Helping adjust to life post injury
A spinal cord injury can be devastating, but it shouldn’t stop anyone from getting the most out of life. A lot can be gained by talking to people who have been through a similar experience and who understand exactly the emotions you are undergoing. This is where mentoring comes in to help you come to terms with what has happened and adjust to life post-injury.
Back Up inspire people affected by spinal cord injury to get the most out of life. As part of the many support services they offer is mentoring. Their mentors come from all walks of life and have been through a similar experience to their mentees. Back Up mentors either have a spinal cord injury, or are family members – parents, partners, siblings or children – of people with a spinal cord injury. They have all been trained by clinical psychologists to effectively support others using listening skills, action planning and goal setting.
Mentoring relationships
The Back Up mentoring service is available to people of all ages and covers the whole of the UK. Mentoring is not just for people who are adjusting to a new spinal cord injury, it could have happened some time ago.
Most mentoring relationships consist of 10 sessions by phone, but can also happen over email, Skype or face-to-face in a public location. You can speak to your mentor about anything you like and ask them about their experiences. Your mentor will assist you to work out what will help you move forward and use their experience to support you with adjusting to life after a spinal cord injury.
Mentors offer both practical advice and support with emotional issues:
Emotional
- Anxiety/low mood
- Not coping
- Confidence
- Independence
Physical
- Pain
- Fatigue
- Bladder and bowel management
Practical
- Care
- Equipment
- Housing adaptations
- Finances
- Travel
Other
Relationships and intimacy
- Fertility
- Parenting
- Education
- Sports/Hobbies
To find out more about the Back Up mentoring service, click here.
Recent Comments