Safe Ground – The Comfort Zone

About the Programme

The Comfort Zone is a reading and creative writing programme. It was designed by Safe Ground to support mixed groups of men and women suffering from low-level anxiety and mild mental health concerns, which may be debilitating and limiting their lives and relationships. It is delivered to small groups online and was initially piloted as part of a larger social prescribing piece of work spearheaded by Healthy London Partnership.

The programme invites participants to explore new ways of seeing the world, engaging with their and other’s creativity in a structured, safe, and organised manner. Developing relationships with strangers, reading together, producing written work, and sharing ideas, responses, and thoughts offers support to group members.

The sessions focus on the life cycle of a human, a group, a process, and a thought. Each is designed to mirror stages of shared experience.

Participants are not required to have any particular interest or experience in reading or writing.

Testimonials

“Listening to people’s views and their writing, and freely writing myself… made me feel safe and strong. I understand myself better, as well as other people.”

“Week 4 was like a breath of fresh air, and I was able to turn everything around and develop hope and belief in myself.”

“My imagination was inspired; I was able to channel a bereavement into a positive outlet.”

“I particularly love how this course encourages [you] to get out of [your] head – by just getting it out, exploring, questioning, maybe understanding and moving on.”

“This programme has been more effective than any therapy or group work I’ve experienced. It left me feeling connected, hopeful, and excited for the future.”

“I have debilitating fatigue currently, and, for some reason, this course has allowed me to free up mental space, feel clear headed and alleviate tiredness for a few days afterwards.”