Esther Cafés have become a small but powerful part of how we learn, listen, and grow as a team. They provide a welcoming space for the people who use our service, their families, and our staff, to come together as equals and speak openly about their experiences.
What makes these cafés so special is the honesty people bring to them. We hear first-hand what it feels like to use our service - from how our support lands at the start of someone's journey to the moment they feel seen and understood. People share their stories in ways which work best for them, whether that’s in person, on paper, in video, or even through brief conversation. It’s part of what makes the cafes unique and why they work.
One of the people who has attended an Esther Cafe shared: “I found the cafe entirely supportive, and besides my normal anxiety and nerves, it was a very inviting and comfortable environment. I felt like I could really express my experience without judgment, and I was given patience when I needed to compose myself. The staff attending were truly interested in my journey, including what worked and what didn’t, and how things could have been improved. They took the time to listen to my concerns and ideas with attentiveness.
Making notes as I spoke helped me to feel I was being taken seriously, and having my focus care team and employment specialist with me was invaluable. The option of variable inputs was reassuring and meant I could choose what would work for me and provide the best account.
I also got great satisfaction knowing that sharing my journey, although it could not change it, could help to form a better service to help others. I really liked that I was asked questions with my permission at the end. This really did show that I had been heard, and what I had shared was of interest to the staff attending. It also made me think on the spot which boosted my confidence in my abilities.”
The cafés also invite more difficult conversations. At times, we hear we could have done things differently. Perhaps through providing clearer information or rethinking a process that makes sense to us as a team but not to those who use our services. These moments aren’t always comfortable, but they’re essential. They help us to reflect and improve for the future.
Through these conversations, a genuine culture of shared learning has emerged. Hearing people speak in their own words brings a sense of connection and purpose that can get lost in the day‑to‑day pressures of our work. Each story sparks a new perspective, reconnects us with the heart of our service, and reminds us why we do what we do.
Some of the changes shaped by the cafés have been simple, such as introducing a more discreet way for people to ask for the toilet key. Others have been more collaborative and creative, like the production of a welcoming and 'less clinical' front door sign, designed by one of our Esthers.
These pieces of feedback continue to form who we are as a team and how we support our community. The Esther Cafés remind us that meaningful change often begins with listening, and that every story shared is a chance to see our service from the outside in.
By Sophie Gouldthorpe and Kerry Abell, Community Mental Health Team, Southampton East
