We Are
VILLAGE ORCHARD
Jo
Director of Operational Services.
I joined the team here in October 2019 as the Office Manager and quickly became hooked by the work of Village Orchard East and the dire need for such services, I became more and more involved in the day to day running as well as participating in project planning, widening our community and increasing our visibility and in May 2020, much to my absolute joy, I was asked to join this glorious team as a Director.
My focus now lies mainly in providing support to our practitioners, helping create new projects, looking at funding opportunities, nurturing & creating relationships with groups, charities, services and organisations in the area as well as growing my skill set to help serve our not for profit to the best of my ability.
Outside my role as Director, I have a rescue greyhound called Scout, I am Norwich born and bred, my drink of choice is tea and I watch a potentially unhealthy amount of pro-wrestling.
If it sounds like The Village Orchard East could provide the personal support you need, or if you feel like we could combine our efforts to create a working relationship, project or plan, or that we could simply learn from each other, please do get in touch, Community over Competition is an ethos we value highly and we’d love to chat.
Natalie
Co-Founder & Director of Clinical Services.
As Director of Clinical Services, my priority is to offer our communities an exceptional, trauma responsive service from the moment they contact us to the end of their sessions. This includes possible clients, our own practitioners and other professionals.
My journey began at NUA studying Fine Art printmaking which led me to train in my core profession as an art therapist. I am also a qualified EMDR practitioner and clinical supervisor. Throughout my career, I have worked with clients from a range of cultural and social backgrounds who have experienced a variety of issues. I aim to provide a safe, containing space for the client to feel secure and listened to; able to begin their personal journey of change.
My life with Village Orchard East is challenging, thought-provoking, exciting and very rewarding. To be a co-founder and director at The Village Orchard East CIC, and to have the opportunity to work alongside this team, is an enormous privilege. I am lucky to say, loudly, that I love my job.
Ann
Hello, I’m Ann and I was delighted to be invited on board in January 2021. I am offering therapy sessions and Clinical Supervision sessions for Village Orchard clients.
I am an accredited Dramatherapist, Cognitive Behavioural Therapist (CBT) Clinical Supervisor and Level II Reiki Practitioner. I have worked for nearly 20 years as a psychological therapist, originally in Secondary Care NHS services in Essex and for the past 15 years in a Primary Care Service in East London. I also have a private practice.
I am really interested in holistic approaches to mental health and I continue to be inspired by the insight and healing that is available to us through the creative arts.
Sophia
Hi, I am a Dance Movement Psychotherapist (MA and BSc), who graduated from Derby University. I am a registered practitioner with ADMP and DSB checked.
Dance Movement Psychotherapy (DMP) uses movement, as well as other creative tools, talking and reflection etc, to explore the body-mind connection. I find movement often aids expression and communication. Mindful movement can help increase energy, confidence and self-esteem.
DMP is great for anyone who has an interest in creative therapy, who maybe has a dis-connect with their body and/or for clients who would prefer an alternative to talking based therapy.
I have experience working with individuals and groups. With young people and adults, from all walks of life and needs.
Becky
I have been participating in the arts since I was really young and creativity has been a large part of every stage of my life. Particularly when I have been experiencing time of low mental health. So, naturally, when it came to getting a job I wanted to support the sector that had helped me. I work under the name "Supporting Your Art" to provide freelance support for the planning and delivery of arts based projects. The role I take on in a project may include research, planning, delivery of workshops, evaluation and documentation through video/photography. Working in this broad way across the sector allows me to see, in real time the positive impact the creative sector has on communities and individuals.
After years supporting these creative projects, I now want to start my own. To do this I have undertaken a three year course to qualify as a counsellor, which is something I have always wanted to do. That course will inform my future work as a facilitator and creative. I am looking forward to connecting my creativity with counselling and exploring different ways they can be used in tandem. When the opportunity to volunteer with VOE arose I jumped at the chance to gain an insight into this wonderful organisation and the broader sector it exists in as I train.
Sarah
Hi, I’m Sarah and I am a Child & Adolescent Psychotherapeutic Counsellor. I work using an integrative approach, which means that I hold a number of theories in mind when working with children and young people.
I make use of the arts when helping clients to explore their thoughts and feelings. This could mean using play, sand tray, clay, puppets, stories, art – the list could go on! For children and young people, this means of ‘showing’ not ‘telling’ can be especially helpful. My approach is flexible and holistic, meeting the needs of the particular child or young person.
Relationship is at the core of all my work. I believe that relationship has the capacity to alleviate pain and distress and help growth and development. When building a therapeutic relationship, I see each child and young person as the uniquely special person that they are. With time, this process can enable them to make greater sense of their world and experiences, and help them to ‘live well’. It is an enormous privilege to work with children and young people in this way and I am delighted to work at VOE.
Ali
Hello, my name is Ali and I am a Child and Adolescent Psychotherapeutic Counsellor.
At Village Orchard I provide an Integrative approach to working with children and young people. This means I hold a variety of theories in mind and differing ways of working with clients which hopefully will meet the needs of the individual - we are not all the same!
If children or young people are finding aspects of their life difficult, building a trusting therapeutic relationship is the first important step. Finding out about the client in a way that makes them feel seen and heard is vital. Through building this relationship over time any distress or anguish being brought to the sessions can be explored in a safe, trusting space.
This space is often a playful and creative place. Using the arts is a transformative way to enable children and young people to communicate their feelings in a way that can feel less confronting. Therefore I provide art materials, paints, Sand Tray work, puppets, use of stories as well as other creative experiences. The work is easily adapted to the age of the young person and how they would like to work. This work can provide a way for the client to process difficult emotions in an accepting way and help them make sense of their experiences.
The process of the work is reviewed regularly (confidentiality is respected) with the young person’s voice at the heart of the review.
I am delighted to be working with clients at Village Orchard East.
I hold a Postgraduate Diploma in Child and Adolescent Counselling (Psychodynamic and Person-Centred theories were at the centre of this qualification). I also hold ‘Theraplay’ Level 1 and ‘Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy’ (DDP) Level one both of these relational trainings focus on attachment based approaches.
