We are a counselling and psychotherapy service specialising in early intervention and trauma work including EMDR therapy. We provide a safe space where we support children, young people, adults and families to pursue change and make constructive choices in their lives. We are sited at various locations and our main site, Paradise Farmhouse, is a special place in surroundings of exceptional peace and beauty.
Therapeutic Journeys is a not-for-profit counselling and psychotherapy service that aims to prioritise disadvantaged and vulnerable communities. We recognise that trauma is at the root of many of the ills of our society and believe that the best response is to help with the healing of trauma in order to foster hope and enable choice and growth. At present, because of the way mental health is categorised by medical services, many people suffering from psychological trauma are being missed; they are falling through the gaps because they are deemed “not ill enough”, and the cost to them, to their families and to society will be enormous if the help they urgently require is not provided, and at Therapeutic Journeys we consider early access to high quality therapy as a human right, regardless of ability to pay,
Because of this, in May 2020, we decided to change our status, having for over 10 years been delivering similar services as a private practice with sliding fee scales. Our charitable status was therefore born of the need to find ways to subsidise additional specialist therapists so that our services might meet increasing demands from disadvantaged communities while maintaining high standards.
Where we supported children to cope with struggles and concerns they are facing in life, or who are living in households affected by mental illness.
Where we addressed specific pastoral issues, i.e. how to develop a school-wide approach in support of students presenting with challenging behaviour due to complex trauma or mental health issues.
Where we supported parents to develop strategies to deal with their teenagers’ specific difficulties.
Where we supported people who, rather than attending on-going sessions, committed to a set of consecutive days to focus exclusively on the issues they wished to address and resolve.
To treat trauma or on-going stress in a group setting
(188 participants)
1 session for 4 participants in the UK
10 trainings with an average of 16-18 participants in each training
88 Supervision sessions for clinicians working with children and adults
Our Specialised trauma service offering intensive intervention has supported 14 adults suffering from chronic stress, adversity and re-traumatization. Only 3 of these were able to pay a full fee, while the remaining 11 had been without the financial means to access private services and as a result had struggled to access specialist therapeutic support. Unfortunately, the demand for our low fee or free services is well beyond our capacity to respond, as the present staff configuration cannot meet the required demand. We are looking for solutions to remedy this situation asap.
To learn more about Our Regular Services and Our Humanitarian Commitment, please click here.
Distress and difficulty affect us all at some point in life. These life-challenging moments may come from emotional, relational or personal characteristics, including patterns of behaviour or thinking we learned early in life. We may doubt that we have the inner resources to bring about change or to find the fulfilment we desire. Or else we may feel dissatisfied with our life because of the pressures for quick solutions or for 'perfection' in today's world.
One way forward is to consult a therapist in order to explore, understand and see how what is troubling us or someone we love may be changed, managed or accepted. Self-reflection can help us understand the nature of our problems and dilemmas and enable us to challenge negative beliefs. It can engage our inner resources and creativity so as to connect with our joy and aliveness, which in turn could help us pursue change and find greater enjoyment in who we really are and what we are capable of achieving.
Nature has a wonderful therapeutic impact on us. Sometimes we conduct sessions with children and adults while walking and exploring nature. You are welcome to arrive early or stay on to enjoy the surroundings. Family support is only offered as intensive work, and the interaction with nature is an integral part of the family programme.
You are at the heart of what we do
Therapeutic Journeys is here to help you or your loved ones. We are an independent practice comprising highly qualified, committed child and adult counsellors and therapists. We strive to make our services accessible and affordable to those who contact us.
Our commitment is to explore with you what is best for you and your family.
Over the past year, children have mainly been referred to us because of relationship difficulties, bullying, peer pressure (via social media or other means), pressures caused by academic or other kinds of perfectionism (such as body image), loss and bereavement, difficult family dynamics (including sibling rivalry), self-harming behaviours and unhelpful relationships with food.
Where children exhibit unhelpful and dysfunctional behaviours, including anti-social and self-harming ways of functioning, we pay special attention to possible links with trauma.
All the families we support have a child or family member who has experienced single or multiple trauma of any kind, including trauma related to special needs.
We explore, with all family members, the connection between dysfunctional behaviours and trauma. We equip the family with constructive strategies and we actively seek to minimise the risk of re-traumatisation. Our approach is to empower the individual and help their network to support their recovery, as also the recovery of other family members when required.
Adults often consult us because they find themselves at a crossroads, feel overwhelmed by life’s circumstances or demands, or are unable to find meaning and direction, to the point that they may lose touch with what is real and realistic. At other times people consult us because they need to find ways to accept and manage creatively what does not require to be, or cannot be, changed.
For over 10 years our services were offered under the umbrella of Paradise Farmhouse Ltd. Since May 2020, Therapeutic Journeys has built on that rich experience, but with a separate legal status as a Community Interest Company that allows us greater freedom to serve a wider community.
Paradise Farmhouse is our main location. It is an exceptionally restoring place where you will find beauty, simplicity and a warm welcome. It is deeply peaceful, a place to find calm for mind, body and soul. It provides an opportunity for pause, for inspired reflection and for creativity, whether as an individual or as part of a group.
When appropriate, our work includes techniques aimed at taking full advantage of the healing that individuals can achieve through their connection or re-connection with nature.
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Please contact us at any time for a chat, to refer someone or to request further information. All conversations are confidential.
Our services are commissioned by statutory organisations, private and state schools, and non-profit organisations. Also by individuals and families with children who are in distress or experience a range of emotional, behavioural or personality issues.
For you, your family or your child.
