Emmanuel House’s County Mental Health Worker

Tim* was sofa surfing after a relationship breakdown and is now living in temporary accommodation. They referred him to our County Mental Health Support Worker in November 2024, as he has a diagnosis of depression and anxiety.

In his very first session, Tim shared how he felt helpless, manipulated and exploited in his previous relationship and how he could not establish any boundaries. They discussed strategies for managing his personal boundaries, as well as practical steps to protect himself from similar experiences in the future. We also suggested a referral to a specialist service for male survivors of domestic abuse, which he is still considering.

The following week, Tim was keen to talk to us again. He had been implementing the strategies – he was already seeing the benefits and felt more in control.

Tim was very worried about managing over Christmas. We worked on a plan for what he could do over the holidays, which was refined and reworked until he was confident with it. He followed the plan, which lightened his anxiety and allowed him to successfully navigate this difficult time.

Whilst Tim was meeting with us weekly, he was also doing a number of construction courses with the support of his work coach. He is planning to return to work as soon as possible and his ambition is to afford a private-rented property where his daughters can visit him.