Director of Operational Services.

I joined the team at Village Orchard East CIC in October 2019 as the Office Manager and immediately saw the value of the services being offered here, I became more and more involved in the day to day running and planning and in May 2020, I moved into the role of Director.

My focus now mainly lies in providing support to our wonderful team of practitioners, students & volunteers, helping create & support new projects, securing funding opportunities, nurturing & creating relationships with groups, charities, services & organisations in the area, as well as growing my skill set to help serve our not-for-profit to the best of my ability.

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.

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 clients, our own practitioners and other professionals.

My core profession is art therapy and I am also an EMDR practitioner and clinical supervisor. Art Therapy 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.

Administrator.

I have worked broadly across the creative sector for many years, supporting and documenting projects. When I wanted to start my own projects that aimed to increase wellbeing through creativity, I decided to qualify as a counsellor, to inform my future work as a facilitator and creative. This is when the opportunity to volunteer with VOE arose, so I jumped at the chance to gain an insight into this wonderful organisation and the broader sector it exists in as I trained. I have since become a part of the team, and I couldn’t be happier! I support the administration and the social media/website. It’s so exciting & rewarding to have a role that combines all of my skills to contribute to meaningful work.

In my other work, I am still a creative facilitator, developing workshops, events, and experiences that delve into writing, photography, and expression, promoting mindful observation and slow creativity.

Dance Movement Psychotherapist (MA and BSc).

I 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. 

I graduated in 2019 and this year I’m looking forward to going back into education and training as a supervisor, to be able to support other professionals in the caring industry.

Child & Adolescent Psychotherapeutic Counsellor.

I am a UKCP Accredited Child & Adolescent Psychotherapeutic Counsellor. I use an integrative approach, meaning I hold a number of theories in mind when working with children and young people.

I use creative approaches to help clients explore their thoughts and feelings – perhaps through using play or sand tray, stories or art-making. For children and young people, this means of ‘showing’ not ‘telling’ can be especially helpful.

Relationship is at the core of my work. I believe that relationship has the capacity to alleviate pain and distress and help growth and development. Within the therapeutic relationship, I see each child and young person as the uniquely special person they are. My approach is flexible and holistic and follows the child or young person’s lead and pace. With time, this process can enable them to make greater sense of their world and experiences, and help them to ‘live well’.

Child and Adolescent Psychotherapeutic Counsellor.

My name is Ali,  I am a UKCP Child and Adolescent Psychotherapeutic Counsellor.  I am trained to Masters level and I also hold Level 1 qualifications in Theraplay and DDP.

If children or young people are finding aspects of their life difficult, building a trusting therapeutic relationship is the first step in order for them to be able to begin to process their difficulties .  I am trained in an 'Integrative' way which means that I work alongside my clients to figure out the best way to work together whilst holding a number of theories in mind.  This may be talking therapy or perhaps we might be more creative and use art materials or the sand tray.  For some clients play based therapy.   Using the arts and play can be a transformative way to enable children and young people to communicate their feelings in a less confronting way. My work is adaptable to the age and stage of the young person. 

Trainee Psychotherapeutic Counsellor

I’m Susie and am training to be a psychotherapeutic counsellor for children and young people. I am a musician first and foremost and qualified as a Music Therapist many years ago.

I had a career break to focus on having my wonderful family! I spent time during Covid working with Families and realised that I needed more training which led me to the Village Orchard for a placement.

It is a great privilege to work with young people and share their experiences of life. Outside of the therapy room, I love spending time with my children, dogs & cats (of which there are many!) I am a keen traveller and thoroughly enjoy meeting new people, tasting fabulously different food and absorbing myself in the world’s breathtakingly, beautiful and varied cultures.

Studying for a Doctorate in Counselling Psychology and Psychotherapy

My name is Gervase and I am currently studying for a Doctorate in Counselling Psychology and Psychotherapy at the Metanoia Institute. My career in health and social care has provided me firsthand experience of the many problems that people face in their journeys through life and this has motivated me to try to find effective ways of helping.

I am to provide a “pluralistic’ way of working which means I will draw on whatever knowledge I have of different approaches to always try to meet people where they are - rather than where I’m at. The focus will always be on collaborating to work out what people find the most helpful and I feel very privileged to be supported in this by The Village Orchard.

Studying for an MA in Art Psychotherapy

I am currently working towards an MA in Art Psychotherapy with Goldsmiths University, which involves intensive training and experiential learning, combined with my placement with Village Orchard East.

In the past, I struggled to vocalise my lived experiences and emotions, so I used drawing reflectively to uncover and voice them. This gave me a belonging in life, with new self-worth and a confidence I never had before, which led me to art psychotherapy. Through this, I now support others who are in a similar situation that I was in, and I use theories from Freud, Klein and Bion to offer a psychodynamic approach. In using creativity as an exploratory, visual tool for ‘discussion’, you don’t have to be good at art, and we always offer a non-judgmental space.

Past roles have included working in primary education, creative sessions with adults with SENDs, and as a foster carer, all of which have paved the way for understanding, patience, acceptance, sensitivity, empathy and availability for those around me; values shared by the Village Orchard East team. 

Studying for an MA in Art Psychotherapy

I’m Mark, currently in my third year of training as an Art Psychotherapist at Goldsmiths, University of London. My background is in mental health support work, and I've also worked with young people leaving care.

My practice is informed by a psychodynamic approach, placing the therapeutic relationship at the centre of the work. I believe it's a space where exploration, containment, and healing can take place. I take a pragmatic and collaborative approach, supporting clients to shape the direction of therapy in a way that feels right for them.

Art and creativity are at the centre of my work. I view art not as a skill but as a form of communication available to everyone, a means of expression that can often reach where words cannot.

Beyond my therapeutic practice, I’m a self-taught artist who enjoys working with paint and clay, as well as making music. I’m also passionate about analogue photography, particularly 35mm film, and often spend time outdoors capturing the textures and rhythms of nature.