailored to the individual's specific needs with long-lasting mental health improvement.
By utilising both quantitative and qualitative methods, we gain a comprehensive understanding of our performance and the impact of our activities.
1. Self-Report Measures-Report Measures- Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS) that measures positive mental well-being - Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF)
2. Clinician-Rated Measures: - CORE-10 - Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R):
Developing a strong evidence base around overcoming trauma and abuse as well as assessing the wide range of interventions is a key part of our work and we have established evaluation mechanisms to showcase this and inform our services and policy development where feasible: Feedback from users; Feedback from staff, service providers and volunteers; Before and after; Case Studies.
Our service users are engaged fully in guiding and leading on the design, delivery and evaluation of this program and associated activities. Our monitoring and evaluation frameworks are conducted through regular staff meetings, clients and stakeholders’ feedback and evaluations forms, consultations, and reporting quarterly to funders, as well as providing focused reports to the board and advisory committee regularly. In addition, we always actively work with the funders, the advisory group and our women clients to enhance our mechanisms to measure the impact of these all-important aspects of our work.
In recent years, there has been an increasing recognition of the unique challenges faced by female trauma survivors. These survivors often struggle to rebuild their lives and reintegrate into society after experiencing traumatic events. In response to this pressing issue, our organisation has developed person-centred services specifically tailored to the needs of female trauma survivors. These services aim to strengthen their communities, empower them, and provide them with the necessary support to rebuild their lives.
The project entails delivering person-centred mental health therapy provision that aims at enhancing women’s resilience and enabling them to manage their life experiences more effectively: weekly services where each woman can receive 8 person-centred counselling/therapy sessions.
By providing tailored support and guidance, this form of counselling seeks to improve the employability of individuals who have experienced trauma, allowing them to thrive and succeed in the workplace.
Outcomes
Our organisation plays a crucial role in addressing the complex needs of vulnerable populations. This includes domestic abuse survivors, women with mental health diagnoses, female survivors of trauma, and communities experiencing racial inequalities. By providing mental health support and person-centred counselling, we strive to empower women within these program areas, ensuring their holistic well-being and fostering resilience.
It highlights the ways in which our trauma recovery therapy and mental health support caters to these women's unique needs.
1. Outcomes of Trauma Recovery Services for Female Trauma Survivors:
1.1. Reduction in Psychological Symptoms:
One of the key outcomes of counselling for female trauma survivors is a reduction in psychological symptoms. These symptoms may include anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), self-esteem issues, and difficulties in interpersonal relationships. Counselling aims to help survivors regain control over their emotions, develop healthy coping strategies, and alleviate distressing symptoms.
1.2. Improved Emotional Regulation:
Counselling helps trauma survivors develop effective emotional regulation skills. Through various therapeutic techniques, survivors can learn to identify and manage their emotions in a healthy manner. This outcome leads to increased emotional stability, reduced emotional reactivity, and better overall mental well-being.
1.3. Enhanced Coping Strategies:
Counselling equips female trauma survivors with adaptive coping strategies to navigate the challenges associated with their trauma. These strategies may include relaxation techniques, grounding exercises, mindfulness practices, and cognitive restructuring. By developing effective coping mechanisms, survivors can better cope with triggers and stressors, leading to improved resilience and a greater sense of control.
1.4. Increased Self-Empowerment:
Counselling encourages female trauma survivors to reclaim their power and regain a sense of self-empowerment. Through the therapeutic process, survivors can explore their strengths, build self-confidence, and work towards reclaiming their lives. This outcome empowers survivors to make positive changes, set boundaries, and engage in self-care practices.
Counselling for female trauma survivors aims to achieve various outcomes, including the reduction of psychological symptoms, improved emotional regulation, enhanced coping strategies, and increased self-empowerment. These outcomes can be measured through a combination of self-report measures, clinical assessments, as well as feedback and evaluation processes. By understanding the outcomes and effectively measuring them, counselling interventions can be tailored to meet the specific needs of female trauma survivors, fostering their healing and recovery.
Rebuilding Lives
The trauma recovery services offered by our organisation play a crucial role in empowering women who have faced immense hardship in their lives. Many of these women have experienced substance abuse, and poverty, and are single parents or unpaid caregivers. Additionally, they often feel socially isolated and disconnected from their communities. However, through our dedicated support, these women have the opportunity to flourish and rebuild their lives. Our services help them regain their self-worth, enabling them to expect more from life and become more active in their search for meaningful work.
Our work is holistic and empowering, working alongside survivors to achieve independent lives free from trauma. HSTAR Scotland requires a dynamic and creative individual with experience in providing emotional and practical support to female survivors and their families. We have a team of committed and inspiring individuals whose dedication has saved the lives of many women, and their children in Scotland.
The trauma recovery services offered by our organisation play a crucial role in empowering women who have faced immense hardship in their lives. Many of these women have experienced substance abuse, and poverty, and are single parents or unpaid caregivers. Additionally, they often feel socially isolated and disconnected from their communities. However, through our dedicated support, these women have the opportunity to flourish and rebuild their lives. Our services help them regain their self-worth, enabling them to expect more from life and become more active in their search for meaningful work.
Addressing Substance Abuse and Poverty:
One of the primary challenges faced by the women referred to our trauma recovery services is substance abuse. Many have struggled with addiction, which often exacerbates their already difficult circumstances. Our comprehensive approach focuses on addressing the root causes of substance abuse while providing the necessary tools for recovery. Through individual counselling, group therapy, and access to support networks, we help these women overcome addiction, enabling them to break free from the cycle of substance abuse.
In addition to substance abuse, poverty is another significant issue affecting women seeking our support. The burden of financial instability can be overwhelming and can hinder their ability to rebuild their lives. Our trauma recovery services incorporate financial literacy programmes and skills training, empowering women to gain independence and financial stability. By equipping them with the necessary knowledge and resources, we enable these women to overcome poverty and create a better future for themselves and their families.
Support for Single Parents and Unpaid Carers:
Many women who come to us for trauma recovery services are single parents or unpaid caregivers. Balancing the responsibilities of parenthood and caregiving can be incredibly challenging, particularly when combined with the trauma they have experienced. Our organisation provides comprehensive support tailored to the unique needs of these individuals. We offer parenting classes, child care assistance, and respite care, ensuring that these women have the support they need to navigate their roles effectively. By addressing their specific challenges, we empower them to rebuild their lives while fulfilling their responsibilities as caregivers.
Addressing Social Isolation:
Social isolation is a common experience among the women referred to our trauma recovery services. The combination of their traumatic pasts, ongoing struggles, and limited social connections can leave them feeling disconnected from society. Our programmes aim to combat this isolation by fostering a sense of community and belonging. We provide opportunities for group therapy, peer support, and community events, allowing these women to build relationships and establish a support network. Through these connections, they find solace, understanding, and the encouragement they need to overcome their challenges.
Flourishing and Rebuilding Lives:
The transformative impact of our trauma recovery services is evident in the lives of the women we support. With renewed self-worth and the tools they have acquired through our programmes, they begin to expect more from life. They gain the confidence to pursue their goals and aspirations, including actively seeking employment. Our organisation provides vocational training, job placement assistance, and mentorship programmes, equipping these women with the skills and support they need to enter or re-enter the workforce. As they rebuild their lives, they become more independent, resilient, and ready to embrace the opportunities that come their way.
The trauma recovery services provided by our organisation are instrumental in empowering women who have faced immense challenges in their lives. By addressing issues such as substance abuse, poverty, single parenthood, and social isolation, we help these women regain their confidence and rebuild their lives. Through our comprehensive support programmes, they flourish, expect more from life, and become more active in their search for meaningful work. Our commitment to their well-being ensures that they can overcome their past traumas and create a brighter future for themselves and their families.
Our Survivors
Over 20 languages are available for our therapy services based on the individual healing needs of clients. Two qualified mental health nurses and postgraduate psychology students provide well-resourced Mental Health and Wellbeing Support. Our group sessions, art classes, and advocacy consultations enable beneficiaries to regain control of their lives and rebuild their self-worth and self-esteem. As a result of our programmes, many of our participants become active, valued community members and some have even developed the skills to provide help to others in need.
As opposed to instructing, HSTAR aims to empower. Transformation of the individual can have a profound impact on families and communities. Thus, we encourage our beneficiaries to actively participate in our services and consider their voices in charity work, delivery models, and internal initiatives. We foster connections, understanding, and shared experiences. Participation in support groups, peer mentoring, and community events helps women connect with others. Having a sense of community in the recovery process can help women empathise with one another.
HSTAR annually supports over 500 women (over 300 through counselling only). As a multicultural and multilingual charity we work with large groups of ethnic minorities, asylum seekers and refugees. We are the only therapy provider in Clacks and Stirling for Ukrainian women who can benefit from working with Ukrainian and Russian speaking counsellors. Many of our clients were affected by abuse. Most of the ladies referred to us struggle financially and could never afford private therapy or would not be able to wait over 2 years for NHS CBT therapy support. We receive a high number of referrals for ladies who are diagnosed with autism, ADHD, bipolar disorder, long-term depression, PTSD and the NHS is unable to follow their complex therapy needs and mental health support.