Psychologists

There is one psychologist at present (Gemma Mitchell) but this is due to increase.  Based in landlord services her role is to support the work of the teams in helping you think about residents who may be struggling with their tenancies or bringing their housing-related problems due to a range of factors linked to mental health.  

Some of the issues where a psychologist can help and support staff:

• Residents with diagnosed mental health difficulties or where you think there may be possible mental health difficulties.
• Support to link residents to Primary care or Secondary care mental health services.
• Residents with a history of having lived in supported accommodation, within the Mental Health Housing Pathway, or with a history of homelessness.
• Residents who have experienced traumatic life experiences, e.g. abuse, neglect, displacement, war (as civilians or veterans), any other disturbing and traumatic events.
• Residents with safeguarding concerns or who are vulnerable.
• Neighbour disputes that are stuck.
• Issues around Anti-social behaviour and community cohesion.
• Issues around safety and isolation.
• Residents who hoard or give little attention to their home environment.
• Complex converging factors that make the work complicated and more difficult to formulate a plan.
• Residents who have difficulties communicating with you or others, e.g. the tenant has highly expressed emotions such as anger, frustration , repeated calls, inflexibility, hard to engage.
• Thinking about how to manage difficult conversations and/or the quality of the working relationship between a resident and yourself.
• Residents who can tend to make you feel exhausted, angry, frustrated, concerned, worried, confused, or bothered by knowing their upsetting or difficult life stories. 
• Any other residents you’d like to talk about, as sometimes having a conversation can be useful to clarify your own ideas and decide on a way forward

This is not an exhaustive list so talk to Gemma if you would like to check things out.  She is keen to hear any good ideas about how they can be most useful to you too.    
 

Availability

Mondays – Thursdays.   

Check Gemma's calendar to see when she is available, and where based.  The aim is to be based with the teams on the following basis:

• Cressy Road – two days per week, every week.
• Crowndale and Holborn Library – one day on alternate weeks (fortnightly).
• Swiss Cottage and Rowley Way – half a day on alternate weeks (fortnightly).

How it works:

The psychologists will have case or issue-based discussions on a individual basis with staff or can come to team reflection meetings to facilitate group discussions about cases or themes that would be helpful to be considered as a group. 

There will also be some training about mental health in 2020. Let Gemma know if you have any thoughts about what you’d like to know and would find most helpful.