The Compass Course
This embodied psychotherapeutic approach is to address the mental health crisis for our children - the real pandemic.
Young people have been great at opening up conversations about mental health. Many talk openly on social media about personal struggles. They've moved society forward, reduced the stigma surrounding mental health and made it a public issue.
Our early life experiences are inextricably connected to the mental, physical and environmental challenges that we are facing and if we care about the future of our planet, this has to become our issue.
The course will support you to become response-able
Our children need our help, now!
We still don't know the exact number of children battling issues like anxiety and depression, but here are some statistics about mental health that help tell the story. 1 in 6 children aged 5-16 are likely to have a mental health problem and in the last three years, the likelihood of young people having a mental health problem has increased by 50 %.
The Children’s Society Good Childhood Report (2022) shows that children's happiness continues to decline. Now, 5 children in a classroom of 30 are likely to have a mental health problem and a startling 34 % of those who do get referred to NHS services are not accepted into treatment. We all know that specialist services are overstretched and young people are often refused treatment or made to join a long waiting list.
Vision
The Compass Course is an additional training for those who have Mental Health, Yoga or Clinical training and is a prerequisite for the training. It is for Clinical Psychologists, Psychiatrists, Psychotherapists, Mental Health professionals, Health care professionals, GPs, Counsellors, Teachers, Social Workers, Yoga teachers and therapists who are committed to making a difference for our children and young people.
The Intention
It is absolutely possible to create communities where our children are safe and loved.
Membership on this journey requires a commitment to the twin trail: the inner path of self connection, compassion and consciousness and a commitment to the outer path of being in service to our children and therefore all beings and the Earth.
The Compass Course is here to equip you to share this integrative embodied psychotherapeutic approach with all the support you need to fully execute the skills, knowledge and tools we have to heal hearts and unlock potential.
You will need unwavering passion to provide and create CONSCIOUS, COMPASSIONATE support for children facing mental health challenges, trauma, addictions and additional needs.
With strong roots in Attachment Theory, Yoga Therapy, Adaptive Information Processing (EMDR), Systemic Therapy and Neuroscience, The Compass Course offers a beautiful direction in healing through:
East and West
Old and New
Science and Art
Evidence and Intuition
Movement and Stillness
You will be part of a loving community that is completely committed to supporting all children and families to feel loved and be loved and this will be deep work, and guided in a nourishing, compassionate and held way.
The Compass Course is very rooted in experience, evidence and theory, and I witness again and again how this transformative approach can really change the lives of those we have the privilege to work with.
Course Dates
This course will have a small membership and will begin around midsummer starting with a
3 day Compass Retreat July 2025.
This is the time to celebrate life, as nature is at its fullest. It is also when we are in the light (around the longest day of the year) and it is this light we want to guide our children back to.
Our meetings and course content shared will be attuned to the seasonal festival in the wheel of the year. All things are cyclical.
The Compass course is a carefully crafted blend of in-person retreat-style learning, pre-recorded material, private study and exploration and online live sessions.
An exploration in the form of a workshop, ceremony or community circle to accompany each aspect of the wheel of the year
These will inspire and offer ways to share within your community
There will be 8 of these explorations in total (2 incorporated into the opening and closing retreat)
There will be opening and closing retreats for the course and within this container you will be offered:
Facilitated community compass circles:
These will have some taught aspects, practices and sharing opportunities with question and answer sessions.
Once per month for 1.5 hours
Narrated PowerPoints and online quizzes (to be completed in the life cycle of the course) on:
Attachment Theory
Neuroscience and child development (including neurodiversity)
Intergenerational trauma: ‘It didn’t start with you’.
From ‘What is wrong with me?’ to ‘What happened to me?’ An exploration into the body, mind and heart of trauma.
Family work: healing the system
Pre-recorded workshops on:
Working with Chronic Health
Working with every-body (an exploration into embodiment and eating disorders)
Attunement and consent
Safety
Working with triggers
Ethics and boundaries
Neurodiversity
Yoga Nidra
Trauma sensitive mindfulness for families
Additional requirement
You will be required to complete 8 practice sessions with other course participants.
All participants have to undertake their own therapy for the duration of the course (at least once per month)
Residential Venue:
The venue for the in-person part of this course is in the beautiful Cotswolds, Gloucestershire, UK which is my home. You will be enveloped in these breathtakingly beautiful valleys to hold and support you in this journey.
Much of this work will be conducted in ceremony. Some of this will be together and some on our individual paths. There will be story, song, play, and movement. We may visit parts of ourselves that have been hidden as well as those that are more ready to reveal themselves. It is my utmost intention to offer you a safe holding in which to explore this.
For more information or to reserve your spot:
