Lothlorien is a therapeutic community on the Scottish borders that consists of 8 residents with mental health problems, 3 staff members and two volunteers also live at Lothlorien. There are also non-residential members of staff who come in during the day or work remotely.

The community has 17 acres of land, including vegetable gardens, woodland and pasture land.

Kasia says:

At Lothlorien, we have a strong belief in everyone’s potential for wellbeing, even in the midst of pain and distress. We believe that people need not be imprisoned by their past. We avoid diagnosing or labelling, and attempt to break down the distinction which frequently exists between those seen as ‘well’ and those seen as ‘unwell.’

As a therapeutic community, we aim to help people to develop their strengths and work towards recovery through the shared experience of community life. All the members of the community play their part in creating a mutually supportive atmosphere and the experience of being part of a therapeutic community allows everyone involved to learn about themselves and how they relate to others.