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Addiction counselling is about treating the mind, body and spirit, and helping the person to understand their drug and alcohol use and how it has affected not only themselves but also the people they love. 

Nadine provides a safe and confidential space for people to open up and confront the issues that have led to their drug and alcohol use and possible addiction in the first place. Nadine’s supportive and non-judgemental manner encourages complete honesty and in turn, this gives her clients the greatest chance of a successful recovery.

Performers and allied industry professionals tend to be vulnerable to substance use and addiction issues because of the fear and insecurity that can come with the job and because of the environments they may work in.

Some addictions regularly worked through in her clinic include: Alcohol, drugs, eating disorders, gambling, pornography, sex and shopping.

Sessions usually last 50 minutes.
Nadine initially recommends weekly sessions but depending on individual needs she may advise more or less frequent contact.

Addiction is complex and requires individualised treatments that address the symptoms and underlying causes, as well as the consequences that the addiction has on different areas of a person’s life.

As such Nadine uses a variety of counselling techniques and
treatments to help people overcome their using behaviour and addictions such as: Individual counselling sessions, family sessions, relapse prevention support groups, cycle of change, brief solution focused therapy, motivational interviewing, both harm reduction and abstinence approaches, cognitive behavioural therapy and mindfulness-based therapies.

Alongside counselling for substance use Nadine also supports medically managed community drug and alcohol detoxification and rehabilitation programmes and offers substitute prescribing for street drugs and personalised vitamin therapy as an Independent Nurse Prescriber and Nutritional Therapist.

A menu of holistic therapies is available and will also be offered.

All of the suitable options are presented in the initial assessment appointment and discussed so that one can make an informed choice of care. Nadine’s clients are typically given a treatment plan tailored to their personal needs. Ongoing sessions are then used to guide them through the stages of change.

Nadine trained as a Mental Health Nurse at The University of Surrey, where she also earned a First Class Honours degree in Clinical Practice and her Non-Medical Independent Nurse Prescribing qualification. With 25 years of experience as a Clinical Nurse Specialist, Nadine is a dual diagnosis expert with extensive experience of working with clients who have complex health needs, helping them to manage their drug and alcohol use/addiction alongside a spectrum of mental disorders. She specialises in integrated treatment approaches that address the complex interplay between co morbidities. Read more about Nadine.

Read more about Nadine Page here.

Musicians, Dancers, Actors and allied touring professionals spend a lot of time out on the road. Gwen helps parents amongst them to use positive parenting techniques to build strong and healthy bonds with their children that last a lifetime. Do you want to form a better connection with your child? Is homeschooling feeling overwhelming? Do you feel like you are yelling, shouting, begging, bribing or pleading to get your children to listen to you? Do you or your child have Neuro-Divergence (ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia etc) and are you struggling to understand the best way to communicate with them? If you answered YES to any of these questions Parenting Coaching will help you discover the best way forward for YOUR family. Gwendolyn is a certified Parent Coach. Read more about Gwendolyn Jones here. 

Gwen provides a safe and confidential space to discuss various relationship issues. Talking about and exploring your relationship will help you to get a better understanding of what is happening and the reasons why. Sessions usually last 50 minutes. Gwen may advise you to have weekly sessions or to see her less frequently, such as once a month. You can see Gwen by yourself or with your significant other. She will help you to develop new skills and discover new ways to communicate to resolve the issues between you. Gwen is an international therapist, coach and corporate speaker focusing on relationships. Whether it is relationship with self, a partner, a family member or a child, she believes healthier relationships are the key to stronger mental health and wellbeing. Read more about Gwendolyn Jones here. 

Sex therapy is a specialised form of psychotherapy which addresses issues around sex. The aim is to improve sexual wellbeing. Issues may present for an individual or in a relationship. Many people can find discussing or even acknowledging issues around sex uncomfortable or embarrassing to talk about. Speaking to a Psycho-Sexual Therapist is a positive step towards resolving these issues. Sexual health is the driving principle behind sex therapy. 

Gwen provides a safe and confidential space to discuss various sexual problems. Gwen will listen to you describe your problems and assess whether the cause is likely to be psychological, physical or a combination of the two. You can see Gwen by yourself, but if your problem affects your partner as well, it may be better for you both to attend. Talking about and exploring your experiences will help you get a better understanding of what is happening and the reasons. Gwen may also give you exercises and tasks to do with your partner in your own time.

Sessions usually last 50 minutes. Gwen may advise you to have weekly sessions or to see her less frequently, such as once a month. The following are examples of what may be discussed in the sessions:

Sexual Function Most people experience some form of sexual function issue within their lives. We will work with your doctor to ensure your sexual health is where it should be both physically and mentally. Issues for people with a penis may include: Erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, delayed ejaculation, anorgasmia and low sexual desire. Issues for people with vaginas may include: Vaginismus, pain with penetration, anorgasmia and low sexual desire.

Trauma Sex should be legal, consensual and pleasurable. There are times when one or more of these three pillars has been violated. Trauma therapy will help heal the pain of traumatic instances and move towards personal empowerment for sex to be defined in a healthy way on your own terms.

Compulsive Sexual Behaviour/Sex Addiction When sexual behaviour feels out of control it can have extremely negative effects on a person’s life. In therapy, we will identify what is not serving you, heal trauma and find a better way to maintain a healthy lifestyle. This is not an abstinence program. It is a way to allow your sexual self to be balanced within your life.

Gender and Sexual Diversity (LGBTQIA+) Who we are attracted to and how we identify varies from person to person. Therapy will NEVER try to change this. Rather, therapy supports your process for exploring and developing a healthy relationship with your definition of sexuality, orientation and relationship.

Sexual Practices There are many sexual practices by which an adult can achieve pleasure with themselves or partner(s). When these practices are legal and consensual, they can be exciting. Sometimes a person’s kink can cause distress in themselves or in a relationship (s). Therapy can help find the cause of the distress and give tools for a healthier relationship with your sexual practice.

Infertility When an individual or couple are struggling to have a baby, stress levels are through the roof! In therapy, we will work on the struggle of the now, the uncertainty of the future and the process ahead. The goal is to attain acceptance and peace in the process. Gwendolyn trained at the renowned contemporary Institute for Clinical Sexology to obtain a Masters level qualification in sex and relationships. Read more about Gwendolyn Jones here. 

A Psychotherapist therapist will work with an individual to reflect on what has happened to them and how it might be affecting their life today. The focus is on compassion, listening and understanding, rather than making a diagnosis. This can help them to process any trauma so it has a less negative impact on their mind and body. 

A person does not need to be in crisis or have a diagnosed mental illness to have Psychotherapy. It can help anyone with emotional or mental health problems, including:

• Anxiety
• A feeling of not coping
• Problems dealing with stress or recovering from stressful situa-tions
• Lack of confidence or extreme shyness
• Coping with the effects of abuse
• Feelings of depression, sadness, grief or emptiness • Extreme mood swings
• Difficulty making or sustaining relationships, or repeatedly be-coming involved in unsatisfying or destructive relationships
• Sexual problems
• Difficulties coming to terms with losses such as bereavement, divorce or unemployment
• Eating disorders
• Self-harm
• Obsessive behaviour
• Panic attacks and phobias 

Dawn offers both face-to-face in the practice, remotely by telephone and online sessions via video, the sessions usually last for 50 minutes. Dawn provides one-to-one support and also works with partners, family members, or in a group. Dawn listens and provides a non-judgmental safe space so her clients feel heard and understood. She helps her clients to express and explore their deepest thoughts and feelings as they come up and extends support whilst they make sense of them. Dawn does not tell her clients what to do but listens and may ask questions which can help them to see things in a new light. This allows her clients to see situations, relationships and themselves more clearly. It can open up new ways of thinking, feeling and behaving. Within the sessions clients become more conscious of things that have held them back, giving them the opportunity to make different choices and stop damaging patterns of behaviour. They can also find better ways to cope with feelings and fears. This might feel difficult to begin with, but Dawn offers guidance throughout. It is not unusual for clients to find themselves crying, getting upset or angry. This can feel unsettling and intense but Dawn is trained to help process emotions that come up. Read more about Dawn Templeton here. 

At The Creative Well our mentors provide one-to-one and group tuition and/or careers advice to musicians under 30. They are sensitive to the emotional needs of the mentee, and have an empathic approach to every interaction to help manage difficult and challenging circumstances faced by young people. Our mentees all have music as an important and often cathartic aspect of their lives. Some aspire to ‘make it’ in the music industry, while others make music for their own pleasure. Our mentors use a shared passion for music to connect with their mentees to set realistic and achievable targets. These may well include professional or educational goals, but may equally include very personal musical targets such as; “I want to finish writing my song about the turbulent relationship I have with my mother. ” Or “I want to perform a song I have written to my girlfriend about my love for her.” When it comes to mentoring arrangements there are varying degrees of flexibility with regards to the frequency of meetings, timescale and expectations etc. The mentee and mentor together will establish a realistic structure that will not only serve the mentee’s goals but also ensure a productive and manageable relationship. Read more about our Music Mentors Karl Sweeney and Samuel Robinson here.