About the course

This 6 week , one day per week course prepares teams to get started delivering Thistle’s 10 week Lifestyle Management Course.

Introduction

The Lifestyle Management Course was developed between 2003 and 2008 by the Health and Wellbeing team at the Thistle Foundation in Edinburgh, and has continued to evolve and refine with input from both workers and participants.

The course is designed as a generic package and is suitable for anyone living with a long term physical and/or mental health condition hoping to increase their coping skills, gain control over their situation and build on their confidence to move on in life.

The course is focused on the person - their hopes and concerns and is not focused on the condition itself. We have noticed recently that the course appeals to many people who do not necessarily have health difficulties but who want to use the course to improve their lives, so we have delivered this course to other groups such as carers.

We assume an individual’s medical needs are being met and because the course is not focused on specific health conditions, we can embrace a “non expert” stance which means we try as best we can to use the expertise, knowledge and experience present within each group to help us deliver the course.

This is a unique approach. It is very respectful and places an expectation on participants to contribute what they can to each other’s recovery. We believe our approach which is called “solution focused” ( as opposed to problem focused) is responsible for the high attendance and completion rates ( 75%).

The course can be delivered by both health professionals and non health professionals, provided they connect powerfully with the principles of our approach. Peer Facilitators tend to be individuals who have experienced the powerful nature of this approach and wish to “give something back.” They have also recognised the benefits that can be derived through continued involvement with the Programme.

Sessions include:

• Intro to lifestyle management

• Review of the personal outcomes approach, including values and beliefs

• Intro to facilitation - the non-expert stance in course delivery

• Focusing on supported self-management so people can gain control and move on with their life

• Helping people explore their hopes rather than the condition

• How to use the expertise, knowledge and experience present within each group

• Building on strengths and coping

• Overcoming barriers and finding solutions focussed

• Preventing, minimising and recovering from set back

• Various topics; sleep, stress, relaxation, pacing and activity, mind and body

• The role of others, community supports as well as services

Who the course is for

For those who have already attended our Good Conversations training committed to personal outcome approaches and wish to deliver the Lifestyle Management Course. For health and care professionals and those who may not have a traditional health and care qualification but want to develop this role in their service area. Examples are those working in leisure services providing non-specialised rehabilitation or in general practice alongside health care professionals and those in the Third sector working in partnership with health and care providers.

Session format

In these highly participatory practice development sessions, the facilitators will encourage participants to bring and use their existing knowledge and experience to contribute to the learning experience. A variety of learning methods will be used and range from demonstration, video, group exercises, practice exercises and discussion. Time and support will be provided during the sessions to plan and prepare to carry out action inquiries or small tests of change back in the workplace between learning sessions. 

This course can be delivered online, face to face or hybrid. Please contact us to find out more.

Course outcomes

Participants will have the knowledge confidence and skills to deliver the Lifestyle Management course to people living with a long term physical and/or mental health condition hoping to increase their coping skills, gain control over their situation and build on their confidence to move on in life.