Training & Workshops

The workshops and training here are offered throughout the year and can be found on the Events page. However, if you can’t make the date listed and have a group of colleagues that would like to do it, please get in touch for options of arranging for a private group training/ workshop.

Experiential Self Care

These workshops offer a practical approach to self-care. You will gather tools and strategies to use through your working day to help avoid vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue and burnout; but the day will feature these experientially, drawing on yoga, restorative yoga nidra, mindfulness, nature therapy, mindful walking, bushcraft, and somatics to leave you feeling rested and rejuvenated.


Somatic Toolkit for Trauma

This training combines theory with practice to give you an embodied learning experience as well as through lectures.

We explore:

  • How to structure your work to avoid re-traumatisation and increase safety and stabilisation

  • How to safely share psych-ed with clients to develop self-understanding and self-compassion

  • Deliver stable and calm assessments

  • Develop a wide range of resources, including experiential somatic resources, and ways to implement them with your clients

  • How to prevent vicarious trauma, burnout and compassion fatigue


8 Keys to Safe Trauma Recovery

These sessions draw on the 8 Keys to Safe Trauma Recovery Workbook written by Vanessa Bear and Babette Rothschild. They are best with each Key as a separate session, with 1.5 hours for each Key, totaling 12 hours.

The sessions are focused on strategies to recover from trauma and are focused on phases one and three.


Therapist Socials

I facilitate Therapist Socials loosely in line with the Wheel of the Year, which are about every 1.5 to 2 months. These are a space to simply socialise with other therapists- they do not involve peer supervision or team-building tasks. They offer some of the key ingredients for wellbeing: community, movement, nature and food.

They can also offer a space to network and feel less alone, particularly for those in private practice, to meet potential therapists for referrals, and to be in a space that is unlikely to involve being part of a group with a client.

Counsellors, psychotherapists, mental health workers, and bodyworkers are all welcome.

It is free to join.

  • Nes is very gentle and inclusive

    Excerpt from anonymous feedback form, shared with permission

  • Such a wonderfully relaxing and nurturing workshop. Nes made everyone feel welcome.

    Excerpt from anonymous feedback form, shared with permission

  • A well paced informative and practical course.

    Excerpt from anonymous feedback form, shared with permission

  • It was a great 2 days and full of really helpful information to work with trauma in the therapy room.

    Excerpt from anonymous feedback form, shared with permission

A little about Vanessa Bear

(though you will find more information here)

I am a UKCP-registered integrative psychotherapist and psychotherapeutic counsellor, qualified to work with adults, children and young people. I have experience in CAMHS, NHS, schools, and charitable organisations. I have a private practice in the South Lake District. 

As well as working with individuals and groups in various settings, I also work outdoors and hold qualifications, training and experience as a Mountain Leader, Forest School, basket-making, and nature connection.  I am interested in the role that relationship with more-than-human nature has in resourcing and supporting therapeutic work and sense of belonging. I  am also trained in a variety of embodied and body-connected practices including yoga, yoga therapy, yogic mindfulness, somatic trauma therapy.