A new positive mental health programme starts in Waterford next month.

The six-week course run by mental health organisation Aware is open to anyone wishing to learn new ways of dealing with life’s ups and downs.

It starts at Treacys Hotel in Waterford City on Tuesday, September 10th at 7.30pm.

Bríd O’Meara is Aware’s Director of Services, she says the new programme is designed to help people better cope with the challenges in their lives:

“The Life Skills Programme is designed to give people insights into how we think and how this can influence our actions in both helpful and unhelpful ways.

“Based on the principles of cognitive behavioural therapy, each session is guided by our trained facilitator to help people better manage the stresses of everyday life, learning to spot unhelpful thoughts and discovering new and healthier ways of thinking.

“It is important to emphasise that confidentiality is the bedrock of the programme and nobody is asked to share personal information or experiences.

“The results speak for themselves with evaluations showing participants experiencing reduced levels of anxiety and improved mood on completion of the programme.”

The programme takes place over a period of six weeks and is open to people aged 18 years and over. You can secure your place with a booking deposit of €30 (€10 for students, and those who are unemployed or over 65 years or who hold a medical card) – refundable at the end of the programme – by visiting www.aware.ie/education