Free Your Mind
Natasha
Benjamin
Founder/ Director
Mission
The purpose behind this is for individuals to begin expressing themselves to start to heal, to know and understand who they are, and not be held back by the issues of their past. The aim is to give them the responsibility which in turn gives them the control back that they have lost in their lives. The intention is to address the issues created by their experiences and to help them to move forward and rebuild their lives and not be mentally held back.
Category
Health
Additional Information
Free Your Mind, is a unisex service, established by myself, currently based but not restricted to East London. I aim to support young people and adults. Specialising in supporting individuals that experience Mental Health issues caused by Domestic Violence through the medium of creative arts and physical activity such a self defence and dance.
This is what makes us unique to other mental health organisations because I take the personal and not clinical approach and because Free Your Mind recognises the issues that both mental health and domestic violence have upon each other.
I understand the challenges that they face and know that I can help them by leading by example, not to knock the use of anti depressants and therapies but these aren’t long term solutions, like me these individuals need to find it within themselves to heal and put away the troubles of their past.
Once I knew that my recovery was my responsibility I started to understand and take control of my life and the way I was living it and I want to help, guide and encourage others to do the same.
No other provider focuses to address the link between mental health and domestic violence.
Free Your Mind's aim is to use the creative process as an assistant in enabling the healing process in young people, 1 in 3 young children will have an issue with mental illness that is directly linked to the experience of seeing or experiencing domestic violence in their homes, including adults, 1 in 4 will experience issues with Mental Health.
Of those who experience domestic violence in their youth, (either themselves personally or watching a parent get abused) if left untreated psychologically, this can have a massive impact on how they lead their lives going forward, which can result in people having a low sense of self, anger issues, mental health problems and learning difficulties.
To assist, Free Your Mind offers creative counselling, where you can begin your own healing process through expressive arts such as writing, music, art and physical activity such as self defence and dance.
The purpose behind this is for individuals to begin expressing themselves to start to heal, to know and understand who they are, and not be held back by the issues of their past. The aim is to give them the responsibility which in turn gives them the control back that they have lost in their lives. The intention is to address the issues created by their experiences and to help them to move forward and rebuild their lives and not be mentally held back.