Occupational therapists are healthcare professionals who use a client-centred, collaborative approach, exploring together the how, why, when, where, and what you participate in within your lives, what gives you meaning, value, and purpose, and what is getting in the way of you living more fully. Sessions involve activity-focused assessments, treatment, and workshops for individuals and groups.

We are like life's problem-solvers, supporting you to make the most of each day.

My particular specialism is all things wellbeing, however, I have particular expertise in supporting people experiencing or struggling with:

• Addictive behaviours (overconsumption of substances or patterns of behaviour that are getting in the way of your quality of life)

• Anxiety management

• Cognitive stimulation for neurological conditions

• Depression

• Managing the impact that changes in health have on day-to-day functioning

• Fatigue management, energy conservation through task modification, pacing, and task prioritisation

• Sleep hygiene exploring modifications to both environment and habits that will assist clients in improving the quality of sleep

• Pain management

• Relapse prevention (mental health conditions and addictive behaviours)

Through developing a greater understanding of physical and/or mental health symptoms, clients are supported to create new strategies and routines to build emotional, physical, and mental resilience to challenges in daily life. Clients are encouraged to maintain activities most important to them, to focus on having a balanced approach and enjoy their daily lives.

Sessions are available online or in person on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday, with appointments made to accommodate your time zone, at the clinic here in the south of France. They can be a one-off, weekly bimonthly, or yearly, as you require. Following each session, you will be emailed an outline of our discussions and any wellbeing worksheets and resources.

A functional life devoid of meaning is merely existence, not living. Robots perform tasks, people engage in life activities to create and derive meaning

- Charles Christiansen (2010)

Individual Session

We begin with an exploration of your current level of wellbeing and the barriers you are currently facing, mapping out a practical, activity-based pathway to move you forward into maintaining and developing your quality of life. Sessions are followed with a follow-up letter containing any information and resources discussed to support you in implementing changes.

Initial assessment/One off session 1hr 30 120 £/€ (Concession* 90€)

Follow-up sessions 60 mins 80 £/€ (Concession* 60€)

6 Session Wellbeing Package

Following on from an initial assessment this is a six-session care package for individuals looking to make sustainable changes and build resilience to manage the complexities of daily life. We will meet for six, one hour sessions, we explore your needs and you’ll be guided through a wellbeing program consisting of materials and resources that create a practical, holistic, toolkit that can include:

• Hopes and plans - We begin the series with an exploration of your individual hopes and plans. Harnessing and exploring the cognitive processes and mental skills (executive functioning) you have that help monitor and successfully execute these goals.

• Roles & Routines - formed by scripted and unscripted patterns, we explore together the nuances specific to your life

• Sensory Profiles - Understanding sensory processing is an important part of how our brain works and of our individual temperament, it is the exploration of how we respond to the stimulus in the world around us, who we are, and how we work.

• Emotional Regulation - our emotions drive our behaviour, in this session we will explore how emotions work and discuss skills to help manage emotions instead of being managed by them, reduce vulnerability to negative emotions, and build positive emotional experiences.

• Occupational Balance - a concept that occupational therapists use to examine the impact of balance on health and wellbeing. is achieved when an individual engages in the right amount, and variety, of occupations. It is not a stationary state of being but a continuous process of evolution that changes with us.

• Moving on & Contingency Planning - bringing together all of our learning over the last six sessions we will create a plan for the future including when the unexpected happens, with a view to minimising the impact on overall wellbeing.

£/€ 420 (excludes the cost of the initial assessment)

Group Wellbeing Ateliers

One-off or regular, personally tailored group workshops. These ateliers can be held online or in person, I have the ability to host 6-8 people here in Gabian. Prior to the session, we will discuss what your hopes for the retreat will be and how those needs can be best met. Topics of previous sessions have included:

• Stress reduction

• Goal setting with vision boards

• Nature-based foraging (location and season dependent)

• Sleep hygiene

• Coping with fatigue

• Drug and alcohol training

300€/£ per workshop, online or in person. I am able to travel to a destination of your choice with travel costs covered.

As well as our contact time, all fees include pre- and post-session preparation, personal indemnity insurance and administration costs, and the cost of professional supervision. Terms and conditions apply.

*Please note, if you are unemployed, a student, or struggling with your circumstances concessionary rates are offered. Please get in touch and we can discuss what you can afford.