Do you recognise yourself..?
If you are a complementary or holistic therapist, social worker, health care/medical worker, a teacher or even a parent with extra needs children, you may recognise some of the following:
– you are 100% dedicated to your job at the same time as knowing that your attention to yourself falls short
– you worry all the time about whether you are doing a good enough job
– you feel agitated and exhausted most of the time and yet may find it hard to sleep
– you spend a lot of time ‘in your head’ and not in your body
– you have little if any time to relax and wind down
– you struggle to have or take time for your own self-care
– you eat too much, drink too much or have other unhealthy ‘self-soothing’ patterns
– you suffer with unexplained physical aches and pains, and ailments
– you may even be wondering if you can continue in your job
If so, you may well benefit from the opportunity to explore who you are (all parts of you are welcome!) and how you value yourself and your time, and help you find emotional balance and optimism about the future.
What I offer
My approach offers you the time and space for you to :
– relax and slow down, and connect with the restorative and healing nature of the woods as well as the ‘true nature of you’
– share your story – your passions, interests and drive – as well as what you are currently struggling with
– acknowledge and honour your strengths and personal qualities, including those that may have got lost over time
– develop a new relationship with yourself, others and how you relate to the outside world
– find new confidence and trust in yourself and your capacity to look after yourself as well as manage your caring responsibilities
“Lucinda’s calmness and ability to make me look at the person I am has opened my mind to a different way of thinking and pushing my boundaries. I feel I’m a different person and I feel much more optimistic about my life.”
I work in a range of natural locations in and around Uckfield, East Sussex, and mainly in Views Wood. The woods are owned by the Woodland Trust and it is open to the public, but there are plenty of parts of the woods where people rarely go, and which are therefore more secluded and private. The Wood offers a wonderful array of natural environments: native woodland, streams, ponds, bog and meadow and there are lots of creatures, plants, insects, birds, etc for the senses to respond to.
I work all the year through which means that the client and the therapy can benefit from the changing dynamics and resources which offer themselves as part of nature’s annual seasonal cycle.
Clients are asked to wear suitable footwear (there may be muddy areas even in the summer) and clothing. I bring with me a first aid kit and sit mats, and work, as I would indoors, with compassion, confidentiality and care.
Next steps
First of all, let’s have an initial chat: I offer a free 20 minute zoom or phone conversation after which you are likely to have a better sense of whether my approach is right for you. Then, if you’re ready, we can book in your first session which will be by zoom so that we can think together about the practicalities of working outdoors as well as the goals you would like to set for our work together. And then we will venture outdoors for subsequent sessions. We will review the progress of therapy regularly to ensure that you are getting the support you need.
Session Lengths and Charges
I offer 50 and 90 minute regular sessions. Nature is never in a rush and longer sessions will allow you to really slow down and relax, and connect with the environment and your self. Not only will you leave feeling more regulated and able to cope in the short term, but the longer time allows us to spend more time working at the level which will help you to identify and embed new ways of thinking, feeling and being. I charge £65 for 50 minutes or £115 for 90 minutes.
I also offer one-off 2-hour sessions for which I charge £140. These can act as an Emotional MOT during which we will audit your emtional well-being and you will gain insight and strategies to help you reflect on what is and isn’t working for you in your life right now; or you may use these sessions to address a single emotional issue or challenge that you are struggling with and want some direction on. Some clients have used these as one-off sessions and others have used them as an introductory session before working longer term with me.
“After working with Lucinda for just 5 sessions I was able to articulate issues which had been bothering me for a long time and gain some perspective. Her calm approach suited me and her direct manner was just what I needed.”
My credentials
I studied for a postgraduate diploma in Dramatherapy at Roehampton University (2001-5) and a postgraduate diploma in Clinical Supervision at the Link Centre, Sussex (2022). I regularly undertake Continued Professional Development; recent examples include training courses on trauma, attachment, neurodiversity, emobodiment, ecotherapy, group work and gaming disorders. I am a member of the British Association of Dramatherapists (no.: 3005) and am registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (AS08185); I abide by the ethics codes of both organisations.
