BEHIND THE SCENES: POSITIVE FREQUENCIES (FUNDED BY MAES & THE MANCHESTER SOCIAL PRESCRIBING DEVELOPMENT FUND)

Over the past six weeks, we’ve been joined by a remarkable group of participants for our Positive Frequencies course. Funded by MAES and The Manchester Social Prescribing Development Fund, this programme is led by our Well-being Manager and trained psychotherapist, Dan. Throughout the project, our participants tried the likes of journalling, creative writing and more to express themselves in a safe place.

We caught up with one of our attendees, Devika, to find out what she got up to and what she’ll be taking with her upon completing Positive Frequencies.

Please can you introduce yourself, your pronouns and what you’re up to at the moment outside of the course.

Devika: Hey, I’m Devika, my pronouns are she/her and I’m currently in a transition period, so I’m using my time to taste new things and develop skills. I had such a great experience doing Positive Frequencies, that I’m now enrolled on Reform’s Radio Course too.

How do you think your friends would describe you in three words?

Devika: Talkative, dramatic and funny.

What’s your favourite thing to do to make you feel good/as a form of self care?

Devika: As someone who struggles to switch off, I’ve been practicing self care by simply taking time to rest. If I need to engage myself, I’ll
read and research self-development based subjects, but in a comfortable space.

Did you have much experience of using writing in your well-being practice already? If so, what’s your favourite element of this or what have you enjoyed about trying it for the first time?

Devika: I hadn’t really thought about the intersection between writing and well-being before, even though I’m interested in both subjects. I’ve really enjoyed the discussions surrounding wellness and how different people articulate their experiences in different ways. Each session has provided me with extensive ‘food for thought’.

What prompted you to get involved in our Positive Frequencies course?

Devika: I’ve known about Reform Radio for a couple of years and been admiring the work they do from afar. As someone who is
trying to figure out her next steps, I thought what better opportunity than to get involved in a course and learn some skills that could change the trajectory of my career.

Let’s throw it back to your first day on the course versus now, tell me a bit about your first impressions/feelings/emotions in comparison to how you feel now. What has changed?

Devika: On the first day of the course, I didn’t know what to expect. I hadn’t really done anything like this before so I didn’t know how to
respond to people’s experiences. As the sessions went on, this radically changed. Positive Frequencies has been such a safe space for myself and others to learn, unlearn and relearn.

What will you take from Positive Frequencies moving forward & what are your plans from here onwards?

Devika: I’ve learnt that being in thought-provoking discussions is an
energising experience. It has made me want to look into conducting facilitation myself. Some of the topics and themes we covered have also inspired me to build a life coaching business. I’d like to say a massive thanks to Reform Radio and everyone involved for helping me think more creatively.

Listen to the radio show put together by the participants of Positive Frequencies here.

If you like the sound of our Positive Frequencies course, find out more about the project here. You can also reach out to our lovely Engagement team on projects@reformradio.co.uk to find out about our other courses.