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Free educational courses to help you take better control of your wellbeing
Free educational courses to help you take better control of your wellbeing

Courses A-Z

New Leaf Recovery and Wellbeing College is committed to supporting personal recovery. Our courses help build on people’s capabilities, increase knowledge and skills and offer hope, opportunities and the tools for students to self-manage and take control.

All courses are free of charge to all Hertfordshire residents over the age of 18. Students can choose from our online courses, via the free platform Zoom, and our face-to-face courses in local Hertfordshire venues. For those who would like to practice using Zoom before joining our courses, take a look at our resources page. Not all courses in this portfolio run every term as we rotate courses. For the latest timetable, please visit the book a course page. Please check the dates, times, and locations before attending the course.

If you have any specific learning requirements, please contact the College when booking the course to discuss available support.

Find your course

Acceptance and recovery

This course explores the role of acceptance and how working towards our values supports mental health recovery and wellbeing.

Acknowledging your senses

Learn about the eight sensory systems, consider your responses to different sensory experiences, and develop coping strategies for sensory overload.

An introduction to wellbeing plans

Learn about the key concept of Wellbeing plans (Wellness Recovery Action Plans) and how to use one to support your recovery.

Anxiety: an introductory session

This evening session will introduce you to what anxiety is. You will begin to learn some possible strategies to overcome it and improve wellbeing.

Art expression for mental wellbeing

This session explores making visual art and mark-making for expression, communication and to support mental health and personal recovery.

Art journalling to support mental health

This course uses a combination of theory and practical exercises to encourage you to think about how creative practice can benefit your wellbeing.

Assertive Communication Skills workshop

Learn how to make choices in life, express your needs to others and assert important boundaries. Practise asserting boundaries in a friendly and supportive environment.

Beyond diagnosis - you are not a label

Recovery is a personal journey; this course discusses how to build a meaningful life after receiving a diagnosis. Learn about techniques you can try to manage your own mental and physical wellbeing better.

Building healthy relationships

Connecting with others can have a positive effect on our wellbeing. This course explores the physiological and psychological benefits of having meaningful relationships.

Building opportunities

Discover how finding new opportunities and taking risks can help you on your journey to recovery.

Carers: change, acceptance, and your wellbeing

In this course we will explore the personal impacts of a caring role and the importance of acceptance, hope, and self-care. You’ll also learn practical coping skills to manage your wellbeing whilst supporting another person.

Daring to dream

Achieve your dreams! Everyone has dreams, but reaching them can sometimes be tricky. This course will teach you how to set practical and achievable goals to help you achieve your dreams that support your mental and physical growth.

Depression: an introductory session

This evening session will introduce what depression is and some causes of depression. You will learn some possible strategies to help you better manage depression and improve wellbeing.

Discover to recover

You will learn how to recognise motivation and strengths and develop skills and tools to help you move forward in your life. This course will also explore development opportunities within the college.

Drugs, alcohol and mental health recovery

Learn about the importance of change and gain some strategies to help you or someone you support move forward with your mental health recovery while addressing any co-existing substance issues.

Employment and self-management

Learn more about how wellbeing can influence and enhance your employment experiences. Understand your rights when sharing personal information.

Employment: the pros and cons to telling your employer about your health challenges

Explore whether to tell your prospective or current employer if you have a disability or mental health challenge. Learn the pros and cons and the potential support you can access.

Five steps to wellbeing

Explore each aspect of the five recognised ways to mental wellbeing. Examine how you can incorporate these into everyday life to improve your emotional and mental wellbeing.

Healthy living, living well

Explore how to improve and better manage aspects in your life, including your healthy eating and sleep. You will also explore how to set effective goals to achieve a healthier lifestyle.

In the moment

Explore what ‘living in the moment’ truly means and how it can aid recovery and promote mental and emotional wellbeing; with simple and practical advice to live more presently.

Learning for wellbeing

Gain a better understanding of what aspects make up wellbeing and discover how learning can have a positive effect on your wellbeing.

Living by your values: Exploring what matters

Explore the values that matter most to you and how those values can guide your recovery journey.

Living well with fatigue

Students who join this workshop will gain an understanding of the causes of fatigue and will learn strategies to aid recovery from fatigue.

Making sense of voices

Learn about the experience of hearing voices that others cannot and develop a greater understanding of this experience. Cultivate a compassionate approach to acceptance.

Meaningful activities and wellbeing

Explore what meaningful activity means, the powerful impact it can have on your physical and emotional,wellbeing and how it can help improve the quality of your life. Learn strategies to build routines that support integrating and sustaining meaningful activity.

Mindfulness for everyday life

Break away from the cycle of negative thinking, critical thoughts and anxiety about the future. Learn how to live in the ‘here and now’ and see the world around you differently.

No decision about me without me. Shared decision making.

Empower yourself to to be a co-expert in your own recovery. Explore shared decision-making and how you can communicate effectively to those who support your wellbeing.

Pain explained

On this course, you will look at how the brain produces pain responses and learn how to manage persistent pain.

Pain: the role of acceptance

In this session we discuss what acceptance actually means and how it can aid in the recovery of persistent pain.

Practising self-care

In this workshop you will learn the importance of self-care: caring about yourself psychologically as well as caring for yourself practically.

Pressures of daily living

To understand what negative behaviours are, identify pressures in everyday life and practical skills to overcome them. Learn ten ways to build resilience.

Self-compassion for everyday living

Learn about the importance of self-compassion and how it can be used to improve your wellbeing. Discover new tools to help you learn how to be more compassionate towards yourself.

Sleeping well

Learn about the stages of sleep, as well as the physiological and psychological benefits sleep has on functioning. Explore different strategies that can be used at home to improve your sleep.

Social media and wellbeing: finding balance in a digital world.

Social media is part of everyday life - helping us stay in touch, find support, and express ourselves. But it can also affect how we feel, often without us noticing. This course is a chance to reflect on your relationship with social media and how it impacts your wellbeing.

Spiritual self-care to support mental wellbeing

Explore what spirituality means and what it means to you, and how it can support your mental wellbeing. Discover different spirituality practices, such as singing and meditation, to help you better manage your wellbeing. Learn how to incorporate them into everyday life.

Stress: an introductory session

This evening session will introduce you to what stress is and its common signs. You will also explore some coping strategies for stress to improve wellbeing.

Thinking holistically about wellbeing and wellness

This session gives participants the opportunity to think about the positive benefits of thinking broadly when considering routes to recovery, and how a focus on wellness rather than ill-health may be of benefit.

Understanding & overcoming stigma

Explore all aspects of stigma and how to overcome it, including self-stigma. Review disability, the importance of loss and acceptance, and unconscious and conscious bias.

Understanding and managing anxiety

During this course, you will understand what anxiety is and learn some strategies to self-manage your anxiety to support your personal recovery.

Understanding and managing depression

This course helps you understand the psychological, physiological and biological causes of depression and explores practical strategies to help you better manage your depression day to day.

Understanding and managing emotions

During this course you will learn what emotions are, and explore how communicating them effectively can support your mental your wellbeing.

Understanding and managing stress

Increase your knowledge of the effect of stress on you psychologically and physiologically. Explore practical ways to reduce and manage the stress in your life.

Understanding medication to support mental wellbeing

Students will learn about the role of medication in managing their mental wellbeing; as well as discussing the benefits, possible side-effects and how to become more confident in making choices about medication.

Understanding personal recovery

Learn about the difference between personal and clinical recovery. Hear the stories of how personal recovery has supported our students’ mental health and wellbeing.

Understanding self-care

In this session you will learn the importance of self-care, helping you to take control by boosting self-esteem, taking action, achieving small goals and doing things that are important to you.

Wellbeing and creativity

On this course, you will see how creative thinking can be used to problem solve and improve your mental wellbeing. In additional, you will have the opportunity to try some creative techniques that will inspire you

Wellbeing plans (WRAPS) can help with mental health recovery - workshop

Students will learn and begin to develop their personal wellbeing plans to support their mental health

Writing creatively for wellbeing

Learn why writing daily can have a tremendous positive effect on your mental health. Learn different forms of writing and how you can incorporate it into everyday life.

Writing for self-expression

A Royal Literary Fund course. Learn how to think about your experiences and how to put your thoughts and feelings into words. Reflect and write in a safe, friendly, and confidential atmosphere.

Need help finding a course?

If you want some help to find a course that's right for you, to contact the student council about your experience or would like to put your name down for a course that's not currently running, please get in touch with us!

Please contact us

or give us a call on:

01442 864 966