Elemental Occupational Therapy

20/03/2026

Today is the spring equinox and it marks the balance between light and dark. The old and the new. New life emerging ☀️

How do we manage these shifts of time when we don’t wish yet to release the past? How do we welcome new life when we still want to live the one we have lost? New beginnings can feel so painful when we’re grieving.

Balancing two states - the past and the future - deep sadness and joy - fear and excitement. This is a significant part of learning to live with loss. Inevitably saying goodbye to how things were, means learning to embrace how things are going to be. Some of my work is about helping you to start considering that transition. 🌸

13/03/2026

Lovely day to check on our tree. Great to see it so well protected. Thank you Northtyneside Council

21/02/2026

It was a lovely event. More images to follow 💚

A 'Tree of Hope' Sycamore Gap sapling has been planted in Rising Sun Country Park as part of the Garden for Grief project

15/02/2026

This week was children’s mental health week and I thought I’d share some of my go-to creative children’s wellbeing activities.

There are so many creative ideas (which is why I LOVE working with young people) to choose from but these are three that I use time and again. They’re always so popular with young ones.

It goes without saying - always follow the child’s lead. Go only where they want (and are ready) to go when discussing anything difficult. And be sure to balance expression with decompression - safe, grounding, gentle closure after any of these.

1, Hapa Zome kite making. We ‘bash out’ our feelings and then release them into the sky. Did you know that in some cultures kites represent an opportunity to send a message to the deceased?

2, Binoculars so that we can seek out those pesky hidden feelings that we struggle to air. Combines well with a bug hunt and looking for ANTS (if ya know ya know - thank you for the inspiration).

3, Pendulum painting - messy, lively, big motions for big emotions. Normalising the extreme and conflicting swings between feeling states.

Have a good Sunday my friends. Look after your littlies and their big feelings ❤️

07/02/2026

“Wow - that must be so hard”. Typical response when I tell people what I do for a living.

And yet here I am, so very privileged to help you alchemise (some of) your pain into something precious. 💗

Reasons why I love my work:
1, Connection - I believe in community. I believe we heal together. I believe the hardest part of grief is the loneliness and social isolation it brings. The answer, I believe, lies in solidarity and community.

2, Rebellion - I like to go to the emotional places that most people avoid. I like to have the difficult conversations. I like (fiercely love) to amplify the voices that we are told to silence. This speaks to my inner rebel and ignites my passion for justice and inclusion.

3, Truth - I am committed to truth-telling. I have no other way to be. I can’t understand when our society appears to ‘pretend’ that life isn’t hard and s**t stuff isn’t happening. I am deep. And grief delivers us (weeping and wailing) to raw, profound and life-changing depths. It is the emotional frontline of the human experience. And that’s where I feel I belong.

4, Transition - as a therapist I gain fulfilment through facilitating client’s growth and ‘transition’. To witness a person’s evolution within and adaptation to (what is often) the most painful experience of their lives is an honour I cannot put into words. To be able to hold the hands of the lost and gently usher them towards belonging, understanding and meaning is a privilege I will never take for granted.

Told you I was a bit deep. 💚🌿
Have the very best day my loves. And if you can’t do that, please….just have a day.

01/02/2026

This service is free at the point of access. This means that my clients DO NOT pay a fee for the support I give them.

I feel passionately about equality and accessibility, and believe that financial status should not be a barrier to wellbeing and support. Particularly bereavement support.

As such I am entirely reliant upon your donations. Swipe to see 3 ways you can help me to keep helping others 🙏🏼💚

30/01/2026

What is something (in your grief journey) that has been buried, lying dormant, and needs addressing? What is something new that you can feel slowly, tentatively emerging? 💚

Feb 1st is ‘Imbolc’ - which translates as ‘in the belly’ of the Earth. An ancient Celtic festival.

This date represents a period of gestation. We are midway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox - and the Earth is gently stirring. Nature is charged with the possibility of change.

We almost ran out of time to make these Brigid crosses today - the conversation between us was so rich and so alive.

24/01/2026

Is there something you’d like to say to the person you miss? 💗

A lovely Saturday morning on site remembering our people and making tender (re)connections. 🌿