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Complementary Therapy
Our Complementary Therapy Clinic is aimed at reducing anxiety and stress related to trauma. This is all part of our healthy living programme regarding awareness and empowerment to assist individuals in both overcoming and understanding anxiety and stress related trauma, and the everyday things in life that can often cause anxiety and stress and the choices that we make when faced with these situations. Having information and understanding is essential to reducing stress and anxiety, its affects, and in developing healthy coping mechanisms.
Potentially stress and anxiety can lead to depression and helplessness and longer term associated problems. In beginning to recognize the causes individuals can oftentimes be aware and if supported begin to self-address and adjust by taking preventative measures and making positive lifestyle choices and/or seek appropriate support regarding physical, mental health, and overall well-being.
Reducing trauma related stress and anxiety is a key aim in supporting people injured and bereaved by the conflict and the vast experience of our Family Support team and Complementary Therapists has combined to shape a unique approach to this overall work within RFJ.
All of our services are confidential and mostly free of charge - however, in terms of sessional complementary therapy only (and not counselling or any of the other listed services) there may be a minimal charge which is specific to valuing the Complementary Therapy service and in assisting to ensure that appointment schedules are adhered to. Each circumstance is adjudicated depending on personal/family circumstances and at most this charge entails no more than a few pounds.
 This is one of our Complementary Therapists at work within the Family Support Therapeutic Clinic based at our offices. The therapies range from Body Message, Indian Head Message, Reki, Reflexology, Aromatherapy, etc – The service also outreaches to urban and rural areas via our centres in South Derry and Tyrone and satellite centres elsewhere.
These treatments usually run for several weeks once an initial personal assessment and suitable treatment is carried out and identified. The person receives a number of treatments with ongoing assessments in partnership with RFJ therapists as part of a wider programme that entails examining diet and lifestyles - In many instances relatives experiencing conflict related bereavement were not properly catered for by the medical professions and simply prescribed anti-depressants and other medication than had further negative effects rather than addressing both the physical and psychological impacts in a more resourced, imaginative and comprehensive way. Healing hands and other non-medicated complementary therapy techniques, and indeed counselling, were not valued in terms of the NHS here in the North or within the health service South of the border. However, the benefit of this work has been making significant impact in more recent years as to its positive role in addressing mental health and physical well-being.
 The results that we have experienced over the years reflect both the need and the success of holistic complementary work and its unique role in supporting and assisting the healing and recovery of people affected by violent injury and bereavement.
Often these therapies can also run parallel to more in depth therapies complementing a holistic approach across two fields of RFJ Family Support work. Counselling is also provided through several experienced and professionally accredited Counselling Therapists providing a voluntary service for Relatives for Justice and via organisational networks and partnerships with a range of partner groups and consortiums involving RFJ. A specialist Child Psychotherapist also provides specialist support to RFJ members with families and young people who lost parents, siblings of their parents, and grandparents experiencing transgenerational trauma.
Equally RFJ is accredited and registered with both the Irish and British associations for counselling and the appropriate bodies regarding complementary therapy. The RFJ Family Support Centre was also recognized as a model of best practice and a centre of excellence in regard to its ongoing complementary training for relatives bereaved who complete a specialist 24 month course specifically tailored and delivered by RFJ for those seeking to work with people bereaved in violent circumstances. This is delivered by our senior therapist with internal and external supervision, evaluation and exam assessments, on-site inspections, through to accreditation.
A number of relatives, themselves bereaved as a result of the conflict, have successfully completed the course and are delivering a range of complementary therapies back to the organisation in a voluntary capacity as part of their agreement to 'put back' into RFJ. Some are even working more broadly within this field as a result of the training at RFJ taking up a new career.
RFJ Family Support offers a range of support services to the bereaved and injured of the conflict from Welfare & Benefits Advice, Memorial Fund Support, Befriending & Home Visit Scheme, Outreach Support, Listening Ear Service, Trauma Counselling, to Family Therapy. For full information on all of our support services , or to receive support, call our offices and ask for a member of the Family Support Team. All calls and contacts are confidential and all support is discretely and professionally provided in a safe and supportive environment.
To avail of RFJ Family Support services, or support more generally, the following criteria applies;
Memorial Fund
The Memorial Fund was set up to offer support to those bereaved or injured as a result of the conflict. To date a lot of people are unaware that they are entitled to this support.
Those entitled are as follows:
Bereaved: - If you have lost a grandparent, parent, child, brother or sister.
Injured: - Those who have been physically injured OR been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Alternatively a child or spouse of those injured is also entitled to support as well as a registered primary carer for an immediate family member who has been injured.
The schemes available under this package are as follows:
SHORT BREAK
Criteria – Lost a parent or child or themselves have been injured in an incident or a primary carer for an immediate family member.
You are entitled to two short breaks in total during the lifetime of the Memorial Fund. Those wishing to apply must provide proof of relationship to the deceased, such as long Birth Certificate or a letter from your GP or a member of the Clergy. For those wishing to apply who have been injured, the Memorial Fund will automatically check that you meet the criteria by a PSNI check or through the Compensation Agency. However we would stress that if you are unsure or uncomfortable please do not hesitate to contact us at Relatives for Justice.
So where can you go on a Short Break
Although the Memorial Fund will send you out details of packages available like, Blackpool, Alton Towers, Dublin City Breaks, Ring of Kerry etc, it is not necessary that you chose these locations. HOWEVER – if you have any other locations in mind, you can apply to the Fund providing it is within Britain or Ireland. Also trips to Premier League football matches are on offer, subject to availability.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Criteria – Lost a grandparent, parent, child, partner, brother or sister, or have been injured, or have become a registered primary carer for an immediate family member:
What does this Cover?
There is an award for PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT such as:
-Driving Lessons -Swimming Lessons
-Music/Drama Lessons -Playgroup Fees
There is an award for EDUCATION or CAREER ENHANCING such as:
Tuition Fees – Including help with numeracy and literacy, such as help with 11+, GCSE or indeed any help involving English or Maths. Please note this is a detailed scheme so if you are not sure please ring Relatives for Justice with any queries.
Other packages under this scheme include Course Fees/University Fees/HGV & LGV Lessons and Books.
DISCRETIONARY HARDSHIP SCHEME
Criteria – Loss of spouse or partner or have suffered serious physical or psychological injury.
The scheme involves a ‘Home Visit’ from the NI Memorial Fund.
So what is involved?
Household items such as – flooring, domestic appliances, and in some cases assistance towards fuel.
OVER 60’S SUPPORT SCHEME
Applicants can apply for a grant of £200. Application will be accepted from those who are aged 60 and over and who as a result of the conflict have:
• Lost a Parent, partner child or sibling OR
• Sustained a physical injury which is ongoing of have been clinically diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and have not recovered OR
• Are the registered primary carers of an immediate family member who was physically injured and have not recovered.
Please note: this scheme will remain open until March 2010.
BACK TO SCHOOL GRANTS
This scheme aims to provide financial assistance to purchase school uniforms and help meet other costs associated with the start of the school year.
The scheme will be open to applicants who as a result of the conflict have:
• Lost a parent, partner or child OR
• Sustained a physical or psychological injury (which is ongoing) OR
• Are the registered primary carer for an immediate family member who has been injured
Please note: this scheme will run from 1st June 2009 until 30th September 2009.
Please Note:
If you need assistance from Relatives for Justice please phone Mark Sykes on 028 90220100 Tuesday – Thursday 10.00am – 3.00pm and Friday 10.00am – 12.00pm.
Remembering Quilt
The Relatives For Justice Remembering Quilt is an amazing sight. Eight quilts, each formed from 49 squares, commemorating nearly 400 lost lives. Each Square is lovingly created by hand, by family members who wish to remember loved one’s lost through the conflict in creative and positive ways. The Squares represent the enormity of loss, but also celebrate the lives of those who have died.
Some Squares include personal items and clothing belonging to those who have died. Viewing the quilt can barely be described, as different Squares catch the attention and you realise that each Square is a life cut short.
Working on Squares, families come together to share experiences and recognise that they are not alone. The Quilt is based on a core value of equality and recognition for all those who have suffered as a result of the conflict. All those who have lost loved ones during the conflict are welcome to participate in this project. The Quilt by its very nature demonstrates that there must never be a hierarchy of Victims.
The Quilt also recognises families’ own contribution to truth: telling the truth about their loved ones and the loss of their lives. The ‘Remembering Quilt’ has been displayed nationally and internationally over the past number of years, including San Francisco, New York, Wicklow, Belfast, South Derry, and Tyrone. In years to come it will be important tools by which our future generations will know of the people whose lives were cut short, how they were loved and cherished, and why we must learn the lessons from out conflict to ensure that it never occurs again.
The ninth Quilt is now in Progress and some 25 Squares have been completed to date. RFJ’s offices are open every Friday morning from 10.00am – 12.00pm for those families who would like to complete a Square for their loved one on the ‘Remembering Quilt’.
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Please do not be concerned if you cannot sew as there is a quilting tutor on hand to help and support you through the process of designing your Square. Alternatively if you cannot attend on a Friday morning, please feel free to contact Pauline on 028 90220100/07739876127 to discuss alternative arrangements, perhaps a workshop in an area where there are a number of families who wish to make a Square. Just give Pauline a ring and she will chat with you.
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