The Healing Forest Therapies

30/10/2025

I want to share a powerful recommendation for anyone seeking a deeply grounded and effective approach to spiritual and psychological growth: the 'First Steps' course offered by the Three Ravens College of Therapeutic Shamanism and Animism.

I follow this approach to shamanism and animism, and recommend this course every time it comes around, precisely because of its unique methodology.

The Therapeutic Shamanism approach is rooted in ancient, time-honored practices of animism and shamanism, made relevant for our complex modern lives by being thoughtfully blended with principles of psychotherapy. This creates a system that is robust, grounded, and focused on genuine, lasting therapeutic work. It doesn't include the latest spiritual trends and there are no ungrounded New Age practices.

I've been following the Therapeutic Shamanism approach for four years now, and did the 'First Steps' course straight after completing an intense 12 months of shamanic practitioner training. It was a mind blowing development for me and transformed my life in incredible ways. My practice is simpler and cleaner than ever, much less cluttered, and as a beautiful result, my connection to my spirit guides and allies is far deeper and way more joyful.

If you are looking for a shamanic learning experience defined by:
✅ rigour and psychological integration.
✅ respect for traditional, animistic and shamanic practices.
✅ an absolute focus on personal responsibility and therapeutic effectiveness...then this is the place to start.

And a quick note: it’s absolutely okay for everyone to have their own personal belief systems and spiritual cosmology. If New Age practices resonate with you, that’s wonderful! But if, like me, you are seeking a framework explicitly designed to be practical, free from cultural appropriation, non-commercialised, ethical and deeply grounded, I think you'll find this course really chimes.

30/10/2025

End of an era... And a new dawn! 🌅🥁

​Samhain is almost upon us and you're invited to join me and my amazing co-host, Sarah of Móðir norn, as we gather to drum up the sun at Sandal Castle from 06:45 on Sat 1 November.

​This marks a significant milestone for our little drumming community as Saturday is our completion of 3 full cycles of the Wheel of the Year. Our very first sunrise drumming was Winter Solstice 2022!

We've come together for 24 beautiful ceremonies in wind, rain and glorious sunshine. We've celebrated the cycles of nature, we've honoured the spirits of this incredible place, and we have connected with one another.
​
​As we come to the end of our 3rd full turn of the wheel, we're announcing that Samhain 2025 will be our FINAL event at Sandal Castle.

The castle has been a wonderful home for our drum gatherings, but as a heavily residential area it has become very congested at times.

Sarah and I both feel the time is right to move on, and we are ready to embrace a new, wilder setting!

​We are thrilled to announce that our sunrise drumming sessions for the sabbats WILL continue, at a new location - Heath Common - starting with Winter Solstice 2025. Heath offers us a beautiful, open and wild space.

​Please do join us one last time at Sandal Castle, on November 1st, to:

🥁​ Drum up the Samhain Sun
3️⃣ Celebrate three years of connection and community.
🙏🏼Offer a heartfelt thank you to the spirit of the castle and the land it sits on, for welcoming us.

​We can't wait to see you there to honor this transition. More details about the exact location at Heath Common will follow closer to Winter Solstice.

​With gratitude and excitement,

Charlotte of The Healing Forest Therapies and Sarah of Móðir norn

25/10/2025

Enjoy rhythm and community as we celebrate this turn of the wheel of the year. Join us by 06:45 for a 7:06 sunrise. Bring a drum or instrument, or you can borrow a rattle. Free community event, just turn up, no booking required.
https://www.facebook.com/share/17APzxty4W/

24/10/2025

23/10/2025

Tired of your 'Beta Brain'? The constant worry, planning and mental chatter is the frequency of stress. The steady drum beat is the fastest and most ancient way to guide your mind out of chaos and into Theta. That's the state where clarity, calm and insight live. Are you ready to trade the mental noise for The Inner Clearing?

19/10/2025

Does the noise inside your head sometimes feel louder than your own voice? 🤯

We're all running on Beta brainwaves, the frequency of doing, worrying, thinking and list-making. They help us stay alert and focused, but they also keep us stressed, anxious and stuck.

Do you ever find when you try to chill-out or relax, the mind noise won't go away and the inner critic just shouts louder? 📣

This constant mental churn isn't how our brains are supposed to work; but in our fast paced, busy world, it’s the modern condition.

You deserve a way to slow the chatter and hear the clear, quiet voice of your own intuition. If you've been craving a genuine "reset button" for your mind, you're not alone!

Hit 'Like' if you need a moment of quiet today 🧘🏼‍♀️👍🏼

17/10/2025

I've been pretty quiet online for a few weeks now, and that's because I've been intentionally stepping back to focus on my wellbeing and family by taking some proper time away from the digital world and social media.

Way back in May, I started a practice, sharing daily reflections until day 66. This happened to be the start of our family summer holiday in Croatia and I chose not to post during those really precious days away, giving myself permission to be fully present with my family and to enjoy some genuine downtime.

Although I stopped sharing the gratitude updates publicly - sorry to everyone that contacted me to say how much they were enjoying them - the practice itself didn’t end for me on day 66. I found myself continuing to reflect on the small things (and sometimes big things) I really appreciated that day.

The official ‘100 days of gratitude’ wrapped up on 3 September, coinciding with a very enjoyable work away day in Newcastle alongside some fantastic colleagues. Those 66 days of posting on gratitude definitely made a real difference to how I looked at things and became a natural thing to do. Even now, I find myself pausing each evening, reflecting on what I’m grateful for and so today, I'm thankful that I started that whole 'thing' and continued it, even if it wasn't visible to anyone else! 🙏💗

03/09/2025

Wonderful feedback from a recent shamanic healing client from 'down south' who was visiting family nearby.

They had a very profound experience and will be booking more sessions for distance shamanic healing (the consultation and post-journey debrief and discussion are done over video call).

Please do get in touch if you'd like to know more about shamanic healing and how it can help you.

31/07/2025

DAY 66 - stocking up and getting Into the groove

Started the day with breakfast in a small rooftop restaurant in the pine tree canopy. We spied at least 4 small kestrels flying above the olive grove next to us, and while we were busy working through eggs, pancakes and coffee, they were busy hunting. It was a real delight watching them swoop around.

A very productive lazy morning followed... mostly reading. Then we started to get hungry again, so we headed up the dusty hill to the local Lidl with our backpacks to stock up on self-catering supplies.

A couple of hours by the tiny pool under the olive trees felt well-earned. We watched a hummingbird hawk moth flit dramatically around the lavender. Also spotted an Egyptian grasshopper clinging to our clothes dryer, trying to look inconspicuous.

We hadn’t actually bought everything we needed, with coffee being a major ommission, so back up the hill to Lidl we went, followed by a simple dinner back at the rooftop bar as the sun went down in cinematic fashion.

We are starting to feel properly settled now. The hard work of travel is behind us, and the beach is calling tomorrow. My biggest concern is avoiding sunburn, but for now, all is well. I'm feeling very grateful for a much slower pace, some lovely moments of nature connection and a delicious sea breeze that is keeping us comfortable in the heat.

31/07/2025

DAYS 60, 61, 62, 63, 64 and 65

I’ve got a BIG wave of gratitude to catch up on. Life lately has fallen into a rhythm of intense busyness followed by welcome periods of quiet. I’m getting much better at hearing my body when it tells me it’s time to slow down, and after an intense few days it speaks louder and clear! These past six days have been pretty full-on as we prepared to go away for two weeks of rest, restoration, and fun as a family. And now that we’ve arrived here in Croatia, I’m taking a moment here on our little patio to breathe out and reflect on all that I’m grateful for.

Day 60 – Friday:
My last full day at work before our trip was focussed on getting everything in good shape to hand over to colleagues. Knowing we had dinner plans with friends gave me a clear stopping point... something I often need... and I was thankful for that push to wrap things up. We had a great evening with lovely people, and I felt grateful for laughter, good conversation and connection.

Day 61 – Saturday:
After a gentle start to the day, George and I had our final music lessons before the break. I'm always glad that we decided to embark on these together. Then came the last-minute holiday shopping dash. Not my favourite way to spend an afternoon, but we got what we needed without too much drama, so I’m calling that a win and thankful it wasn't worse.

Day 62 – Sunday:
The morning was all about getting ready for a little early birthday party for George with family before we left. We had ten of us in the garden and although there was no sunshine, there was no rain either, so I was grateful for the dry weather, the chance to be together as a family, and that George had a great time.

Day 63 – Monday:
A long-awaited skills swap with the lovely Karen Pearson from Renah Skin. She treated me to top-notch skincare treatments in the morning and in return I offered a shamanic Reiki and drumming session in the afternoon. It was a gentle day and a slice of calm in the midst of the busy holiday build-up, and I was deeply grateful for that.

Day 64 – Tuesday:
Packing day, and not my favourite. Between decision fatigue, sensory anxiety, and the sheer amount of stuff to remember, I found myself procrastinating as usual. It’s one of those patterns I know well, and that understandably really winds my husband up! It wasn’t an easy day, but everything got packed, and we were in bed by 10pm. This is a small miracle considering how late I could have been at it. Given the 4am alarm I am grateful for progress, not perfection.

Day 65 – Wednesday:
The day began in the dark with bleary eyes and early morning shuffling, but we made it out of the house by 4.30am and the travel day went remarkably smoothly. Plane to Split, ferry to Brac, and by 3pm we were in a beachside bungalow surrounded by Aleppo pines and cicadas. The boys ran to the ocean while I had a much-needed nap. We ended the day with a simple seaside dinner and a walk home under a beautiful sunset. Travelling always takes it out of me, and I never fully relax until I’ve arrived. But as I fell into bed, I felt the tension begin to melt. Grateful, tired, and ready for the next chapter!

24/07/2025

DAYS 57, 58 & 59

The last three days were all about business travel – a round trip to Hastings with a couple of nights in a hotel. And I never even got to see the sea!

Day 57 - Tuesday - began my travels at lunchtime with a smooth train journey (three trains, no delays or chaos). Finding the hotel was a bit of a mission, being in St Leonards, not actually Hastings. When I did finally get there, let’s just say the reality didn’t quite match the online photos! Parts of the hotel had been recently and enthusiastically redecorated, leaving other parts very sad and tired looking. The wallpaper in the corridor outside my room was wild! But my room was spacious and spotless, which counts for a lot. There was a noisy function with karaoke in full swing in the next door restaurant. I was seriously regretting my life choices at 9.50pm, but thankfully it wrapped up by 10pm and I got some fitful rest.

Day 58 - Wednesday - was the heart of the trip. I had a full-on day of meetings in Hastings with some genuinely interesting, passionate and inspiring people. I left feeling energised and like I’d learned a lot. Dinner was pretty humble – meal deal in a Tesco Express carrier bag – but it did the job. I spent the evening catching up on admin and finally finished the Matt Haig book I started what feels like forever ago while waiting in hospital. A satisfying end to a long day.

Day 59 - today - was homeward bound. I was more than ready to leave the hotel behind and head back North. The return journey was easy and uneventful, and by 1pm I was back in my own home. That moment of walking through the door? Pure bliss. There’s nothing like being away to make you appreciate your own space, the comfort of familiar things and your loved ones. I am feeling SO grateful for home today.

24/07/2025

I have a lot of respect for some of Gabor Mates work, but I agree that his perspective on ADHD (and other types of 'neuro-wildness') is highly problematic. Many ADHDers 'mask' their authentic selves as a trauma response, which creates further trauma and also exacerbates distress behaviours. Trauma does not 'create' ADHD, which we now know has a very strong inherited genetic conponent. Healing from trauma allows people with ADHD and other neuro wild brains to be more of their natural selves.

The Healing Forest Therapies is a neuro-wild /neurodivergent friendly business. I provide a safe space for you to be fully your glorious and beautiful self.