Reconnecting with yourself.Your values. Your future.
Reclaiming Me is a free, 12-session group therapy programme for women who have experienced gender-based violence or abuse.
Led by qualified therapists, the programme offers space to understand the ongoing impact of what you have been through, reconnect with parts of yourself that may have been pushed aside while surviving, and rediscover what is important to you now.
What is Reclaiming Me?
Surviving can take a lot from us. Reclaiming Me is about asking what you want from life now.
You may have had counselling, therapy or other support before. You may already understand a lot about what happened to you. Or you may simply have reached a point where life is more stable and you are beginning to wonder, what comes next?
Reclaiming Me is not about repeatedly retelling what happened. Across 12 sessions, we explore how experiences of violence or abuse can continue to shape the way you see yourself, relate to other people and move through the world, while developing psychological skills that support you to live differently now.
The programme brings together qualified therapist expertise, evidence-based psychology, cultural understanding and lived experience insight.
Space to explore, without pressure
You will never be expected to tell your story at length or share details you do not want to share.
You may have already done a lot of that elsewhere. Our focus is on understanding what continues to affect you now and creating space for what comes next.
Come as you are
You do not need to arrive feeling calm, confident or ready to talk. Come tired, quiet, upset, laughing, tearful, unsure, or somewhere in between.
Our therapists are experienced in facilitating groups and supporting different group dynamics. The group is gently paced, with breaks built in and space to step away briefly if you need to.
Laughs, tears and everything in between are welcome.
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What is Reclaiming Me?
Hear directly from the Lead Therapist about why the programme was created, who it is for and what you can expect.
Prefer to read? A short transcript or summary will be available below.
What do we mean by gender-based violence?
You may not use the words gender-based violence to describe what you have experienced.
It is a broad term that can include experiences such as domestic abuse, coercive or controlling behaviour, sexual violence, stalking, economic abuse, technology-facilitated abuse, forced marriage, so-called ‘honour’-based abuse and female genital mutilation (FGM).
You do not need to fit neatly into a label to consider Reclaiming Me. If you are unsure whether your experiences fall within the programme, you can contact the team or talk it through during your introductory conversation.
Find out more about gender-based violence ↗
Could Reclaiming Me be right for you?
Reclaiming Me is for women aged 18+ who have experienced gender-based violence or abuse and live within approximately 25 miles of Coventry.
This means women living in Coventry, parts of Birmingham and the wider West Midlands, and Warwickshire may be eligible. If you are unsure whether you fall within the area, please contact us.
Reclaiming Me may be a good fit if:
- you are not currently in crisis and feel able to take part in a group therapy programme
- you may have had counselling, therapy or other support before and are wondering what comes next
- you may never have had therapy before, but feel ready to explore yourself and what you want from life now
- things may be safer or more stable than they once were, but your body or mind does not always feel safe
- you often feel low, anxious, on edge, guarded or emotionally disconnected
- experiences of abuse or violence have affected your confidence, self-worth or sense of who you are
- you feel less assured in yourself or find yourself second-guessing your needs, choices or boundaries
- parts of your life may have become smaller while you were surviving, including relationships, joy, creativity, intimacy, community or things you once enjoyed
- you want to understand yourself with greater compassion and begin getting more out of life
- you are interested in exploring what moving from surviving towards thriving could mean for you
Women from all backgrounds are welcome.
Everyone’s journey is different
You do not need to feel completely ready or have everything figured out.
Reclaiming Me involves taking part in group therapy, turning some attention inward, learning and practising psychological skills and, where manageable, trying things between sessions.
Before joining, you’ll have a short introductory conversation with one of the therapists. This gives you space to ask questions, talk about what you hope to get from the programme, discuss any access needs, and think about what would make attending feel as meaningful and manageable as possible for you.
What will we do together?
Reclaiming Me includes 12 group therapy sessions, with each session lasting around two hours. The sessions are gently paced and include breaks, so there is time to pause, get a drink, use the bathroom or simply have a moment before continuing.
Sessions include a mixture of therapist-led discussion, accessible psychological ideas, group reflection and practical exercises. You will not be expected to be actively talking or taking part for the full two hours.
Thursdays, 5:30pm–7:30pm
Across the sessions, we will explore:
Making sense of survival patterns
Explore how what you have been through may have shaped things like safety, trust, boundaries, relationships, confidence and the way your nervous system responds. The aim is to understand these patterns with less blame and more context.
Practising different ways of responding
Learn and practise psychological skills including grounding, mindfulness, self-compassion and stepping back from difficult thoughts. The focus is on creating more space between what shows up internally and what you choose to do next.
Rediscovering what matters to you
Reconnect with the people, activities, roles and parts of life that feel important to you now. You will explore your values and be supported to take small, manageable, values-led actions between sessions where this feels possible.
Reclaiming Me draws on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), compassion-focused approaches, mindfulness and trauma-informed psychology. The ideas are introduced in an accessible, practical way and connected to everyday life.
There is room for your whole context here
Experiences of gender-based violence do not happen in isolation from culture, family, faith, community or the wider systems around us.
For some women, these parts of life can be important sources of strength, identity and belonging. At other times, family or community expectations, gender roles, stigma, faith interpretations or fears about how others might respond can make experiences of abuse harder to speak about or leave.
Sometimes the people or communities we expect to understand us may not. Sometimes they may minimise what has happened, place responsibility on the woman, encourage silence, or become part of the harm themselves. This can make an already painful experience feel even more isolating.
Reclaiming Me has been developed over many months, bringing together lived-experience insights, psychological approaches and cultural understanding. The therapists delivering the programme come from different Global Majority backgrounds and recognise that women do not all experience culture, identity or community in the same way.
There may be areas of overlap between women in the group, and there will also be important differences.
You are welcome to bring your whole self into the room.
Where relevant to you, we may gently explore how culture, faith, migration, family expectations, gender roles, community, relationships and experiences of services have shaped what happened, the ways you learned to cope, what support has or has not felt available, and what you want to carry forward, change or reclaim now.
Time to pause, reflect and connect
As part of Reclaiming Me, participants will be invited to a local one-day retreat.
It will be a chance to look back on your journey, recognise the steps you’ve taken and spend time with other women from the programme.
Through reflection, wellbeing and self-care activities, the day will offer space to celebrate growth and think about what you want to carry into the next chapter of your life.
Retreat details will be shared with participants during the programme.
For yourself, or someone you care about
If you’re looking for support for yourself
You can refer yourself directly to Reclaiming Me.
You do not need a professional to refer you, and you can ask someone you trust to support you with the form if that would make the process easier.
Self-refer hereIf you’re a professional
Professionals can make a referral with the woman’s knowledge and consent.
Please use the professional referral form rather than the self-referral form.
Make a professional referralSupporting a friend or loved one?
Friends and family members cannot make a professional referral on someone else’s behalf. If someone you care about may benefit from Reclaiming Me, you can share this page with them, talk through the information together, or support them to complete the self-referral form if they would find that helpful.
Privacy, safety and practical questions
We know that trust matters. These questions explain how information is handled, what confidentiality means in a therapy group, and what to expect in practice.
How is my referral information stored?
Information from your referral and relevant notes from your introductory conversation are stored securely using Splose and handled in line with Women’s Consortium’s data protection responsibilities and UK GDPR.
Your information is used only where needed to support your referral, participation in the programme and safe delivery of the service.
What do the therapists keep confidential?
What you share with the therapists is treated confidentially and kept within the Reclaiming Me team or service.
If we become seriously concerned about your safety, the safety of another person, or a safeguarding issue, we may need to involve another professional so that the right support can be put in place. Wherever possible, we would talk with you about this first and make decisions about next steps together.
How does confidentiality work in the group?
Group agreements are established from the first session and revisited throughout the programme. Everyone joining Reclaiming Me is asked to agree that another woman’s personal information, experiences or identifying details are not shared outside the group.
You are welcome to talk about your own experience, general reflections, learning and psychological tools you have found helpful. We simply ask that the personal stories of other women remain private.
We cannot legally guarantee what another group member may say outside the room, but every woman is asked to make this commitment and concerns about confidentiality will be taken seriously.
Where will the face-to-face group take place?
The exact Coventry venue is only shared with confirmed participants.
The group takes place in a large, accessible, private and uninterrupted space with plenty of room to sit comfortably or move away from the main group for a moment if needed. Tea, coffee, cold drinks and light refreshments will be available.
What if I need some time away during a session?
It is completely normal to need a moment during a therapy group.
For the face-to-face group, you can move to another part of the venue for a short time. One of the therapists can support you while you step away, and you can return to the group when you feel ready.
For the online group, you can turn your camera off and send the therapists a quick message to let us know you are stepping away. You can rejoin when you feel ready.
Our therapists are experienced in managing group dynamics and supporting people when difficult emotions arise. Needing a pause is not unusual and does not mean you are doing group therapy wrong.
Do I need to attend every session?
Reclaiming Me includes 12 group therapy sessions, and we ask women joining to make a commitment to attend as many sessions as possible.
We know that life happens. Illness, caring responsibilities, work and unexpected circumstances can sometimes mean missing a session. However, the sessions build on one another, and regular attendance helps you get the most from the programme and supports trust and connection within the group.
If you already know there are dates you cannot attend, please talk to us during your introductory conversation so we can think about this together.
When will the groups take place?
Our next face-to-face Reclaiming Me group will begin in Coventry in early January 2027, with sessions on Thursdays from 5:30pm–7:30pm. We can talk you through the full set of dates when you enquire or during your introductory conversation, so you can consider whether the schedule is manageable before accepting a place.
Where possible, we avoid running sessions during school holidays to make attendance easier for women with caring responsibilities.
A separate online Reclaiming Me group is also planned. Dates and times will be confirmed with participants. You can still self-refer now and join the waiting list.
Contact us
If you’re thinking about joining Reclaiming Me, supporting someone to self-refer, or making a professional referral, you’re welcome to get in touch with any questions.
You can also contact us if you’re unsure whether the programme may be suitable for you, need information in a different format, or want to discuss any access needs before referring.
Useful links & next steps
Download the information pack (PDF)
Need help understanding the information or need an accessible format? Contact us so we can discuss what would work best for you.
Need urgent help now?
Reclaiming Me is not an emergency or crisis service.
- Immediate danger: call 999 or go to your nearest Accident & Emergency department.
- Urgent mental health support: call NHS 111 and select the mental health option.
- Coventry & Warwickshire text support: text CWHOPE to 85258.
- National text support: text SHOUT to 85258.
- Samaritans: call 116 123 free, 24/7.