Support and therapeutic groups

The Counselling and Mental Health Team in connection with The Library and with support from the Student Union has introduced its own collection of therapeutic books. Throughout the year there will be online or face to face group events focusing on a particular book or subject. You do not need to have read the book to attend. These groups will be a way of exploring your feelings around a particular book or subject with a chance to voice your thoughts. Where appropriate some groups will be attended by the authors themselves and members of local community and organisations.

For further information on these groups, please email Debbie Burns from the LJMU Counselling Service.

To view our groups and to book a place, please see student advice and wellbeing events website.

Would you like just an hour’s space to sit with your thoughts and do some expressive writing to get stuff out of your head and onto paper? This group offers a safe and relaxed space for free-writing in response to short prompts – such as images, words, or poetry. You do not need to be a writer or a poet to attend, just a willingness to take part and go with wherever your writing takes you!

These workshops enable you to focus on the process of writing rather than any product or output: giving yourself permission to just ‘write without rules’ about whatever emerges from your pen or pencil has the potential to lead to insights, revelations, and greater self-awareness.

There is no obligation for you to share your writing in the session, though participants can benefit from sharing and listening to different personal reflections about this process of writing for the self.

Sessions are led by Dr Anne-Marie Smith, senior lecturer in the School of Education and a qualified and experienced Writing for Wellbeing practitioner.

To book a place, please see student advice and wellbeing events website.

Workshops are designed to be attended as a cluster but can also be attended individually. To book on, please visit student advice and wellbeing events website.

The sports and creative exercises within the Women’s Empowerment Programme (WEP) are intentionally matched with the psychoeducational content introduced in Session a. Here's a concise summary of how they align:

Session a introduces core themes to promote self-awareness and methods to use self-awareness to improve confidence, relationships and opportunities.

The following sessions (b and c) use exercise and creative activities to reinforce these themes physically and emotionally.

This pattern continues across all four workshop blocks:

• Workshop 1a – Unmasking you: Overcoming barriers to be your best self.
• Workshop 2a – Boundaries and red flags: Empowering confidence through self-respect.
• Workshop 3a – Attachment and awareness: Understanding styles, spotting manipulation, and staying empowered.
• Workshop 4a – Recognise, resist and reclaim: Understanding narcissism, abuse, and protecting your power.

There is also a Women’s Empowerment JMU Society to continue the ethos of the project, through building and creating social opportunities derived from the content of the sessions.

1. Introduction to the Women’s Empowerment programme

Date: Thursday 9 October 2025
Time: 5.30 to 7.30pm
Summary: Overview of the programme, sharing experiences and goals.

2. Workshop 1a
Unmasking You: Overcoming barriers to be your best self

Date: Thursday 16 October 2025
Time: 5.30 to 7.30pm
Summary: Boosting self-awareness and overcoming personal barriers.

3. Workshop 1b
Yoga, mindfulness and relaxation

Date: Thursday 23 October 2025
Time: 5.30 to 7.30pm
Summary: 1 hour Yoga, mindfulness and relaxation exercises. These exercises help you tune into your body and emotions, boosting self-awareness and calming triggers from past issues.

4. Workshop 1c
Reflective and creative session: Neurography art

Date: Thursday 30 October 2025
Time: 5.30 to 7.30pm
Summary: A neurographic therapy session. This is a creative, therapeutic drawing technique that uses abstract lines and shapes to help participants process emotions, reduce stress, and access subconscious insights.

5. Reading week break

Date: Thursday 6 November 2025
Summary: No staff-led events, possible student led event to be confirmed.

6. Workshop 2a
Boundaries and red flags: Empowering confidence through self-respect

Date: Thursday 13 November 2025
Time: 5.30 to 7.30pm
Summary: Exploring relationship dynamics, boundaries and self-respect.

7. Workshop 2b
Boxercise

Date: Thursday 20 November 2025
Time: 5.30 to 7.30pm
Summary: Physical empowerment and nutrition guidance.

8. Workshop 2c
Reflective and creative session: Creative expression session and campfire

Date: Thursday 27 November 2025
Time: 5.30 to 7.30pm
Summary: Reflection and creative activity.

9. Closing session before break

Date: Thursday 4 December 2025
Time: 5.30 to 7.30pm
Summary:. Programme review and community connections.

10. Welcome back session

Date: Thursday 5 February 2026
Time: 5.30 to 7.30pm
Summary: Review and connection with wider LJMU services.

11. Workshop 3a
Attachment and awareness: Understanding styles, spotting manipulation, and staying empowered

Date: Thursday 12 February 2026
Time: 5.30 to 7.30pm
Summary: Understanding attachment styles and manipulation.

12. Workshop 3b
Dancing fit class

Date: Thursday 19 February 2026
Time: 5.30 to 7.30pm
Summary: Dance-based empowerment and wellbeing.

13. Workshop 3c
Reflective and creative session: Inner child

Date: Thursday 26 February 2026
Time: 5.30 to 7.30pm
Summary: Reflection and creative activity.

14. Reading week break

Date: Thursday 5 March 2026
Summary: No staff-led events, possible student led event TBC.

15. Workshop 4a
Recognise, resist and reclaim: Understanding narcissism, abuse, and protecting your power

Date: Thursday 12 March 2026
Time: 5.30 to 7.30pm
Summary: Understanding narcissism and abuse and how to protect yourself.

16. Workshop 4b
Relief and release exercise: Strength circuit training

Date: Thursday 19 March 2026
Time: 5.30 to 7.30pm
Summary: Physical activity and wellbeing check-in.

17. Workshop 4c
Reflective and creative session: Past, present and future vision board

Date: Thursday 26 March 2026
Time: 5.30 to 7.30pm
Summary: Reflection and creative activity.

18. Final workshop and celebration

Date: Thursday 16 April 2026
Time: 5.30 to 7.30pm
Summary: Empowerment wrap-up, awards, and next steps.