The Creative Counsellors Big Ripple Project Launches

Our mission is to inspire, empower & connect counsellors by bringing creative therapeutic skills shares to towns and cities across the UK. We have now launched in 10 cities and will launch in another 10 by the end of 2019
Tanja Sharpe – CEO The Creative Counsellors Club

Our community was recognised by Facebook as “one of 115 most inspiring communities in the world”  and we were awarded a fund to kick start our Big Ripple Project. Are you in our Facebook community? If you are a counsellor/therapist click here! In October I was invited to join other community leaders from around the world at Facebook HQ in San Francisco and we spent 5 days getting to know each other and building our leadership toolkit! I met so many amazing people who are making a difference in the world today!

I was so humbled to be invited to apply for a fund which would kick start a project of our choice which is aligned with our aims and our message! We recognise that the current mental health crisis in the UK is not helped by the one size fits all approach for clients. There are many more clients who are unable to express themselves verbally and many more clients being turned away for help or being made to wait months and months for support! We believe that we need a creative and fresh approach to wellbeing services and as an organisation we have been working hard for the last 18 months to start a ripple – to create a wave!

As a creative counselling movement our aims are to INSPIRE, EMPOWER, CONNECT & NURTURE counsellors around the world to confidently integrate creative counselling interventions into their work with clients. We believe that we can empower more clients to express themselves without the need for words and creatively we can offer a safe space to do this with the help of creative interventions like art, play, sand, drama and movement therapies. In line with our aims, today we are launching our CREATIVE COUNSELLORS BIG RIPPLE PROJECT where 11 inspiring hosts (and new team members) will facilitate creative therapeutic skills shares across the UK. We hope to roll this out globally by the end of 2019.

Our aims for these creative therapeutic skills shares are to create a space where counsellors can connect, share and build confidence to integrate creative counselling interventions into mainstream counselling models. We offer a space for counsellors to share and connect in a way that ends counsellor isolation and improves counsellor wellbeing. This means that counsellors can continue to do the amazing work that we do to improve the lives of others!

#thebigrippleproject #creativecounsellors

We have welcomed 10 new members to The Creative Counsellors Club team and are very excited to introduce them to you!

Meet our Big Ripple Project Hosts (our Creative Counselling Movement Change Makers)!

Caroline Peacock – Leeds

I first trained as a Play and Creative Arts Therapist to diploma level with APAC (The Academy of Play and Child Psychotherapy affiliated with Canterbury Christ Church University) using both talking and creative mediums. I then trained as a Clinical Supervisor again with APAC affiliated with Canterbury Christ Church University.  For a short time afterwards I was a associate lecturer for APAC and Leeds Beckett University where I train new Therapeutic Play Practitioners. I have also had training in StoryPlay®, Heart-to-Heart and Life Storywork which influences the body of the work that I undertake now within residential homes, secondary schools and attachment work between parent / carers and their children / young adults.

Jane Manners – Milton Keynes

I qualified in 2015, completing the Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling, followed closely by Person Centred Art Skills Certificate. I am currently working towards completing Life Story Work training and am looking to qualify as a Creative Supervisor later on this year. I have worked for both Road Victims Trust and Mind, before moving on to facilitate with a Colleague, Creative Workshops for Counsellors. I am currently working in Private Practice and have been for the last 3 years. My favourite creative counselling tool is working with images. I find them so empowering and so many stories can arise.

Juulia Karlstedt – Edinburgh

My practice employs a pluralistic approach to therapy. This way of working emphasises the importance of valuing client strengths, ideas and knowledge in the therapeutic process. Pluralistic practice also takes the stance that therapy is rarely one size fits all. Thus, in therapy I aim to work collaboratively with my clients to find an approach that makes sense to them personally and that they find helpful. I have experience working with narrative therapy, gestalt therapy, person-centred therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, and transnational analysis. I also often use creative techniques in my work where these are appropriate and appealing to my client. I am a BACP registered counsellor working with clients in Edinburgh. www.bluebirdcounselling.com

Claire Short – London

I am a Humanistic integrative counsellor and originally trained as a psychologist in 2008. I then went on to train as counsellor qualifying in 2012. During my training, I completed a placement in a rape crisis organisation and through my dedication went on to become the director for the charity with a focus on developing the charity goals, overseeing the volunteers and training as well as general organisational and strategic duties. I decided to make a change and went solely into private practice in 2015. I have a specialist interest in sexual violence, anxiety and gender/sexuality issues. My favourite go to counselling tool is working with a Sand tray and Russian dolls. www.facebook.com/Lakesidetherapyorg

Eilish Craig – Belfast

My name is Eilish Craig, I am based in Antrim & Belfast.  I’m a fully qualified Integrative counsellor, and a member of the National Counselling Society holding Accredited registrant status.  Working Integratively means I use a variety of approaches.  I have experience in working with clients experiencing depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, self harm, identity issues, trauma, homelessness, asd/aspergers, bereavement, diagnosis, and those bereaved by suicide.  I am trauma informed and have an interest in this area and plan to develop my skills and knowledge further around this topic. I like to use a variety of creative means in my approach to therapy and invite my clients to explore their creative side during our time together. I am a facilitator of a suicide prevention programme and deliver workshops to a variety of community groups, public and private sector.  I am a Reiki practitioner holding level 1 & 2 certificates.  I hope to further develop this aspect of my work as it compliments the therapeutic work so well. www.facebook.com/mhmattersni1

Claire Thompson – Belfast

I am based in Belfast and Newtownabbey. I work in an integrative way, which means I use theories and concepts from different therapeutic models. I believe that as human beings we are diverse and using a variety of strategies may be useful for individuals to achieve their desired outcome. I work creatively using art as part of my integration. At the moment I am completing an MSc in Art Psychotherapy and am working therapeutically using art with Primary School children. I work with children and adults with long term and short term goals. As an adult with ASD I understand how alternatives to communication such as art may be of benefit to those struggling to find the right words. www.clairejthompson.wixsite.com/creativetherapies-1

Dee Richards – Chester (also a member of CCC Team Leadership)

I’m a qualified CBT Therapist and Creative Counsellor, and I am passionate about working creatively with clients. I work with my clients exploring how their negative automatic thoughts and faulty thinking can have an impact on their day-to-day life; working collaboratively with my clients in ways that try to resolve their individual issues. I particularly enjoy working with issues surrounding anxiety and stress and with clients who have low self-esteem and low self-confidence. I’m a Therapist at RASA Merseyside and I also run my own workshops (Mandala Therapy with Dee) which are calming, relaxing and therapeutic. This allows for the opportunity to explore and build coping strategies for many mental health issues including: Anxiety, Self-Injury, Grief, Stress, Anger & Addictions. I am also the Lead for our Creative Interventions Team at The Creative Counsellors Club. www.facebook.com/mandalatherapywithdee

Gaynor Rimmer – Southport (also a member of CCC Team Leadership)

I completed my diploma in person centred counselling with ABC, then qualified with a level 5 Cognitive behaviour therapy with CPCAB. I am a qualified practitioner in the natural healing of Reiki and run a private therapeutic counselling practice in Southport, Merseyside. Start of The Beginning counselling, where I offer one to one, and couples counselling. I am an assessment officer and sessional counsellor at a Rape Crisis organisation where I work with survivors of rape and sexual violence. I am trained in the Rewind technique and hold a qualification in Understanding Individuals with Autism, which has been a huge benefit as I have an autistic son. I am a great believer in intuition, and love working creatively to empower clients. I have a passion for working with crystals and I love being inspired by the journey we all take to grow. I am part of the Creative Counsellors Club team and am the new Lead for our Membership Content as well as working on the events team. www.facebook.com/Startofthebeginning and www.startofthebeginning.co.uk

Sarah Watson – Birmingham

I am a person-centred counsellor and qualified over 6 years ago.  I worked as a schools counsellor before volunteering in a hospice counselling service.  I currently volunteer and work with the Dove Service (www.thedoveservice.org.uk), primarily as an EAP counsellor and on NHS contracts for loss and bereavement in Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire. More recently I have taken the role of administrator for the trust board of Fountains Counselling Service (www.fountainscounselling.org.uk). I specialise in working with loss and bereavement as well as spirituality work.  I work a lot at relational depth and use creative techniques wherever possible. I have presented papers at Keele University Counselling Conference about spirituality and bereavement.  In addition I deliver workshops in the community as part of All The Small Things (allthesmallthingscic.wordpress.com) , focusing on loneliness and community engagement. My favourite creative counselling tools include anything Inner Child related and visualisation / guided imagery tools. www.facebook.com/sarahwatsoncounsellor