ABOUT

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About me

I am a grandmother and mother of five children.

My first introduction to craniosacral therapy was when it was recommended to me in 1985.
My son was at kindergarten, he was finding it hard to integrate with the other children, he was withdrawn, and the teacher noticed he sucked his thumb very deeply. It was suggested that I take him to see a craniosacral therapist as this could be a sign of trying to relieve pressure in the back of his head. We had to drive 25 miles and pay the price, which his father was dubious about until that very night when he was having his bedtime stories he said "daddy my head doesn't hurt any more". We didn't know his head had hurt, he was four years old.
The craniosacral therapist worked with  compressions in his head, left over from birth. My son went on to struggle with dyslexia. As by then l lived in Wales, I drove the 100mile round trip to see a craniosacral therapist, it was well worth it as it helped him immensely with his coordination, and ease in his body, and confidence in himself.

In the early 90s I trained as a counsellor and then a healer with the local healing group.

As my children started to grow up and I had more time, craniosacral therapy started to become the obvious career choice. I started my training in Wales with, Anakant and the institute of craniosacral studies, and then continued my craniosacral training at the Karuna institute with Franklyn Sills, graduating in 2001. Whilst studying with Franklyn, I became particularly interested in the impact of birth and pre birth on the human being.
Having my own "compressive" issues truly seen and met, was a highlight of the course and my own personal development, bringing a deeper sense of compassion in me for myself and others and the conditions of being human. I recognised more deeply what I had instinctively known, that our gestation and our birth shape us in certain ways.

Whilst this is a normal part of life, it can be greatly eased and supported if met with the speciality knowledge of a craniosacral therapist, who is able to feel the intricacies of where compression is stuck, where the nuances of this particular early life has impacted on the little being. When this is met with skill and deep understanding, it opens up deeper ease ,and creates the possibility for the baby/child/adult to realise its potential.

After graduating I pursued this passion, taking a number of advanced craniosacral therapy trainings for babies and children, working with Claire Dolby, Graham Kennedy and Satya Sheperd. I also studied Embryology with Katherine Ukleja, and later went on to do a three year baby therapy training with Karlton Terry.
I also continued to study the intricacies of my own birth and conception story ,with Matthew Appleton and Jenny Meyer, as a way of personal development and embodying the understanding and knowledge I have of the early psychological and cellular imprinting we receive as babies.

After being present at my granddaughters births, I decided to train as a doula (birth/transitional supporter/ assistant).Having  now been present for a number of different kinds of births,I felt the importance of good and constant emotional and physical support for the woman, baby and family.

I had the experience that whether the birth was a peaceful water birth, hospital, Caesarian, emergency complicated birth, that the presence of someone calm, who is rooting for the best for you as a family, is of immeasurable importance. There is a lot of energy in labour, and a lot of outer influences, it is important that "mum"and "dad" feel safe, confident, peaceful, and able to be as present as possible with this vital transition of the birth of their child. I feel passionate about protecting and supporting this process in whatever the environment happens to be. All my babies were born in hospital because of a medical condition I had ,but having a doula at my fifth birth made so much difference to my feeling of safety, being supported, enabling me to relax,and feel empowered,  helping the birth go the way I wanted.

My other interests in life are being in nature as much as possible, walking my dog and growing vegetables on my allotment. I like singing, dancing, being around my family. I've spent many years exploring with women a more feminine based spirituality, i.e. embodied experiences of our cyclical nature as woman, the creative power of our wombs and our ability to rest deeply within a feeling experience and the transformative power of pain and pleasure. I learnt to "shakti dance",a way of awakening our dormant feminine energy through movement.
Ritual and ceremony has always been an important part of my life.I have been blessed to have  spent many occasions at an ashram in India in the mountains.I also have a passion to gather women in circles,for us to remember how natural this actually is for us ,and the power and healing that takes place in a simple and profound way.I am currently part of two women's circles,and they are an immense support in my life.

I love being a grandmother,and their innocence and unique beauty remind me again and again ,how children are our teachers,and our future and they need to be nurtured with love.I love giving craniosacral to children and babies,they are so receptive and open.