Butterflies Lived Experience Community
Studies into the impact of peer-support indicate “It improves quality of life, provides experiential knowledge, develops supportive, trusting and therapeutic relationships, provides emotional support and information."(NHS England evidence review). Trauma Recovery has a firm commitment to the importance of expertise gained through experience, and Butterflies Lived Experience Community is our way of encouraging people with lived experience of sexual, domestic and or relational trauma to join together to both receive and provide support. It is co-produced by its members whose voices are key in developing both local services and a national strategy.
Since 2020 the service has been offered adhoc offering small groups in response to current need and at the request of partner agencies. These smaller projects have shown a clear need for the service and during 2024 the service is being developed further to ensure that we offer a robust service that grows alongside the therapeutic services to enable them to complement one another.
Further information about BLEC and how you can get involved
Examples of groups that TRCIC has offered
Parent's Group
An online group for parents of children and young people who had experience sexual violence.
Sessions focused on:
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The impact of sexual trauma on the children and young people
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How the experience may impact the child or young person's behaviour and wellbeing
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How the parent's could support their child or young person
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Encouraging the parents to consider the impact on themself and their own needs
Women's Group
An online group for women who had experienced sexual violence.
Sessions focused on:
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Understanding the short and longer term impact of their experiences
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Growing their sense of self
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Growing their confidence
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Understanding patterns of behaviour
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Understanding how to break unhealthy cycles
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Understanding their feelings of self blame and shame and reframing these to understand that what happened was not their fault
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The future
Creative Women's Group
Fortnightly in person sessions within a partner organisation for women who had experienced domestic violence and abuse.
Sessions focused on:
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Creating safety
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Creativity
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Self care
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Growing a sense of self worth
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Creating bonds
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A sense of achievement
Our values
Honesty, openness, fairness, accountability, safety, trust, respect of oneself and of others, ownership, congruence, unconditional positive regard, empathy and giving back.