It was so exciting, rewarding and humbling to have been invited to run therapy/wellbeing sessions for the Free Summer school holiday activities for The West Somerset Academies Trust. I was absolutely over the moon !!
It was so delightful, joyous and fulfilling to share so many self help “superpower” tools and techniques along with some science and tonnes of fun with all the children,aged 9-13,many of whom had different abilities, SEN, challenges or whose families are below the breadline. Some children were there because their parents/carers had to work.
Everyone got involved, including staff, which was just so lovely and heartwarming . I left lots of Positive Growth Mindset activities and resources behind too for teachers to use in I.E and detentions as a positive way to manage anger, emotions and emotional/social intelligence in addition to some of the self regulation tools we shared during the live sessions.
It is a dream come true for me to see my work spreading to just so many schools now, helping both students and teachers alike. I really hope the children enjoyed it all as much as I did ( they were quite impressed with my headstands !) and that they’ll take what they shared with me back to school in September to build a more inclusive, motivated ,calmer and more emotionally intelligent classroom environment.
It was heart lifting to help both students and teachers alike and to see the bonds grow.
Lots of laughter had by all … pure serotonin !
It’s what I work so hard and so tirelessly for. So happy !!
This whole week has been like walking through a dream. Nothing feels real …
Please, please don’t think I am boasting or showing off in any way because that’s not who I am . I’m just all about family and the beautiful, awesome kids and young adults I devote my life to.
For the first time in my entire adult life I feel seen and I’ve just cried bucket loads …it is such a strange and unbelievably gorgeous feeling.
I see so , SO much in others and do this work with all my heart and soul, just wanting to make a difference for children who have such difficulty in being seen, heard, having a value or belonging .
I’VE BEEN SHORTLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL DIVERSITY AWARDS 2021 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to all of you who voted for me and believe in that I do.
Thank you to all of you who have been milestones on my journey and to those of you who walked beside me when I jumped off that cliff with nothing but faith , terror , desperation, a bit of tenacity and £50 in my pocket.
My heart could burst with gratitude !
Thank you ALWAYS to Tess Eagle Swan for so kindly nominating me in the first place. Her own work with her incredible therapy dog, Kratu, is phenomenal , as is her amazing journey.
By nominating me, Tess has changed my life. My soul feels like it has somehow shifted. I have been invisible for over two decades and she has changed that : I feel a little bit worthy – and worthwhile – for the first time.
Out of over 50,000 nominees ….how ?!?
I had to call the National Diversity Awards because I was so worried there had been a mistake and I didn’t want to post anything until I was absolutely sure.
All I hope is that this gives me a greater platform from which to fight for all these children.
I feel like a Mum to millions !!!
After my long, long and extraordinary journey, this feels beyond belief …
Click on the link below to see the shortlist, read about some truly inspirational people and to book tickets for the event which will be held at the Anglican Cathedral, Liverpool on 4th February 2022.
What an honour to be asked by Ebony Jewel ,who is currently in her third year at Aberystwyth University in Wales , if she could do her work experience with me. Ebony is reading Psychology and is in the process of writing her final dissertation. I have shared work experience with lots of students from various schools but this is my first university student. And the first time I have shared with a work experience student during a pandemic!
But in my determined world there is ALWAYS a way !
Even though we are still transitioning through Covid and many of my sessions are private , Ebony is still able to attend my outdoor Rainbow Kids group sessions and all of my online workshops for free.
She is so alive and passionate and nerdy like me about all the incredible neuroscience that goes on behind my therapies that she is just a joy to share with. I was really chuffed too that she has learned information from me that she has not explored or been taught , so it is all adding to what she can bring to an extremely bright future .
I’m so taken by her crazy passion which completely mirrors my own that I am also training her up in all my therapies for free because it will really add to her understanding, knowledge and experience.
I just adore sharing with young people, seeing them find their songs and their gifts and doing everything I POSSIBLY can to help them grow to their fullest potential and SHINE like the stars they are !!
What an absolutely gorgeous and phenomenal surprise to wake up this morning to the incredible and overwhelming news that I had been nominated for a Positive Role Model award at the extremely prestigious National Diversity Awards !! I don’t think I’ll ever sleep again I’m so excited !! Wow Wow Wow ….I never dreamed that anything like this could ever happen to someone like me !
Some truly inspiring and motivational people have been nominated for various awards. It’s a very humbling and amazing read. Even if I do not win, I am just so honoured to have had my name alongside theirs. Every nominee is a winner to me . What remarkable journeys and people ! I want to vote for them all !
I cannot believe that my work, message and journey have been given such value and such recognition.
I am utterly blown away and just so full of gratitude.
For so many years 18 or 19 hour days have become the norm , so much of it unpaid, as I continually campaign and fight for all the hundreds and thousands of young people just like my own autistic son. His journey birthed this work and my destiny as I grew to realise that so,so many children were suffering and being surrounded by a total poverty of expectation, just as he was. I would go to the ends of the Earth ( and have done at times!) for them and I will do this work until the end of my life . These incredible voices need to be heard. These neurodiverse children have so much to teach us and so much to contribute to our changing world.
If you think that what I do is of value and you would like to vote for me, I would be endlessly thankful ! Let’s hear it for the kids !!! And if I win then I will have a bigger platform fro which to get these hugely valid and important voices heard. Neurodiverse children become neurodiverse adults .. and they have SO MUCH potential !
So please vote for me and spread the word.
Thank you !!
Please click on the link below to vote in this year’s National Diversity Awards 2021
It came as a bolt from the blue when on Monday (29th March – incredibly the first day of Autism Awareness Week too ! ) when Anna Kennedy OBE invited me to be the Well-Being Ambassador for her charity Anna Kennedy Online.
It is very difficult for me to cry for myself as I have had to be so strong for so long on my journey – but I cried …absolute floods of tears !!
I am just so humbled, so full of gratitude and joy, and just thrilled and blown away to now be a part of this welcoming, fantastic, driven, positive, motivational family. I am welling up all over again just writing this…
Needless to say I will be giving this valuable role everything I’ve got and more !
I’m actually a little bit proud of myself which is a strange but lovely feeling.
An absolutely ENORMOUS,warm and heartfelt thank you to everyone who supported my charity fundraiser this year. This charity has a very deep place in my heart. Together, we raised just shy of £1,900 , with some of my friends and contacts from abroad and LinkedIn sending money direct to the charity !!!
When my older boys lost their oldest childhood friend last October,Will’s family raised money for YoungMinds as it really is a lifeline to those suffering with mental health.
I promised at that sad and traumatic time that I would do more and be more in Will’s memory, through my work with young people, so this has made my year!!
I could actually spontaneously combust with the news that a dream come true for me is about to happen ! With the invaluable help and technical knowledge of my co-editor in chief ( !!! ) Millie Cooper, Rainbow Kids Touch Therapy Online Magazine is going to be launched Spring 2021!!!! I have a special birthday during this time and to mark this milestone, this is my gift, in some small way ,to the global community we have all become during these scary and challenging times.
It will be a banging first issue too !! We will be leaping into Spring with an interview with Anna Kennedy OBE , articles by Mary Atkinson, founder of StoryMassage, Jyoti Jo Manuel, founder of Special Yoga, the story of Kratu the famous therapy dog and how he met his “muvver”, the inspirational and extraordinary Tess, along with articles about Kratu’s work with autism and mental health.
There are real life motivational stories and journeys too of young people who were totally written off and yet have gone on to bust all the myths and achieve the most tremendous things.
In this issue we hear about a young man named Michael who is profoundly deaf , his heartbreaking but triumphant story, and who has gone on to read a degree, live abroad and will begin work later this year for a top investment bank !!
Sadly even at university level his parents were fighting a system that falls far short of being educated or inclusive of those with neurodiversities.
But triumph has overcome everything …I love it !!
We need real and achievable hope, advice and light in the face of the constant stream of negativity from the Press and all over social media.
Not that we are glossing over anything by any means.
Mental health especially amongst our young people has hit global crisis levels and the suicide rate continues to soar. So in this magazine there is lots of advice, neuroscientifically backed and proven therapies, techniques and tools whether you are self isolating alone or within a bubble, whether you are disabled, differently-abled, neurodiverse or neurotypical, in a wheelchair or a hospital.
IT IS INCLUSIVE OF EVERYONE regardless of budget or situation.
It is for individuals of all ages , families , therapists , teachers and other professionals .
It is for the unemployed, those on furlough and those still working, especially if they are in the “front line’ as key workers.
There is something for everyone and every need.
There are even ready to go yoga stories, story massage stories, positive growth mindset games and exploring feelings games which are very bonding and often very funny.
The touch therapies I myself have included can be self administered or shared in your “bubbles” …. Touch boosts immunity !! We need it more than ever.
We ARE in this together and I hope with all my heart that there will be something for everyone within these pages of a very special , unique and much needed magazine . It will come out quarterly for just £2.99 so it is affordable to everyone but covers my magazine platform costs.
My strong,determined,gifted son has defied all the odds set against him during our often utterly heartbreaking and exhausting journey together where everything that most families can take for granted was a fight and we were told he would “never achieve ‘ simply because he has autism … and today found out the INCREDIBLE news that he has passed his Masters in Creative Writing with flying colours !!!
He is now more qualified than the eight teachers who told me that Ollie would “get two GCSE’s at the very most” and I have lost my tonsils somewhere across the other side of the Bristol Channel from my absolute scream of joy and pride !!!!!!
I am crying as I write this.
Oh this is exactly why I do all I do ….my battle for my son has blessed me with the learning,experience and fight to believe in and grow so,so many others . Many of my long hours are often unpaid but today I feel like the richest woman in the world .
What lovely news !! I heard today that I have been selected, along with 23 other award winning story massage instructors, that I am being featured in their advent calendar …. door number 10 !!!! How joyful ! Congratulations to everyone else who has also been featured and I wish Story Massage every success with their sales .
Happy, healthy Festive Season everyone and warmest wishes to all of you . Thank you for all your ongoing support this year!
Managing Chronic Pain with Natural Remedies and Healthy Habits – A Blog by Jackie Waters
It can be really scary to receive a diagnosis of a chronic condition that causes pain such as osteoarthritis, multiple sclerosis, or fibromyalgia. Will you be in pain forever? What will treatment look like? Can you still enjoy your life? It’s easy to get overwhelmed by questions and concerns related to your diagnosis.
Fortunately, you have plenty of options. From making healthy lifestyle changes to seeking natural treatments from a complementary therapist like Giuliana Wheater, there are several things you can do to ease your symptoms and live a fulfilling life. Here’s a guide full of valuable resources to help make your life easier!
Lifestyle Habits to Calm Inflammation
Healthy habits like eating clean, exercising, and sleeping well can lower inflammation in the body and help relieve symptoms of pain.
Adopt an anti-inflammatory diet focused on fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and lean protein.
From soups and stews to breakfast for dinner, you can make a wide variety of healthy dishes with basic pantry staples.
Staying active will keep your muscles strong and flexible to reduce pain and improve your overall health.
Gentle stretching can also relieve pain, especially when it comes to back pain.
Finally, try to cut out unhealthy habits that may be making your pain worse.
Relieving Stress at Home
Stress is known to intensify sensations of pain in the body. To find relief from your pain, try stress-relieving techniques to relax your muscles.
Clear negative energy from your home by cleaning, decluttering, and smudging.
Learn some calming, deep breathing exercises to relieve stress and anxiety in just a few minutes.
A soak in a hot bath can also help relax your muscles, reduce blood pressure, and relieve stress.
Prioritize Sleep
It can be tough to sleep with chronic pain, but sleeplessness can also worsen your symptoms. Find ways to improve your sleep quality naturally.
Make your bedroom more calming by decluttering, sticking to minimal décor, and leaving your work at the door.
Buying a new mattress could make a huge difference in your quality of sleep while also relieving morning stiffness.
Try Complementary Treatments
While traditional medicine may play an important role in your pain management routine, complementary medicine can also serve as a powerful coping tool.
Massage therapy is a very common and effective treatment for many different types of chronic pain.
While it may not work as a long-term solution, acupuncture can also help lessen your pain for a few weeks or months.
At home, try a few yoga poses that are known to alleviate pain in the back and joints.
If you have trouble ruminating on your pain, try mindfulness meditation to foster non-judgmental acceptance.
Don’t let chronic pain control your life. There are numerous things you can do to manage your symptoms and improve your quality of life. If you’re struggling with chronic pain, consider signing up for a yoga, massage, or mindfulness meditation session with Giuliana Wheater! To learn more or book a complementary therapy session, call 07791 977786 or email info@therapiesforspecialneeds.co.uk.
It was so exciting, rewarding and humbling to have been invited to run therapy/wellbeing sessions for the Free Summer school holiday activities for The West Somerset Academies Trust. I was absolutely over the moon !!
What an absolutely gorgeous and phenomenal surprise to wake up this morning to the incredible and overwhelming news that I had been nominated for a Positive Role Model award at the extremely prestigious National Diversity Awards !! I don’t think I’ll ever sleep again I’m so excited !! Wow Wow Wow ….I never dreamed that anything like this could ever happen to someone like me !
It came as a bolt from the blue when on Monday (29th March – incredibly the first day of Autism Awareness Week too ! ) when Anna Kennedy OBE invited me to be the Well-Being Ambassador for her charity Anna Kennedy Online.
Needless to say I will be giving this valuable role everything I’ve got and more !
I could actually spontaneously combust with the news that a dream come true for me is about to happen ! With the invaluable help and technical knowledge of my co-editor in chief ( !!! ) Millie Cooper, Rainbow Kids Touch Therapy Online Magazine is going to be launched Spring 2021!!!! I have a special birthday during this time and to mark this milestone, this is my gift, in some small way ,to the global community we have all become during these scary and challenging times.
