Impact

Improved Wellbeing:

Katie's Story

What impact does Calmer Lives have on you and your life?

Calmer Lives has had such a huge impact and will continue to do so into our future. Its effects benefit not only me and my son (both of whom are neurodiverse) but also permeate through to positively impact our family life and also my work life, leading to a sense of increasing stability and hope now as opposed to utter despair and total overwhelm. I can now imagine a future. My emotional intelligence, communication skills and self-awareness has grown a lot with Jennifer's expansive empathy, understanding, knowledge and compassion. The counselling sessions have undoubtedly reduced the impact of traumas and ultimately I feel this has saved my marriage, my family and my career as I now have powerful strategies and perspectives I can take to help us all be resilient through difficult times.

If Calmer Lives didn't exist how would that impact you?

Jennifer has successfully coached and mentored me through some of the biggest traumas in my life. I feel there is no comparable service or skill set out there, it is irreplaceable - elsewhere you get only 15% of the offer - so you may get an experienced mentor but they offer just a 6wk generic provision out of a book. Calmer Lives is so individualised and personalised it becomes the perfect therapeutic response. Without leaning on Jennifer's' strength I would not have fought back; without having her intelligence I would have felt unseen and unheard but also unworthy. She helped me find my courage, and she has helped me nurture what matters. She has helped me see through my anger and pain to recognise my core values and I now realise these matter. I have been able to lose some of my bitterness, regret and shame. I do absolutely dread to look back and imagine what would have happened without Calmer Lives; I think we were unwittingly close to catastrophe.

Why did you choose Calmer Lives?

What 3 words do you associate with Calmer Lives?

"Expertise, Tailored, Recovery"

Improved Connection:

Calm, Connect, Collaborate

"I thought she was rapidly rolling towards hospitalization. It had happened so quickly for us as a family and from being functioning to suddenly everything was falling apart. So then to find this other route through, actually giving tools to manage the crisis that we were in. And encouraging me gave me the strength then to come back into the storm and gradually just be that bit more calmer in in the storm.

Meredith then could see that change in me. And I think it was after about eight months that she said, "Well, I want to come and meet this guy." I want to see I want to get a piece of this. What's going on here? This incredible gift of trust building and consistency and intention over a period of time.

It's been life changing. It really has been. I can't thank you enough.”

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Improved Empowerment:

Laura's Story

Since accessing Calmer Lives services have you seen an overall improvement in your young person's regulation and/or safety?

Since accessing Calmer Lives services do you feel that you are better able to support your young person?

Do you feel you have benefited therapeutically from your Calmer Lives sessions?

What has been the best or most helpful thing about your sessions?

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Please rate your overall experience with Calmer Lives:

Greater Equality:

When other services haven't worked

"At last - I feel very fortunate to have found a service that truly cares and understands my youngest son.

As a parent of neuro-diverse children, I have felt isolated and overwhelmed, having searched, without success, for support and therapeutic mentoring through four specialist schools, CAMHS, GP referrals, self-referrals to CAMHS - a suggestion made by my GP - which appears to bear absolutely no weight whatsoever with calls remaining unanswered and more recently a fruitless referral to the Adult ADHD Service.

With every crisis, the difficulties Bill was experiencing escalated until they seemed insurmountable.

Bill has been having weekly sessions with Calmer Lives over the last three years to help him work through his ongoing struggles.

Jennifer has developed an amazing relationship with Bill, helping him to reduce his anxiety and increase his confidence and self awareness by allowing him the time and space to process his thoughts whilst having a positive impact on his mental health.

Only last week, on finishing his session he exclaimed ‘It really has paid off coming to see Jennifer over that last few years’. The joy in his voice was unmeasurable.

Calmer Lives has been, without doubt, the best recommendation I have had, not only for Bill but for me as well. Bill and I have been shown consideration, kindness and empathy. I have felt supported and informed, having been gently and sensitively helped to become a better version of myself and certainly a better parent.

Calmer Live’s is invaluable, informative and nonjudgmental.

I am not sure how we would exist without Calmer Lives. I can honestly say I don’t know what we would have done without the knowledge and unwavering support and commitment that we have experienced.

Thank you."

Improved Education:

A professionals experience

What impact does CEDA (Calmer Lives) have on you and your life?

For the past 5 years Calmer lives has been able to support myself and two other members of staff directly to support a SEND student with PDA traits towards gaining academic qualifications and improving their social interactions outside of the trusted family circle. Howard has given us all a wealth of knowledge not only regarding PDA but also ideas and strategies to facilitate collaborative working and using declarative language to avoid pushing demands onto our student.

If CEDA didn't exist how would that impact you?

Why did you choose CEDA/Calmer Lives?

What 3 words do you associate with Calmer Lives?

“Positive, Hands-on, Scaffold”