About your Therapist Lucy
My Background
I am Lucy, a Senior Accredited Psychotherapist with the BACP and also a qualified practitioner with SIRPA (Stress Illness Recovery Practitioners Association). I have been working as a psychotherapist for 21 years and have found the route in to chronic pain and conditions enriching to my work as I have personal experience of the route through and journey out of chronic pain.
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I've Lived Your Life
I experienced failed back surgery numerous times after a career as a professional sports person and discovered a journey out of my pain (and realised most of the surgery was probably unnecessary) with psychological inputs and education around why chronic pain evolves and persists. This eureka moment for me when I realised I could be in control of my pain led me to want to help others and develop my practice in this direction, thus leading to this retreat.
Why What I do Works
I work by getting a detailed history of the client with all medical tests and results taken in to consideration before commencing work. Together we highlight past traumas in your life and also personality traits and family history that could lead to chronic stress build up in the body, which in turn manifests as your chronic condition.
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A variety of techniques are used (physical, emotional, mental and spiritual) in order to take the power out of these elements leading to your chronic stress build up in your system. Psychoeducation is also used to enable understanding of why techniques will work and why practice and repetition is important – this is a lifetime journey not just a week!
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What Makes Me Me....
I have other interests in sea swimming (in the English Channel!) all year round, Tai Chi, Yoga, Meditation, Theatre visits, and walking my daschund by the sea early in the morning to start my day.
About your Therapist Melanie
My Background
Having followed a traditional training path of Ashtanga Yoga with Yoga Therapy, Pranayama, Thai Yoga Massage and Energy Medicine, my approach uses the core principles to support creative, active decision makers along their self-healing journey. So far it has been an exploration of 24 years from practitioner to Founder of Clarity Yoga Shala to creator of a range of supporting programmes delivered to Residential Homes, People recuperating from addiction and adverse illnesses, training and mentoring.
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Who I Support ...
Most of my clients approach me to break free from the probability of inheriting ancestral/hereditary illnesses. Others may realise that the trauma experienced from the body stems from acute conflict between the environment they are in and internal ethics & values. And others maybe transitioning a critical life change in either their professional or domestic life and looking for a way to maintain their integrity, stamina and perspective. It can be really heart breaking to hear some stories.
Yoga Therapy
Pranayama
Thai Massage
Spirituality
Why What I do Works
My core of approach is following the 5 element theory from nature and used in Ayurveda - the first science of health which draws on exploring how the elements of nature interact with each other. Thai Massage presents the energetic map and the flow of prana or chi or life force through the body; Yoga Movement helps to keep the energy channels (or meridians free flowing); Everything is linked through conscious breathing - or Pranayama (to extend the life force energy).
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With this approach a unique map is created with each person to bring congruency between their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.​ The general result is most people feel stronger, clearer, lighter as they learn to navigate through draining life challenges, often finding confidence in their own personal truth.
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What Makes Me Me...
Being creative - in all its forms. Love fashion - having featured in the V & A. Love a good comedy. Appreciate travel experiences