Katie Lloyd – Service Manager – Domestic Abuse Services - Cranstoun
'I have had the absolute pleasure of working with Rosie over the last 6 months or so. She and her wonderful team has supported Cranstoun to provide support for children and young people through the Phoenix Programme (as part of Mirror My Magic®). This Programme provides holistic therapies for children/adults survivors/victims of DA to help them move forwards in their healing and lives.
From the off, Rosie was a fountain of knowledge and enthusiasm, and thinking outside the box is something that comes so naturally to her - if there is a problem, Rosie is usually two steps ahead, working out a solution. And she is so well connected, that she can always point you in the right direction for other areas of support.
On a personal level, Rosie has provided me with much support as I came into my current role with very little experience - she offered practical advice and explanations. She is such a warm and caring individual.
The work Rosie provided was very well organised, adaptable to each child and situation, had very good results. This was noted by positive evaluations. The post work report was in depth, and a pleasure to read - it gave great insight into the support that was given'.
​
Professional Testimonials
Karen Evans – Domestic Abuse Co-ordinator for Local Authority
​
‘Your Housing Needs Assessment for Domestic Abuse Survivors Report findings have been used within our DA Strategy and linked action plans so already impacting and will continue to impact in the short, medium, long term.
​
Child Aged 14 (Art Therapy)
​
'Talking to the therapist made me realise that one of my parents is pressuring me and that pressure is making me stressed. That same parent also subtly criticises me, leading to a lack in confidence and putting less trust in myself and my ideas, so I don’t want to try anything new, so I don’t fail. Sometimes I don’t know what reaction I’m going to get from this parent, leaving me fearful to speak and leading me to seek excess validation from other sources. This has made me put pressure on myself and made me lose confidence which is causing stress. The criticism makes me feel sad, not confident and makes me feel that my opinions are not good enough. The sessions have started to help me understand and notice when the pressure and criticism is happening. This pressure has not gone away but I'm aware that it's there now.
The first 6 sessions dealt with the stress overload by focusing on having fun. Winston the dog helped me to feel relaxed talking to a stranger. The next 6 sessions have helped me adapt to changes at home and at school and started to help me tackle things that will alleviate stress, such as pressure from self and parents, a tunnel vision attitude and recognising that anger is an acceptable feeling.
I feel that I would benefit from more sessions with Sea to help me explore who I really am, gain more self-confidence to trust myself more and explore techniques to overcome my fixed pessimistic mindset, which is another main source of my stress and anxiety'.
​
Mum & Child Aged 8 (Art Therapy)
​
'My 8-year-old son has struggling with anger issues and expressing his feelings for the past 3 years due to our family breakdown, when we were referred to Cranstoun. He learnt many ways of how to express his feelings and how to communicate in a healthy way.
I can’t thank Cranstoun, Mirror My Magic® and my son’s therapist enough for all the help they gave him while he attended art therapy.
He has learned to communicate instead of lashing out, he now uses his reading material to calm himself and make himself feel better something that was provided by his therapist. He always came out happy and relaxed and I feel it has helped him back into a happy path moving forward. Rosie (Mirror My Magic®) is amazing from the minute I met her I felt safe and relaxed. It was easy to open up to her and tell her everything about home life and what has got you to the position you are currently in, In life.
​
Rosie always responds quickly and is such a lovely woman. The experience from talking to her alone lifted a huge weight of my shoulders. All in all, the experience and care that Rosie and Cranstoun provided for us has been amazing and we will forever be grateful for the help they have given us and the strength they have showed us we have. So massive thanks to you both'.
​
​
Child Aged 8 (Art Therapy)
​
'My 8-year-old daughter looked forward to her sessions with Sea every week and explored different emotions and feelings though some art based discussions. She is a shy girl so 6 seasons over 6 weeks was a limited amount of time for her to open up completely.
If more funding were available, I do feel that children like my daughter would build up the trust needed with Sea to really start exploring how different situations or people have a positive or negative impact on their emotional well-being and start to help build their confidence to voice their feelings in a safe environment'.
​
Rosie Coutts’ is a kind, empathic professional with a clear vision of how to make a difference to individuals who have experienced trauma. I met her at a very challenging time in my life and I greatly appreciated how hands on she was. Rosie was present for my first RTT and for my daughters first Art therapy. She not only helped me navigate the geography of the building, but more poignantly, my first stumbles into therapy, something I had never done before. I appreciate Rosie’s gentle support and clear knowledge and understanding of my deeply personal situation. Rosie seems to instinctively know when to listen and when to guide. Rosie’s ability to positively impact people’s lives by connecting them with talented professionals is a gift and I hope that many get the opportunities afforded to me and my daughter'.
​
Art Therapy
Mum of 15 year old girl (Art Therapy)
'Right from the start Rosie's communication was impeccable, she always treated my daughter and I with care and respect. Our feelings and needs were always put at the forefront and nothing was too much trouble. When my daughter struggled, Rosie accommodated her needs and made the changes to her programme to help her. Her therapist was perfect! She said that she felt understood, able to express herself and like she had known her forever. It is unfortunate that there are only 6 sessions, for Children who have suffered this only scratches the surface, I know my daughter would have benefited from more'.
​
Family (Art Therapy)
​
‘My family and I recently took part in the Phoenix programme, following some very difficult issues we had been faced with as a family.
The Art Therapist led our sessions in a truly empathetic and understanding way. She ensured that each session was tailored to myself and my boys. She listened empathetically to each of the issues raised and ensured that in the following sessions she addressed these, providing us with practical solutions.
After the six-week programme, we felt that we have been able to come closer together as a family and we are actively using some of the techniques presented to us. It has been an invaluable experience for us, and I would highly recommend both the programme and the therapist'.
​
Child Aged 8 (Art Therapy)
​
'What I found fun was that even though we were talking about sad things we were making it fun doing drawing'.
'The Art therapist was friendly and sincere. She clearly had many techniques and media available to suit individuals. My daughter liked her from the onset. There were weekly themes with mediums such as collage, gel pens, journaling and bubbles! I was particularly pleased to note that the weeks, with what I consider the more serious themes, were handled gently and my daughter left those sessions smiling and hungry for lunch.
My daughter surprised me by her enthusiasm in telling me about the content of her pictures. I thought it would be private and had no expectations, but her growing understanding of her feelings gave her the confidence to share vocally. It is interesting to see just how clearly, she communicates in images. She is very emotionally intelligent, yet she was previously unable to speak about certain things without reliving the incidents. Now, if she wishes to share, she either draws or simply describes a picture she sees in her head. These sessions have helped to increase her self-esteem and have given clear tools to navigate her internal world. I remain very thankful that my daughter was able to access this therapy'.
​
​
Mum, Survivor (RTT)
​
'Rosie of ‘Mirror My Magic®, contacted me, offering my children support during my very difficult divorce and having been forced to leave the family home. Sadly, the children's father put a stop to this but Rosie, realising that I needed help and hoping that if I was in a better place, I could, in turn, help my children, encouraged me to take up her offer of a gifted session of Rapid Transformational Therapy. She was truly amazing and with her guidance and support and never ending enthusiasm, I embarked on this journey. I would or could not have done it or even found it, without her. She has been instrumental in me changing my life. Thank you Rosie.
​
​
I had heard of the therapy but had never thought it was suitable for me because I had no deep trauma from my childhood that I thought could impact on my life but coming out of an abusive marriage, along with a very difficult divorce, I felt completely lost. I knew I had to find some strength to carry on, if not for me, then for my children.
When it was suggested to me, I was sceptical. I had no huge skeletons in my wardrobe, nothing in my past that I thought would have changed my life and perhaps be at the root of why I found myself in such a destructive relationship and unable to leave.
I was, however, desperate to stop the pain I was feeling, so I agreed. I chatted with Nicky first on the phone and immediately felt at ease. I was ready to try. I started the session with some trepidation. I had no expectations but also no idea. Nicky began the therapy and almost without being aware, I began to talk and without thinking, I began to answer her questions. It was bizarre and amazing in equal measure but what became clear to me was the little, almost trivial events in my childhood that had effected my life and the choices that I had made.
It was incredibly powerful to rediscover, talk through and then move forward from those moments that had come to haunt my subconscious. It was exhausting but exhilarating because I no longer felt afraid of my past. I no longer worried about what had been but felt able to address it positively in the future, my future. I have followed Nicky's advice and listened to her audio every day and it has been life changing. Almost overnight my fear has changed. I feel a sense of greater calm that I have been able to tap in on when things get challenging, particularly during the court hearings for my divorce. I cannot thank Nicky enough for her help and am so truly grateful for the opportunity to take part in this. It has been incredible.
Thank you for all you help and allowing me to access this therapy. Life changing indeed'.
Mum, Survivor (RTT)
'RTT (Rapid Transformational Therapy) began with pink stationery and journaling prompts – we started as we meant to go on, committed and active. For anyone who really wants to shift things that are not helping them this is a great course.
​
I found the weekly themes lead on naturally from each other. The course was extremely well thought-out and structured while also encouraging personal input and allowing space for a truly individual journey.
Nicky is incredibly personable. She has profound knowledge and is beautifully generous. Her audios were plentiful, and I am smiling just thinking of them. Certain phrases now bring me grounding and feelings of anchored love and value.
I still listen to them as I go to sleep and when I wake, and the golden nuggets are still unfolding'.
​
​
