Back after the Break

We are back after our break. We re-opened on Thursday, which may seem a strange day to open but by closing mid-week and opening the same, our clients find this easier. Although since back it has been relatively quiet. Word will slowly filter through on the streets that we are open!We did seem to spend our first day reminding clients of our boundaries! It always seems like when your own children went to stay with grandparents and have had late nights and lots of e-numbers in their diet, on their return they seem very high and bouncy, although I hasten to add most grandparents are not like this. Clients on the whole seemed to be relieved to be back and into routine. We found a lot of clients hanging about in our archway on our first day back too and we came to the conclusion that they had been doing this while we were away as it gave them a feel of stability and probably in the hope we may open. We are going to look at every client again and talk to them about some reasonable goals that they can begin to achieve while using the Centre. Some clients have made some incredible strides forward and we need to remind them of these and work together to look at other ways for them to explore. Other clients need some help to see that they too are capable of taking steps forward and we together can work out a rough plan of how this can be achieved. We will stress that these have to be reasonable goals! Most clients will launch into things that are way beyond what can be achieved. We are in the business of encouraging and so these goals need to be set at a level where with help clients can achieve more. Ben’s Centre is never in the business of just keeping going and dealing only with the ‘emergency’ stuff that emerges. We believe very strongly that clients need a place where they can move on. So many have forgotten who they are and we need to help them find this person again. I assessed a client recently and asked him what he liked doing. He stopped and hung his head down and silence. Eventually he said no one had ever asked him that and as he talked it emerged he loved rock climbing and running half-marathons. All these small steps are a re-discovery of good things in client’s lives. So we are looking forward with expectation and hope for everyone who comes through our doors here at Ben’s Centre.