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Author: Tessa

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Family Wellbeing Day

TESSA family wellbeing event Sept 2025


Adoptive Family Event – South Eastern Area
Saturday 13th September 2025


An opportunity to come together with other adoptive families, build connections, meet some of the TESSA Team and find out about the upcoming programme of events. 

When?
Saturday 13th September 9.45am – 1pm

Where?
@ Strangford Lough Activity Centre, Sketrick Island, Killinchy

Booking Cost?
£20 per family – (non refundable) Payment to be made via BACS transfer upon confirmation of places

Further details and booking form below.

For more details and to register:
CLICK HERE

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Back to Nature 7-11 years

Back to Nature -7-11s


Nature-based play therapy group – Bangor
Monthly Saturday morning sessions starting 27th September 2025

Course Description
Nature-based Play Therapy is an intervention which assist children’s attachment to Mother Earth, and enhances attachment to self and others. With support from an experienced Play Therapist specialising in Outdoor group work your child will be encouraged to explore emotional safety and personal freedom. 

Venue
Quarries Community Farm, Bangor

Day
Monthly Saturday morning sessions

Time
11am – 1pm

Dates
Sept 27th
Oct 25th
Nov 15th
Dec 6th
Jan 10th
Sunday Feb 15th ( Final Session information will be released closer to the time, this will be a Family session)

Priority will be given to participants who are able to attend all/most sessions

TESSA will retain a waiting list to offer one off sessions where places become available.
Investment: £25 per participant (non refundable within 2 weeks of the start of the programme). Fee must be paid via Bank Transfer upon offer of place.

For full description and to register:
CLICK HERE

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Learning Through Horses – Teens Programme

Learning Through Horses - Teens Course

TESSA in partnership with Crindle Stables are providing a Equine Facilitated Learning Group for young people aged 12 – 18 year old. This programme is funded by the Kingsbridge Foundation.

Participants will be given opportunities to develop confidence, emotional regulation, resilience, and communication skills through positive interaction with horses. Each week blends therapy-based activities with horsemanship learning, fostering both personal growth and practical equine knowledge.

Dates
Monday 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th October, and 3rd, 10th November 2025 * There will also be x 3 monthly sessions scheduled to take place Dec – Feb dates TBC*

Time
6:15-8:15pm

Venue
Crindle Stables, 6 Carrowclare Road, Limavady, BT49 9ED

Investment
£25 per participant (non refundable). Fee must be paid via Bank Transfer upon offer of place.

For full information and to register:
CLICK HERE

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Pony Pathfinders 7 – 11 years

Pony Pathfinders

TESSA, in partnership with Crindle Stables are providing a Equine Facilitated Learning Group for children aged 7 – 11 year old. This course is supported by the Public Health Agency through the Clear Project.

The Pony Pathfinders 6-week programme is designed for children aged 7–11 to develop confidence, emotional regulation, resilience, and communication skills through positive interaction with horses.Each week blends therapy-based activities with horsemanship learning, fostering both personal growth and practical equine knowledge.

Dates
Monday 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th October, and 3rd, 10th November 2025

Time
4-6pm

Venue
Crindle Stables, 6 Carrowclare Road, Limavady, BT49 9ED

Investment
£25 per participant (non refundable). Fee must be paid via Bank Transfer upon offer of place.

For full information and to register:
CLICK HERE

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Love and Rage ONLINE parenting course

Love and Rage Online 25

What is the Love and Rage Parenting Course?
Why are so many adopted children verbally or physically aggressive?
What are they communicating through their behaviour?
What is the impact of living with a traumatised child?
How do we stay calm in the face of our children’s overwhelmed and overwhelming emotions?

Love and Rage is a six-week programme offered by TESSA/Family Routes for parents of adopted children to explore these frequently asked questions. This course is aimed at parents of children who are struggling to handle and process their big emotions such as rage and anger.

Please fill in the form at the link below to sign up to the next course:

Dates
Tuesday – 7th, 14th, 21st October and then Tuesday 4th, 11th and 18th of November

Venue
Online

Time
6.30-8.30pm

Investment: £60 per participant (equates to £10 per session) Fee must be paid via Bank Transfer upon offer of place. Fee is non refundable if place cancelled within 2 weeks of start date.

For full information and to register:
CLICK HERE

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Surfing the Waves – Parent Workshop

Surfing the Waves for parents


Tuesday 18th November, 10am – 4pm, Coleraine


Parenting a teen can feel overwhelming at times, especially when it feels like you’re facing emotional rollercoasters, behavioural changes, and endless challenges with communication.

If you’ve been wondering how to better connect with and support your teen, you’re not alone!

Surfing The Waves, a programme facilitated by The Creative Psychotherapist, Siobhan Wilson-McGlinchey, designed to help parents, carers and professionals navigate the ups and downs of adolescence.

This programme is perfect for you if you’re:

  • struggling to understand your teen’s behaviour;
  • feel disconnected or unsure how to communicate effectively;
  • are worried about mental health, peer pressure, or social media influence.

Date
Tuesday 18th November

Time
10am – 4pm

Venue
The Sandel Centre, 6 Knocklynn Road, Coleraine BT52 1WT

Cost
£10 per participant (non refundable)

For full workshop information and to register:
CLICK HERE

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Teens Wellbeing Programme

TESSA teens wellbeing programme Sept and Oct 2025


Wellbeing and personal development for teens
Dates in September and October 2025


Please find details and booking link below for our TEENS Wellbeing & Personal Development Programme. It is open to Adopted TEENS aged 12-18 and birth siblings within the household who are also in this age range. 

Course Description
Participants will participate in a fun, practical and gentle approach through shared-experiences with our family of donkeys in a safe and nurturing environment. The course will promote confidence, self-esteem and develop positive well-being whilst encouraging team-working building relationships with each other and the animals. Participants will be encouraged to connect with each other, build upon their social and emotional skills whilst making friends along the way.

Venue:
Learning in Harmony with Donkeys
72 Station Rd, Saintfield, Ballynahinch BT24 7EN

Day & Time:
Wednesday 4.30-6.30pm

Dates:
10th, 17th and 24th September, 1st, 8th and 15th October
Priority will be given to participants who are able to attend all/most sessions

Cost: Investment: £25 per participant (non refundable)

Further details and booking form below.

For more details and to register:
CLICK HERE

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Heads Up Teens Course

Heads Up teen programme

August 2025

TESSA and Family Routes are excited to announce the Heads Up Programme in collaboration with Include Youth and Our Generation. It is aimed at helping young people focus on developing skills and techinques to boost their emotional health and wellbeing.

Venue :  Include Youth, 100 Great Patrick Street, Belfast BT1 2LU

Session dates:  Monday & Tuesday 4th, 5th, 11th, 12th, 18th and 19th August 2025

Who is it for: This programme is suitable for young people aged 13 – 21 years and is open to adopted young people and siblings who are birth children within the household.

Course Description:
The Heads Up programme will include interactive sessions exploring wellbeing, resilience, identity and personal development. The final session will include a trip to the Odyssey for a bowling celebration event.

For more details and to register:
CLICK HERE

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TESSA Summer Programme ‘Spaces to be me’

TESSA summer programme

July and August 2025

TESSA in partnership with Playboard NI are providing a  ‘Spaces to be me’  Children’s Summer programme across 5 sessions in July and August.

Venue :  New Life City Church  (indoor and outdoors)
Twin Spires Complex, 143 Northumberland St, Belfast BT13 2JF

Session dates:  Tuesdays – 22nd, 29th July, 5th, 12th and 26th August.
Session times: 10-12 noon  

Who for: Adopted Children aged 9-11 (birth children in this age range are also welcome to sign up)   

Course Description:
Spaces to be aims to support children to:– Increase mental health literacy – Enhance emotional resilience
 – Develop self-help and coping skills – Encourage inclusivity and acceptance of difference – Increase knowledge of community

For more details and to register:
CLICK HERE

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Kicking off Summer Quiz Night

Kicking off Summer quiz night TESSA

KICKING OFF SUMMER – a quiz night fundraiser for the work of TESSA NI

Struggling to remember what you ate for lunch today but have the Jingle of a TV advert from 1995 stuck in your head? This night is for you!!! (also if you were born after 1995 and are over 18 it’s for you too!)

As part of TESSA’s local community fundraising plan we are ‘KICKING OFF SUMMER’ with a quiz night! 

Where: @ Horatio Todds, Belfast BT4 3EZ  

When: Tuesday 1st July starts at 8:30pm 

Who: Anyone over 18

For more information and to register:
CLICK HERE