Hi, I’m Patricia (pictured left) and I’ve recently joined Sue Lambert Trust as the Fundraising Assistant. As part of settling into my new role, I’ve been getting to know the different teams and the vital work they do. I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Helen, the Groundwork Manager (pictured right) to learn more about the Groundwork team, a crucial part of supporting survivors on their journey to recovery. I wanted to share some of what I’ve discovered and explain why Groundwork plays such an important role.
What is Groundwork?
Groundwork is the support and stabilisation offered to clients before or during their counselling. It helps create the foundations for recovery by ensuring that clients are in a safe and stable enough place to begin exploring their experiences through therapy.
What does support and stabilisation involve?
This support often starts with practical needs. The Groundwork team might help clients with things like housing or benefit applications or refer them to other helpful services.
But it’s not just about practical support. Starting therapy, or even just thinking about it, can feel overwhelming. That’s why the Groundwork team also offers psychoeducation through Carolyn Spring courses and group work (Trauma Stabilisation Group) to help clients understand trauma and the recovery process. They introduce tools and techniques like self-soothing and grounding, which support emotional regulation and help clients feel more confident in managing their feelings.
What challenges do clients face?
Mental and physical health difficulties are common and dealing with systems like housing or benefits can be complex. That is where the Groundwork team comes in, not to take over, but to walk alongside and to empower clients with the tools and confidence they need to navigate these challenges themselves.
Why is Groundwork important?
When someone is facing daily stress about housing, money, or safety, it’s hard to focus on recovery. By helping to ease those immediate pressures, Groundwork creates the space for clients to fully engage in counselling. Without it, those everyday worries can block progress and keep deeper healing out of reach.
To learn more about the work of the Groundwork team, click here.