The Arts of Life - Coaching and Teaching Services

The Artist's Way - to discover and recover your creative self

The course follows Julia Cameron's famous book, "The Artist's Way". Many people wish they had more time for creative practice, or had more creative outlets in their everyday life and work, but ignore their urges. This course helps those who want to paint, draw, write, stitch, play music, cook, act etc. or just want to live more creatively. Past participants have discovered what they really longed to create, what was holding them back, and made changes with the group's support and my gentle yet challenging teaching style.

Block clearance therapy (BCT) - a unique, root cause approach to enabling deep, lasting change

This psychotherapy identifies the root causes of current problems and clients learn self-responsibility and choice. Negative perceptions and behaviour patterns are changed subconsciously, removing blocks which have prevented people from seeing the next step forward. It appeals to those who want to learn about and change their deeply held patterned reactions, especially when they no longer serve them well. This amazing approach to personal change was developed by Tricia Sterry at The Tree of Life Centre www.blockclearance.com

Creative Journaling - for self-discovery and self-expression

Journaling is a reflective practice sometimes used in the caring and other professions, during both difficult and fulfilling times. We have all asked questions like "Just who am I? What do I really want to do?!..", and on this course participants explore such questions in a creative, fun way, using experimental journaling techniques. We work on paper, fabric and objects and play with colour, ideas, words, imagery (found and created). The course offers a calm, creative and encouraging space where individuals develop new ways to notice their world, and their thoughts and feelings about it. Most participants gently bring positive changes into their lives.

Emotional Intelligence - for better relationships with oneself and others

This helps others develop better awareness and understanding of their own and others' behaviour; and learn how to create better relationships with themselves and others. This work, especially when combined with BCT, helps clients gain better knowledge of their emotional patterning, which can help them achieve more of what they want.

Facilitation - helping others decide and plan for what they want

I use facilitation skills to help work teams, couples or other family groups to achieve things they are finding difficult, like exploring areas of difference, or deciding priorities about goals, methods, timing, location etc. Facilitation comes from "facile" meaning "ease", and I ease the progress of others towards their own goals, which may include "what do we do now?!"

Intuitive wisdom - discovering and honouring our deep needs

I help clients to develop and access their intuitive wisdom, a powerful resource we all have, but often neglect. As well as utilising professional, well-researched tools in my work I also draw on my own intuitions which I have learned to listen to and value more since my mid forties. This wisdom may be like a "sixth sense", a gut reaction (the body's aches or tingles etc.), or dreams (asleep and awake) or images on the edge of awareness.

Leadership and Management - of self and others

I lecture at undergraduate and post-graduate level, working with individuals from private and public sectors who want to develop their knowledge, skills and prospects. Much of my work has connections to this well-researched background and I firmly believe that those who wish to lead or manage others need to be skilled at leading and managing themselves first.

Meditation

I am always helping people to learn how to feel more relaxed and centered, and begin many of my classes with a short meditation. I run short courses, "Learn to Meditate and Relax", to introduce people to this key life skill.

Myers-Briggs Personality typing - to understand our preferences

This Jungian-based tool helps individuals discover how they prefer to energise themselves, make decisions and organise their lives. I have helped individuals from 15 - 75 learn the strengths and potential pitfalls of their personality, which helped them make career and personal decisions. The questionnaires and support materials are fully researched and validated.

Positive Psychology - developing positive motivation skills

This humanistic psychology from Martin Seligman helps individuals learn to think, feel and act more positively. It is an evidence-based approach to change which draws on aspects of CBT(Cognitive Behavioural Therapy). I often work with a values and strengths questionnaire which has really helped clients recognise why something keeps happening in their lives and what they can do about it.

Stress Management, Relaxation and Meditation - for balance and well-being

I teach short courses, and also integrate knowledge and practices into other work including the impact of stress and change (physiological, psychological and emotional); fight-flight-freeze concept; relaxation and meditation exercises and lifestyle habits. My academic research into business professionals revealed that, because of their high skills levels, many struggle to recognise when they are reaching their limit, and instead damage health or relationships.

Sustainable Enterprise - for small businesses

I help small-to-medium businesses develop clarity about what they want to do, and how, and identify obstacles or pitfalls (internal or external). I bring practical experience to this from my own consultancy; administering my partner's video and conference production company; corporate management experience; PhD in Management; Young Enterprise adviser and Women into Enterprise tutor. I also focus on a client's "moral compass", on which their reputation is based, because once lost, it is extremely difficult to regain.

Zentangle®

Please see the separate pages for information about Zentangle.