Counselling and Reiki in Market Lavington – Devizes – Wiltshire

Claire Lilley - Wellbeing in Wiltshire
~ claire ballardie

Welcome to my website. As a Psychotherapeutic Counsellor, my aim is to provide a variety of options to improve both physical and mental health- a holistic way to feel good and to be, and to promote calmness and relaxation. I offer counselling and reiki  near Devizes in Market Lavington, Wiltshire..

Counselling

I offer psychotherapeutic counselling near Devizes, Wiltshire. My role is to support you and to provide a safe place for you to explore your feelings and provide an outlet for emotions.

Life can throw all sorts of unexpected events at us. At the  we are all in a very unusual situation with Covid19, with the added stress of social distancing and the fear of being ill ourselves.

Anxiety and depression can be a result of not being able to be close to poorly friends or being isolated, Being in lock-down with family where relationships are foundering can require careful management. Talking to someone who can listen without judgement, can help to bring a new perspective to handling.  the struggle of day-to-day life.

I believe in a holistic approach, taking into account how our mental state impacts on our whole being. When we are stressed and tense, this has an impact on the body,  Improving mental health can have a positive effect on the body’s energy, releasing tension and stress.

I have both indoor and outdoor facilities, with options for outdoor therapy, the healing qualities of being in nature and around animals. In normal circumstances, we would meet face to face, but while we are within the confines of social isolation, I am working in different ways.

Options I offer are::

  • We can do live on-line face-to-face sessions on Zoom 
  • Have a chat on Whatsapp
  • Exchange texts or email
  • Talk on the phone
Eco-Therapy

Indoor therapy may not be for everyone: being outdoors can be very grounding and healing – connecting with nature can promote a sense of calm and serenity, even if the weather is bad! Nature is powerful and profound and can be refreshing for the soul.

Animal-assisted counselling

Animals can play a very important part in the therapeutic process, aiding relaxation and a sense of calm, reflecting mood and body language.

Exercise

Movement is good for both physical and mental health. Exercise boosts your mood, and improves physical awareness: classes are a great way to make friends.

Meditation
Life can seem very busy. Taking a mental break through meditation helps you to discover a quiet place, away from the hustle and bustle of daily life.

Mindfulness

Feeling overwhelmed is common if you have many worries on your mind, and trying to juggle daily life. Mindfulness helps you to focus on one thing at a time, to take time and to find pleasure in simple tasks, bringing a sense of calm to the day.

Reiki

Physical and emotional issues can have a huge effect on the body’s energy. self-heal. Reiki can help to rebalance the equilibrium  between mind and body through deep relaxation.

I am a qualified Counsellor,  Reiki Master, Exercise Professional, and a British Horse Society Registered Equestrian Coach.

I can offer:

Please contact me for further details on any of the above.

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Movement for the Mind

~ claire ballardie

Movement for the mind works by helping us focus on the way our body is affected when we are anxious or fearful. Focusing on how we feel in our bodies when we are stressed, or depressed, helps to identify issues such as physical sensations, or long-term symptoms of illness. I work with you one-to-one  using gentle stretching exercises, focusing on posture, to to help you to connect mind and body.

Exercise relieves stress and tension by releasing the feel-good hormones (endorphins), which give a sense of calm and lift your mood.I offer one-to-one sessions either in person or on-line.

Learning how to stretch and relax your body also calms the mind. Controlled breathing and focusing mindfully on how you are moving helps to prevent a ‘busy brain’ from worrying about day-to-day concerns. This can be part of on-going therapy, using techniques in your counselling sessions, if it would be of benefit to you.

Exercise helps you to feel positive about yourself, increasing your self-esteem, which is a useful tool in coping with life on a day to day basis. As well as improving your energy levels and improving sleep and digestion, the sense of achievement increases self-worth and lifts your mood, reducing stress and improving resilience to life events.

Learning how to stretch and relax your body also calms the mind. Controlled breathing and focusing mindfully on how you are moving helps to prevent a ‘busy brain’ from worrying about day-to-day concerns.

PRICES

The Equestrian Counsellor

~ claire ballardie
Counsellor

I am a therapeutic counsellor with an equestrian background. I combine these skills to help you to get the best out of your relationship with your horse.

Team Work

Building a better relationship with your horse is about how you work as a team. . Sessions will include ‘talking therapy’ without the horse, to gain self-awareness  and to explore issues going on for you, such as loss of confidence and anxiety. We can also work with your horse, to improve how you function together.

Understanding your Horse

Being flight animals, horses are very aware of non-verbal communication and our body language, noticing how calm and confident we are, or not. This applies to all aspects of horsemanship – whether we are riding or handling them, or simply in their presence. They pick up things about ourselves we are not even aware of!

What happens in sessions?

We can discuss your worries, and fear, and the impact life events, such as trauma, may have impacted on your riding. Trauma may be a result of a fall, or personal experiences, such as bereavement. What affects you personally can turn horsemanship from a pleasurable experience into a nightmare! Talking about strategies and a game-plan off the horse in a calm environment can help you to work through problems before putting them into practice.

Details

I can offer a ‘package deal’ of 6 sessions, Personal sessions without the horse can be on-line, using Zoom. I can also come to you to work with you and your horse in a ridden/handling session, for up to an hour. (Travel costs may apply.)

PRICES

Coping with The Winter Blues-SAD

Coping with the winter blues
~ claire ballardie

Winter is tough for many people. Short days, with a lack of sunlight, are a long way from the colours and warmth of summer, often leading to seasonal depression, or S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder).

 What causes it

SAD sufferers seem to have difficulty regulating seratonin, a neurotransmitter which regulates mood, digestion, sleep, sense of wellbeing, happiness.

The Science behind it

Lack of sunlight reduces seratonin levels – associated with depression and increases melatonin, a hormone produced by the brain in response to darkeness, regulating sleep patterns. (such as with Jet Lag)

Reduced levels of vitamin D- produced by sunlight reacting with chemicals in the skin, contributes to  fatigue, quality of sleep

Sufferers have difficulty regulating circadian rhythm or body clock which adjusts to seasonal light/ dark cycle. 

How does it differ from clinical depression?

A symptom of Clinical depression- is decreased appetite, whereas seasonal depression shows increased appetite

How it affects you

The main symptoms are : feeling sad, low mood, low energy, affecting normal daily life. Tiredness and hunger are also common.

Recent studies  compare SAD with hibernation, increased appetite, and need to sleep more. winter depression may have been the norm to survive the winter months. Our ancestors may have chosen to shelter from the winter weather in caves, sleeping more, but they could have suffered from poor nutrition, and a lack of vitamin D from sunlight.  Research indicates that there are biological similarities with hibernation ,the human body is not designed to survive months living off body fat in the way that bears can, for example.

How to treat it

  • Spending as much time as possible outside, particularly on sunny days.
  • Increased vitamin D – best source is sunlight, supplements, diet, SAD lamp.
  • Healthy diet
  • Exercise outdoors
  • Counselling
  • Anti-depressants
  • Lift your mood with something you enjoy

Useful tips:

Listen to your body. If you need to rest more, cosy up indoors, that’s fine. Do what you need to do.

Counselling can help to view short, dark days with a different perspective. Relating differently to your personal experiences of SAD can help to find your own, individual way to cope. You may even find you can embrace winter!

Try bringing some holiday activities into your day, even for a short time- maybe look at a favourite photo during a coffee break. Lifting your mood by doing something you really enjoy- singing along to a song on the radio, or dancing to a favourite holiday tune.

What would you enjoy on holiday? Curling up with a good book,  cooking colourful meals such as stir fries, or a spicy curry?  Having time to chill out, or maybe to try a new form of exercise?

 

When the weather is grey, but bringing colour into your life can give you a break from the endless gloom of winter and lift your mood. Wear something colourful for fun, brighten your make-up, paint your nails, wear comedy socks! Take advantage of the wonderful memories of light and warmth to remind yourself how good you feel in summer. Take photos for some happy memories to look back on in winter.

Useful links:

More about Seasonal Affective Disorder 

https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/a35033907/early-humans-hibernation/

Melrose S. (2015). Seasonal Affective Disorder: An Overview of Assessment and Treatment Approaches. Depression research and treatment, 2015, 178564. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/178564

 

Personal Training

~ claire ballardie

I offer Personal training either for individuals or small groups. I can accommodate individuals at my premises, I will travel to you for small groups in the Devizes area. (travel costs may apply)

I work with all levels of fitness , and include posture checks,  stretching and relaxation as part of your session. I offer a bespoke service, and adapt training to suit your needs.

Price £50 per hour for up to 5 people.

Why not exercise with your partner, or get a group of friends together to combine socialising, with exercising.

Payment by paypal below or contact me to pay by, credit card or bank transfer.



Contact me for further details.