Monday will mark World Mental Health Awareness Day 2022, and a new high street mental health service will be offering free therapy sessions here in Manchester.
Locals will be able to spend 30 minutes with Self Space’s qualified experts, to reflect, reconnect, and maybe just find out what therapy is all about.
The free sessions will be taking place at Feel Good Club in the Northern Quarter, a cafe that was set up with a focus on well-being (as well as belting sandwiches).
Self Space itself was founded in 2019 and has just expanded into Manchester, with four stylish and welcoming therapy rooms in Ducie House.
The aim is to create a simple, straightforward, modern and flexible approach to therapy.
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Founder Jodie Cariss says she wants to make therapy as ‘everyday as going to the gym, getting a haircut or grabbing a coffee’.
There are loads of barriers and reasons that prevent people from seeking mental health help, whether it’s long waiting lists or expensive therapy sessions.
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At conventional mental health services, there’s an average waitlist of four months.
But at Self Space’s high street therapy centres – in London, Brighton, and now another here in Manchester – you can see a therapist the same day as booking, seven days a week.
A 70-strong clinical team of multi-disciplined therapists makes it all possible.
And that’s another thing that sets Self Space apart – you can be paired with a therapist that is the right fit for you using their free therapist-matching service, saving you scrolling endlessly through directories.
There are other barriers standing between people and the mental health help they need, beyond the logistics of actually getting an appointment.
Some people will be put off by the fear of the unknown. Others might not feel ‘low enough’ to seek professional advice.
The pop-up therapy sessions will open the door to the benefits of seeking professional help.
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One in four of us will experience a mental health condition at some point in our lives, so the free Self Space pop-up is a brilliant chance to see how you can arm yourself with the tools and professional help that could make the world of difference.
Their therapy sessions encourage a Mental Maintenance approach which will support you when life gets a bit messy, whether it’s burnout, stress, anxiety, grief or something else.
The pop-up, free therapy sessions will take place at Feel Good Club in the Northern Quarter in Manchester on Monday 10 October. You can book your session here.
Featured image: Supplied
What's On
The UK’s biggest fashion thrift market returns to Manchester this weekend
Emily Sergeant
A huge pop-up fashion fair full of vintage, pre-loved, and small business clothing is back in Manchester this weekend.
Clothes Cycle is the UK’s biggest curated second-hand clothing market.
With a focus on championing sustainable clothing and helping fashion fans find a gem they’ll treasure forever, each pop-up market organised by the student-led initiative sees dozens of carefully-curated sellers offering a wide range of styles and items – including plus-sized, gender-neutral, male and female – come together all under one roof.
Taking over the unique space inside the historic Victoria Baths this Sunday (12 May), Clothes Cycle will welcome more than 100 different sellers showcasing everything from bargain vintage finds and designer pieces, to pre-loved wardrobes and picks from local small businesses.
Organisers say the Manchester event will be a combination of in-person thrift shopping, a filtered car boot sale, and the best of sustainable high street stores.
Sellers on the day will be offering up something for everyone on every budget.
With plenty of bargains under £5 up for grabs, you can expect to find vintage clothing of all kinds, alongside the best of streetwear, y2k, retro, archive pieces, luxury brands, current trends, and handmade clothing if you head down on the day, as well as bags, shoes, jewellery, and lots of other accessories.
The UK’s biggest fashion thrift market returns to Manchester this weekend / Credit: Clothes Cycle Markets
If that wasn’t enough, there’ll also be vendors selling home decor, art and prints, greeting cards, plants, ceramics, and so much more, as well as tooth gem and nail art stalls to get involved with.
There’ll even be three DJs blasting out tunes in various rooms throughout the day.
And if all that shopping gets you a bit peckish, there’ll even be some of the city’s best-loved independent street food vendors pitching up to serve a wide range of mouthwatering grub – including pizza, burgers, dumplings, gyros, streak sandwiches, and ice cream, alongside freshly-brewed coffee, and other alcoholic drinks and cocktails.
Clothes Cycle is coming to Victoria Baths in Manchester on Sunday 12 May from 11am-5pm, and tickets are now on sale from £5 online or on the door – with several concessions and VIP ticket options also available.
Dozens of life-sized animatronic dinosaurs are descending on Heaton Park again this summer
Emily Sergeant
Dozens of life-sized animatronic dinosaurs are set to take over the grounds of Heaton Park once again this summer.
Manchester will become the closest thing to Jurassic Park in real life in a couple of months time.
Back by popular demand after proving to be a smash-hit success when it was here last year, our region will transform into “a palaeontologist’s playground” once again, as around 40 life-sized animatronic dinosaurs are descending on the popular park to give dino fans of all ages the chance to get up close and personal with the big beasts.
Dinosaurs in the Park will arrive in Greater Manchester from mid-July and stay until early August, with dinosaurs expected around every corner.
Just as they did last year, visitors can expect an “an educational and enjoyable day out for the whole family” this summer.
Among the dozens of dinos which have all been designed with “meticulous attention to detail” are well-known favourites such as the Stegosaurus, Triceratops and Velociraptor, as well as the lesser-known Dilophosaurus, Kentrosaurus, and Hypacrosaurus.
Explorers will be able to make their way through Heaton Park‘s interactive trail made up of dozens of moving dinosaurs, all while solving puzzles and making the most of a range of hands-on activities along the way.
Dozens of life-sized animatronic dinosaurs to descend on Heaton Park this summer / Credit: Dinosaurs in the Park
There’ll be a palaeontologist tent so you can learn all about dinosaur behaviour, habitats, and the fascinating process of fossilisation, and a ‘Dinosaur Dentist’ section where kids can have a go at brushing the teeth of a T-Rex, while the ‘Dino Dig Pit’ will give young explorers a chance to unearth ancient fossils at an interactive dig site.
Not only that, but there’ll also be a ‘Fun Zone’ with lots of other free attractions and thrilling fairground rides, and a ‘Food Zone’ where explorers can either grab a well-earned bite to eat from the food court or use the space for a picnic after a day of hard work.
Dinosaurs in the Park is “an educational and enjoyable day out for the whole family” / Credit: Dinosaurs in the Park
Dinosaurs in the Park will be taking over Heaton Park from Friday 19 July – Sunday 4 August 2024.
Tickets are now on sale and cost adults and children over three £12 each, while a family ticket costs £46 for a group of four, and children under three go free – and, if you book any time slot after 3pm, you’ll get 20% off your ticket price too.