DREAM together

15/02/2026

Love Heals ❤️

Children need to be reminded they are loved. Every “You are brave,” “You are kind,” “You are enough” helps build their inner safety and belief in themselves.

For children who have experienced trauma, these reminders are even more powerful. Love teaches them: I am safe. I matter. I am worthy.

When we show love and care for ourselves children learn that love is real, steady, and living. It becomes the foundation for who they are and how they love others as adults.

Small words, gentle reminders, lived love these heal hearts and shape lives.

11/02/2026

Rhythm, Ritual, Reading and Relational Safety 📖

This morning, as an Associate with Trauma Informed Consultancy Services, I supported over 20 kinship carers alongside BookTrust to explore the power and ritual of reading.

We focused on safety and rhythm in the nervous system.

A baby’s first experience of safety is rhythmic, the steady heartbeat of a regulated caregiver.

When trauma in utero or early relational trauma disrupts that rhythm, a child’s nervous system can carry a deep sense of unsafety.

Reading can become a restorative rhythm.

The same voice.

The same pace.

The same story revisited.

Consistent, relational reading helps regulate, connect and gently repair.

We also reflected on our own childhood experiences, because understanding our story helps us better understand the children we care for.

Thoughtful, brave kinship carers carrying out extraordinary, heart connected care. 💛

Sometimes healing begins with something as simple and powerful as a story.








TICS (Trauma Informed Consultancy Services Ltd.) BookTrust Kinship

10/02/2026

SUPPORTING CHILDREN TO UNDERSTAND THEIR FEELINGS THROUGH BODY BASED PLAY 🤸‍♀️🧩🎨

Many children do not yet have the language to describe their emotions. While words may be limited, the body often communicates feelings clearly through sensations and tension.

At DREAM, we use creative, body based approaches to help children explore emotions safely and build body awareness, also known as interoception.

Why body based emotional learning matters?

🧩 Emotions are experienced in the body before they can be named

🧩 Trauma can make noticing internal sensations feel unsafe

🧩 Neurodivergent children often process emotions through sensory experiences

🧩 Play based work supports the nervous system and reduces pressure to explain feelings

How we support emotional understanding?

🧩 Exploring facial expressions using a mirror in a playful, non-threatening way

🧩 Choosing colours that match how the child feels inside

🧩 Using a body outline to show where emotions are felt, such as a tight chest or wobbly tummy

What this supports?

🧩 Awareness of body signals

🧩 Emotional language without forcing words

🧩 Curiosity rather than judgement

Gentle ways to support regulation ?

🧩 Stretching or gentle movement

🧩 Squeezing playdough, a ball, or using deep pressure

🧩 Grounding through the feet

🧩 Checking in to notice changes

Working with the nervous system builds emotional literacy, self regulation and a sense of safety, especially for trauma experienced and neurodivergent children.

What looks simple is deeply powerful.

Emotional understanding grows slowly and safely.

One colour. One shape. One breath at a time 😊

09/02/2026

03/02/2026

The Importance of Continued Professional Development 💡

I take investing in my CPD seriously. Most recently, I completed DDP Level 1 training, which reassured me that I am on the right track with the families and clients I support.

Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP) is an attachment focused, trauma informed approach developed by Dan Hughes. It supports children and young people who have experienced developmental and relational trauma by strengthening the relationship between child and caregiver.

At its core, DDP uses the principles of PACE playfulness, acceptance, curiosity, and empathy to help families make sense of behaviour, emotions, and experiences together.

The training reinforced the importance of slowing down and supporting the child, young person, and parent to become curious about their inner experiences.

When working with developmental trauma, applying clinical, researched, and evidence based approaches is essential to creating meaningful and lasting shifts for families.

It was a real pleasure to have Dan Hughes join us for a half day. Hearing his belief in the power of storytelling, role play, puppet play, and creative therapy processes in supporting the application of DDP felt deeply affirming.

The training has helped me clearly see how my current modality of dramatherapy can work alongside DDP, supporting children and families on their journey towards healing and recovery.

31/01/2026

From Shadows to Strength | BADTh Conference: the evaluation researching the impact of creative modalities in delivering trauma-informed training and supervision to staff in an adoption team.

I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to share reflections and emerging evaluation findings from an 18-month trauma-informed workshop programme, grounded in dramatherapy processes, at the British Association of Drama Therapists Conference.

The conference offered a valuable moment to share early findings and focus group data ahead of the full evaluation paper being written later this year. Presenting alongside Dr Debbie Amas (Anglia Ruskin University), we explored our collaborative work with the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Adoption Team, bringing together social work perspectives and creative therapeutic practice within trauma-informed adoption support.

Alongside sharing the data, the conference also created space for reflection that extended beyond cognitive understanding. Through movement and sand tray methods, we were able to reflect creatively and somatically, allowing deeper listening to inner experiences, relational dynamics, and parallel processes within the work.

By the end of sharing at the conference, a heart-centred sense of connection and togetherness was strongly felt. This offered both affirmation and insight, and reinforced the value of holding space where evaluation data, lived experience, and embodied knowledge can sit alongside one another.

This experience reaffirmed how the integration of social work and creative therapies supports deeper introspection, illuminates relational patterns, and strengthens trauma-informed practice not only with children, families, and caregivers, but also across the wider systems that surround and support them.

We are now moving towards publishing the evaluation paper later this year and continuing this work alongside children, families, caregivers, and the systems that support them.



Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Adoption Service

British Association of Dramatherapists Charity

Amas

22/01/2026

Reflecting on Therapeutic Letter Writing and Trauma-Informed Practice 🌿

As an associate of Trauma Informed Consultancy Services, it was a privilege to facilitate a creative classroom with Blue Cabin and Creative Life Story Work on the 'Healing Power of Therapeutic Letter Writing'

Alongside social workers, frontline practitioners and therapists, we explored letters that hold and heal. Letters that support trauma-informed practice with children and young people and build professional confidence, care, curiosity and creativity in writing.

We explored how therapeutic letter writing could hold, heal and regulate, embodying the core trauma-informed values of safety, trustworthiness, choice, collaboration, empowerment and cultural humility. Using metaphor, character, storytelling, and applied practice, everyone had the chance to write a short therapeutic letter and reflect on how this might support relationship building, transitions, repair after rupture and relational endings.

We discussed the power of writing letters to practitioners themselves. When we feel we are not doing a good enough job, letters to the self can be deeply compassionate and grounding.

For children and young people, letters can act as a safe container. A way to be seen and held in mind. A nervous system regulator. Particularly important where early relational wounds mean these experiences may not have been consistently available.

Reflections from the day 🌿

"The importance of the environment in which a letter is written has been a powerful reminder"

" I will take away with me how this helps practitioners feel more human, steady and connected.

"I love the use of magic and metaphor to support safety and regulation".

"This work has the potential to create profound change for systems and for public perception of social workers"

This session was thoughtful, creative and deeply moving. A real call to action to make time for therapeutic letter writing within our systems. This work has the potential to create profound relational healing and change.



TICS (Trauma Informed Consultancy Services Ltd.)

Creative Life Story Work

Blue Cabin

05/01/2026

A Gentle Start to the New Year ✨️

Why Transitions Matter 🌿

For children and young people who have experienced developmental and relational trauma, the move from the festive season into January can feel unsettling.

For many, change and endings are closely linked. Early experiences may have taught them that when something changes, something or someone is lost.

A return to school or routine can feel like the end of safety or connection, not simply a new start.
Transitions touch deep questions of safety. Will you still be here? What happens next? Am I on my own?

This is why January calls for us to slow the pace.
For adopters and kinship carers, naming the transition matters. Saying "Christmas is finishing and we are moving back into school routines" helps the change feel predictable.

Keeping mornings and bedtimes steady is important, but small creative rituals can also support regulation.

These might include:

🌿 A short morning or evening check in where the child names a feeling (having a range of feeling picture cards may help)

🌿 Letting the child choose a small object to take to school for comfort, something that reminds them of you perhaps

🌿 Slowly packing away decorations with soft music to mark the ending of holidays

🌿 Choosing gentle anchor words such as steady, safe, brave, or together, I am here with you

🌿Slowly perparing school bag, lunch box, clothes offering options and choice

🌿 Planning what you will do together after the school day ends

🌿 Adding some movement in the evening or morning, like dancing, jumping, yoga poses (power pose)

🌿 Celebrating small achievements after the first day back, such as a favourite snack or story

When a child is worried about returning to school, the PACE (Dan Hughs) approach helps them feel seen and held:

Playful: "It feels like school is really loud in your head today, doesn’t it?"

Accepting: "It makes sense to feel worried. The change can feel hard."

Curious: "I wonder which part of going back feels hardest for you?"

Empathic: "I am here with you'

For professionals, expect more anxiety and dysregulation around endings and returns.

Reduce pressure where possible and prioritise relationship over outcome.

In DDP, (Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy) healing happens at the speed of safety, not the calendar.

The New Year does not need a fast start.

It needs a kind relational one. 🫂

23/12/2025

As the year comes to a close, I want to say a heartfelt thank you. 🙏

Thank you to the practitioners, organisations, children, young people, and families I have supported or collaborated with over the past year. Every connection has mattered.

I hold one clear purpose in my work: to support others with a 'creative approach to life's serious stuff', applying evidence based therapeutic and trauma-informed care, guided by curiosity and compassion.

This year has reminded me again and again that how we show up truly matters.

I have seen so many people bring care, curiosity, and courage to their work, helping others feel seen, safe, and understood.

I have walked alongside young people, caregivers, and professionals who are willing to reflect on their inner worlds to better themselves and those they care for. That work is not easy, but it is deeply meaningful.

This year has reinforced that life is precious and that we are all trying to find our way, even the smallest acts of curiosity and compassion matter.

We are often just one part of someone’s journey, yet every moment of attunement can create change. My work is both personal and professional, and the two are closely connected.

I have been reminded that tears are healthy, that the body holds our stories, and that slowly allowing them to be released creates capacity for more life.

I have seen the strength of the parent/child relationship and the impact of inner work on relationships inside and outside the therapy room.

As the festive season approaches, I want to remind parents and professionals that self care is not indulgent. Pausing, showing yourself curiosity and compassion, and offering yourself kindness really matters.

As I move into the new year, my heart feels full. I remain committed to supporting children, families, and professionals, with a growing focus on adoption support, trauma-informed care, and consultancy.

Thank you for walking alongside me this year.

Care, Curiosity and Compassion make all the difference.

Keep an eye out in 2026 for our New Year offerings. 🌿

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Fruitful New Year. ✨️

08/12/2025

Weaving Stories & Strength in Islington 🌿

A beautiful morning alongside BookTrust, Kinship, and Islington Local Authority. As an associate of Trauma Informed Consultancy Services, I was honoured to be part of a collaboration grounded in compassion, connection, and community.

Storytelling continues to be one of our most powerful tools, helping us weave understanding, strengthen relationships, and honour the journeys that shape us.

This morning we spent time in Islington with Book Trust and the Kinship team in the Local Authority, holding a workshop on the power of reading to support children with their emotions, identity and sense of self.

We were with kinship carers who have stepped up for family, opening their homes and hearts to children when their own parents are unable to care for them. It felt important to honour that, the quiet bravery, the love, the patience, and the complexity that sits beneath kinship care.

The cafe setting was perfect. It kept everything warm and real, a place where people could settle in and speak openly.

There were nourishing, wholesome conversations and there were hard ones too, full of emotion, honesty and courage.

We started the morning as strangers around a table and ended it with hugs, gratitude and a feeling that everyone had been seen and heard.

People left with practical ideas and gentle guidance on how reading can support relational healing and help children make sense of their world. ☺️



BookTrust

Kinship

TICS (Trauma Informed Consultancy Services Ltd.)

07/12/2025

DREAM TOGETHER: OUR POSITION ON ADOPTION REFORM 💡

Adoption is often shown as a storybook ending. But the reality is more complex.

Children who have experienced trauma need relational healing, consistent support, and understanding.

Families need guidance, therapeutic support, and connection to help children thrive.

Without this, even with love and permanence, families can struggle.

UK reviews show ongoing gaps. Support often stops once the adoption order is finalised. Therapeutic services are inconsistent. Accessing post-adoption funds can be delayed. Support varies between local authorities and RAAs. Children and families rarely shape services based on lived experience.

Demand for post adoption support exceeds available resources. Long waits, inconsistent services, and regional differences can intensify stress, especially for children with complex trauma.

Dream together is here for families 🌿

🧩 We will continue providing creative psychotherapy, psychoeducation, and therapeutic parenting support for our families.

🧩 We’re piloting a contribution based offer to bridge gaps, including thinking spaces, psychoeducation sessions, and connection spaces shaped by families’ feedback.

🧩 We are evaluating an 18 month trauma-informed programme with a local adoption team. The evaluation will be documented in a paper (Mar 26) co-authored with researcher Dr. Debbie Amas.

🧩 Findings will guide future programmes and be shared at the BADTH Dramatherapy Conference (Jan 26).

Piloting first lets us learn, and refine so wider rollouts are meaningful.

Our position is clear; post adoption support makes a real difference. Every child and family deserves consistent, trauma-informed care.