Counselling

Counselling falls under the umbrella term ‘talking therapies’ and allows people to discuss their problems and any difficult feelings they encounter in a safe, confidential environment. The term can mean different things to different people, but in general it is a process people seek when they want to change something in their lives or simply explore their thoughts and feelings in more depth.
​
A counsellor is not there to sit you down and tell you what to do - instead they will encourage you to talk about what's bothering you in order to uncover any root causes and identify your specific ways of thinking. The counsellor may then look to create a plan of action to either help you reconcile your issues or help you to find ways of coping.

Mary

After retiring from the NHS as a midwife.  I decided to change career and find another way of helping people.  I am a qualified CBT counsellor as well as a Person Centred and I can facilitate in helping you manage problems by enabling you to recognise how your thoughts can affect your feelings and behaviour, offering an effective approach to emotional distress and issues.  I specialise in Bereavement and Loss counselling as well as anxiety and depression.  I work to the ethics of the BACP.  Confidentiality assured

---

James

I am a counselor who specialises in Person Centered Therapy. I’m passionate about mental health and value the work that is done at CLC.

---

Mary G

Counsellor at Creative Living Centre, working to improve members mental health. 

---

Music Therapy

What is Music Therapy?
Music therapy is the use of music to help people whose lives are affected by illness. It is delivered by a registered music therapist who has been specifically trained to use music flexibly so that people of all abilities can access the benefits of music.
What happens in a music therapy session?
Everyone is different, so every music therapy session will be unique. The music therapist will invite you to join in with some music, listen to music, write a song or have a go on some instruments. You can leave a music therapy session at any time. Some music therapy sessions can be 1:1 (with other members of staff present) or groups of varying sizes. 

Sarah

Sarah Denman is a Nordoff Robbins music therapist based in Manchester.  She works for Nordoff Robbins 4 days a week (Tuesday-Friday), offering music in 3 SEN schools and an NHS mental health unit within a hospital. Originally she is from Worthing (near Brighton) and studied classical piano at the RNCM before doing the NR masters course, which Sarah completed in the summer of 2015. She continues to be inspired by music and how it can help people enjoy life even at the most difficult of times. 

---

Massage Therapy

Massage activates our sympathetic nervous system which reduces our anxiety and improves our mood. It also Activates our neurotransmitters which decreases anxiety and lowers stress hormone levels. Working to Lower our heart rates and reduces our blood pressure, it has a lot of benefits. 
Massage therapy can Increase quality of life, freeing up mental and physiological resources to fight of disease.
It also relaxes our muscles.

Rebecca

"Hi, my name is Becca and I'm a massage therapist here at CLC. I qualified with a professional diploma in Complementary Therapies in 2015, and using these therapies to help improve people's quality of life is not only my job, but also my passion.

I'm particularly interested in using complementary therapies to assist with anxiety and depression, and to help manage chronic pain and symptoms of various medical conditions. I love the community spirit and fantastic range of activities here at CLC, and it's my pleasure to be part of such a great team."

Art Therapy

Art has long been known to have therapeutic properties, engaging in creative activities alongside an art therapist can increase well-being, and improve emotional expression. Art making uses our pre-verbal skills, so it allows us to speak through our artwork when words are sometimes not enough, or hard to find. Art therapy can help people with a wide range of physical and mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, stress, chronic pain, autism and loss.
​
Through exploration in art therapy we can gain a better understanding of our emotions and feelings, the impact they have on our well-being and how past events can affect our ability to cope in the present. You do not have to be good at art to engage with art therapy, in the sessions we use the art materials to explore our feelings and emotions and therefore it is not always about the finished image or object but the process of making art and expression.

​Likewise, there are no good or bad images in art therapy so you can be free to creatively express yourself without judgement from the therapist, or others if in a group. The artwork created and the issues shared in the art therapy sessions, 1:1 or group, are confidential which allows people to explore with any of the art materials, or emotional content they wish, in a safe and supportive environment.

Anne-Marie

My name is Anne Marie, I am a qualified Art Therapist, registered to practise with the HCPC (the Health & Care Professions Council), and a full member of the British Association of Art Therapists. I lead a weekly art therapy group at the Creative Living Centre, and also offer individual 1:1 art therapy sessions. If you think art therapy may be beneficial to you please ask at reception for more details.

Yoga Therapy

People commonly come to yoga therapy seeking relief from chronic pain, recurring injuries, anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions. Yoga Therapy helps people sleep better, eat better and feel better.
Yoga therapy starts by understanding the person who is coming for treatment including their physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health and goals.

A ‘yoga prescription’ may include personalised relaxation, movement, yoga postures, breathing techniques, meditation, visualisation, awareness or lifestyle adjustments. The aim of yoga therapy is to choose the yoga practices which will bring about the desired change with the least resistance in the shortest amount of time.
There is a strong focus on self-practice. You will be supported and equipped to continue with the agreed practices at home.

Susi

"Over the last 15 years yoga has enabled me to recover from developmental trauma and to heal myself of chronic pain, migraines and mental health difficulties including depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, agoraphobia and addiction. I now have a regular yoga practice which feels nourishing, balanced and honest.

​Having experienced the therapeutic power of yoga, I became fascinated by yoga psychology, neurology, body work and the body mind connection. I teach slow, mindful yoga with an emphasis on guiding people to become physically attuned to their own body, alignment, breath and experience. Yoga therapy allows me to tailor yoga to individuals to optimize health and wellness."