The Haven Project is dedicated to the support and treatment of people with a Personality Disorder or Complex Trauma diagnosis who live in Essex, and beyond.
The Haven Project provides recovery groups, therapeutic 1:1 support and crisis prevention calls and outreach, as well as support and guidance for families and partners of those with either a PD or cPTSD diagnosis.
A short history of The Haven Project
The precursor for The Haven Project was the publication of the National Institute for Mental Health (England)’s paper “Personality Disorder: No Longer a Diagnosis of Exclusion” in 2003, where the paper acknowledged the need for specialised, and considered, projects to support those with a diagnosis for Personality Disorder.
Following this, in 2004 the Department of Health rolled out a series of 11 pilot projects to develop examples of good practice to help overcome the shortcomings of existing NHS service provision.
A unique psycho-social model
The Haven Project was one of these innovative pilots, and the only one which was independent of the statutory providers.
The Haven Project’s psycho-social model features a unique combination of elements: recovery programmes, crisis prevention work, therapeutic support, and community activities, all underpinned by the active and systematic involvement of the clients in all aspects of the project’s life. This input gives our clients an element of control over the recovery process, and allows them to trust the Project at a deeper level.
Delivering a lifeline for clients, and the NHS
For the first ten years of its existence, The Haven Project operated as a 24/7 Access service, and included crisis and respite beds. In these ten years, The Haven Project not only provided a lifeline for those recovering from trauma, but also delivered substantial savings to the NHS, due to a direct reduction in Haven Project clients needing access to crisis support, in-patient admission, and A&E services.
Three cohorts were analysed during the ten year period (2004, 2008 & 2012) and proved to deliver a saving of over £1 million per year, after project costs had been deducted.
In addition, The Haven Project demonstrated a remarkably low suicide rate of less than 1% over this same ten year period, out of a total client cohort of more than 380 individuals. Suicide rates, as estimated by the National Outcome Measure Service places the national average at 8-10%.
In 2013, the Guidance to Commissioners of Specialist Community Mental Health Service report cited The Haven Project as an example of Best Practice.
Despite this, in 2014 funding from the Department of Health came to an end, and the Local Health Commissioners did not renew the funding pledge for the future. The Haven Project now needed to turn to fundraising and grants from the community in order to secure a future, both for the Project itself, and its clients.
Working through Grant funding
Fortunately, in 2014 a grant from The National Lottery Community Fund as well as grant funding from Essex County Council were secured, allowing The Haven Project to continues its work, albeit at a scaled down size.
Who The Haven Project helps
If you experience significant difficulties in how you relate to yourself and others and have problems coping day to day, you may receive a diagnosis of personality disorder. However, Personality Disorders are controversial diagnoses which cover a wide range of people.
A history of trauma
Research has shown that most people diagnosed with a Personality Disorder, along with those with a diagnosis of Complex Trauma, have suffered significant trauma in their lives, usually in childhood and sometimes adolescence. Reported experiences range from; abuse of all kinds, shocking bereavements or long term difficulties in that the person has received unhealthy responses to their emotions in early life, i.e. ‘walking on eggshells’ out of the fear of what might happen.
Some people have lived through shocking incidents in later life that have triggered earlier difficulties or memories. This is because the early damage done to that person has not always allowed for what we consider the ‘normal development’ of relationships, or helped them to form nurturing relationships, or deal with life crises.
A damaged sense of self, and safety
Whatever the specific causes for each individual, they are often left with a much damaged sense of self and little or no self-esteem or self-worth. The world can seem like a place to which they do not belong and they may easily experience a sense of terrible rejection. For some, this can result in severe depression and anxiety states causing disturbed thoughts and perhaps disturbing voices, a dissociated feeling of being ‘out of it’, or agoraphobia, mood swings and or suicidal feelings.
Life may become a terrible struggle to negotiate on a daily basis. People with such difficulties are often unable to cope with their overwhelming thoughts and feelings.
They may use self-harm as a coping strategy for a sense of relief, self-medicating or making serious attempts to take their own life. They could develop eating disorders or develop negative coping strategies such as alcohol or drug misuse. For a minority who are suffering so badly or feeling so misunderstood it can result in offending, aggressive behaviour.
Supporting Survivors
At the Haven Project we think of people with a Personality Disorder as ‘Survivors’ and with the right ingredients we help support our clients on the road to recovery.