Prison | The Arukah Project

PRISON Work

"When you study prison populations, you see a preponderance of childhood trauma and mental illness. The two go together. So what we have in prisons are the most traumatized people in our society."

Dr. Gabor Mate

facts and figures

In 2020, 40,000 people were sent to prison however, 63% had committed a non-violent offence and 44% were sentenced to 6 months or less, demonstrating that we overuse prison for petty and persistent crime.
Poor mental health is exceptionally common in prison. 45% of adults in prison have anxiety or depression
In recent years prison suicides have reached record levels. Self-inflicted deaths are 8.6 times more likely in prison than in the general population.
70% of people who died from self-inflicted means whilst in prison had already been identified as having mental health needs
One in five of those diagnosed with a mental health problem received no care from a mental health professional in prison
40% of prisons inspected in 2016–17 had inadequate or no training for prison officers to know when to refer a person for mental health support.

Data source:

http://www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk/WhatWeDo/Projectsresearch/Mentalhealth

ACE in Prison Population

The Prisoner ACE Survey interviewed 468 adults (aged 18-69) in a Welsh prison between February and June 2018. Participants were asked about their exposure to 11 ACEs in childhood, their offending history and recent involvement in violence.

Compared with prisoners with no ACEs, those with 4 or more ACEs were:

3x more likely to have ever been convicted of criminal damage
3x more likely to have ever been convicted of violence against the person
3x more likely to have ever been convicted of theft
2x more likely to have ever been convicted of drug offences

The full report can be found by clicking the link: Understanding the prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in a male offender population in Wales: The Prisoner ACE Survey.

Why should we use EFT in this group?

EFT has an excellent evidence base in managing anxiety, depression and complex trauma.
Teaching EFT to people with convictions or those who are likely to offend, will help them better manage their emotional responses to stressors.
A trained EFT practitioner working on a 1-2-1 basis can support the processing of complex emotional trauma.
EFT can be used as a supporting modality to already existing psychological therapies or counselling
EFT is non-invasive and does not require a practitioner to physically touch the client – this can be important when working with clients who have experienced violence or sexual trauma
Huge personal benefits create positive opportunities for transformation and empowerment

Research papers:

HMP Guys Marsh, Dorset

HMP Guys Marsh is a category C training prison.
The Arukah Project implemented a 6-month pilot from January to July 2024.

Approximately 46 men recieved psychoeducation and teaching of somatic tools.

The program was a mix of classroom-based activity, wing-based work and 1-2-1 support.

The impact was assessed via a range of quantitative and qualitative measures which included written and verbal feedback.

When the project closed, the team were delighted to be presented with a list of 58 names from a wing requesting that further work be undertaken!

B – “thank you very much for all the help with my own personal trauma. I’ve been through a lot in my life and this was very special for me. Not only to learn about all the reasons behind my behaviour. You have supported my personal growth. Thank you. ”

D – “I think that the Arukah Project is brilliant and refreshing for those in prison. Part of prison is going through countless rehabilitation programs to better ourselves that may or may not be right for the individual. Arukah Project really changes that tempo and allows a physical activity that really works to be used at will when stressed or upset. I think it would encourage many to try tapping at least once, as they might find it something which does actually help, just like I have".

We want to extend our thanks to the staff and men at HMP Guys Marsh for making us so welcome and participating in our initial pilot work.

Case study coming soon

HMP Erlestoke

In July 2024, The Arukah Project was invited to attend a health and wellbeing session run by the wonderful charity, Recoop that supports people in prison over the age of 50 years.

The team had a great afternoon with the men and ran a session sharing the highlights of the Stress-to-Strength program with 13 men.

There was some great feedback:

Sandra, Activity Coordinator for Recoop said “Thank you so much for supporting the older prisoners at HMP Erlestoke today. The seminar you delivered was both inspiring and most engaging. Your relaxed and warm delivery styles encouraged high levels of participation and buy-in making it a memorable and enjoyable experience.

We all left with a better understanding about the impact of trauma and some simple strategies to free us so we can go on to live more fulfilling lives. I know I speak for them when I say how pleased we were that you gave us your time and expertise in this way. It was much appreciated.”

We also had great feedback from some of the attendees:
M “This was a very good group, well worth attending. Thank you and I hope to see you here again soon”. M commented that he had some artwork that he was willing to donate to Arukah to support our promotional and fundraising efforts in a bid to bring Arukah into Erlestoke. M was also keen to see if the men in prison could fundraise to bring a formal project into Erlestoke. He knew that that would not be possible but we appreciated his thoughts and enthusiasm.

B said “The both of you was amazing and very helpful. I will be doing the TTT from now on. I do have really bad stress for years, so thanks for your help and listening so much. Do come back again if possible”

G commented “Really appreciate you coming, a very worthwhile and informative session. I have picked up some useful tools to combat my battle with anxiety, stress and depression.”

IPP and Life Sentenced Prisoners - Parole Hearing Project

Working in partnership with New Connections CIC, The Arukah Project is providing an innovative pilot that aims to support people who have received IPP and Life Sentences as they approach their Parole Hearing.

New Connections: provide support and guidance for people in prison in the lead-up to their parole, to help them build a plan for their release, that helps to ensure not only their commitment but also demonstrates this to the parole board. Their work comes in a variety of forms, including a treatment plan, one-on-one in-prison visits, report writing for the parole board, sitting as an expert witness on the parole hearing, and post-release support and guidance. Most of their work is with IPPs or those serving life sentences, and living on a licence. New Connections also offers post-release support including 'meet at the gate', mentoring, phone support, helping clients get to their meetings and helping them to develop their plans for the future.

The Arukah Project: provides 1-2-1 EFT coaching sessions before parole hearings. These sessions are arranged through the legal visit process, allowing for up to 1 hour of face-to-face interaction to maximize client benefit. Depending on the parole hearing date, the client receives between 3 and 4 sessions per week and is encouraged to use somatic tapping techniques as much as possible between sessions. We then provide a report that can be included in the parole hearing paperwork if agreed upon by the client and legal team. We also attend hearings if required.

Case studies coming soon.

Announcement coming soon

facts and figures

ACE in Prison Population

The Prisoner ACE Survey interviewed 468 adults (aged 18-69) in a Welsh prison between February and June 2018. Participants were asked about their exposure to 11 ACEs in childhood, their offending history and recent involvement in violence.

Why should we use EFT in this group?

EFT has an excellent evidence base in managing anxiety, depression and complex trauma.