Testimonials
Business:
“Work to me isn’t just a job. It is part of who I am. It is therefore very important to ensure that my wellbeing at work is something I take seriously and this course has helped me to understand that. It was all helpful. It will help me build better relationships with people at all levels within the organisation; better understanding that other people may be looking at something from a different perspective to me. I am going to suggest we offer this again to others” (CEO, investment company)
“I would recommend this course to colleagues – it’s a good way of thinking, and we are stronger if we are all looking in the same direction” ( investment company)
“This will make it easier to overcome hurdles and challenges at work…the emphasis on resilience was most helpful” (investment company)
“I have gained more understanding of how to deal with potentially confrontational issues at work, and how to listen and be more empathic” (investment company)
“I will be able to incorporate this training in to my line manager duties straightaway – great!” (investment company)
“I found this the most helpful: to focus on the here and now, and inbuilt wisdom and trusting inner feelings – it has put things in to perspective for me” (investment company)
Carers:
“I would like to thank you for introducing me to the 3 Principles. It has helped me to accept life as it is and I feel better equipped to deal with the experience of life itself…and not to waste energy on trying to change things as they present themselves along life’s path. It highlights a path to the way that is best to live. When I am alone now, I feel there is always a friend with me…the name of that friend is WISDOM.” (Linda, Carer, Swansea)
“What the 3 Principles mean to me: I am more aware of my thoughts and as a sufferer of anxiety, I can now (8 out of 10 times) catch my feelings, and thoughts that exacerbate them. I can now realize that they are just thoughts J Every day is a new day, a new way to see things, a new approach. Once you have the 3 Principles in your life and understand them you can never go back J” (Amba, Carer, Swansea)
“I came in to the course feeling like a car crash – and I left it feeling like a Jumbo Jet!” (Kath, Carer, Swansea)
“Thank you for your warmth, generous spirit, insight and humour J You ran a wonderful safe group that allowed us to ‘be’…lovely. (Ali, Swansea Carers Centre)
“Wonderful woman – full of warmth and loving kindness to reach out to us and embrace us with her wisdom. I hope what I have learnt will stay now with me for ever and enlighten my life for ever” (Carole, Carer, Swansea)
“Perfect tutor. Can’t imagine anyone more suited. You are very warm and sincere and a Wise Woman!” (Pauline, Carer, Swansea)
“I now have new ideas re coping with my caring situation. New confidence and inner strength to carry on. New belief in myself and my abilities.” (Carer, Swansea)
“My perspective of my life is lived from the inside out!” (Carer, Swansea)
Social Care sector:
[In partnership with The Roots Foundation Wales:]
"I just wanted to thank you again for offering & providing the Positive Progression Sessions to our clients. The clients that attended really felt they benefited from it & can continue to use the tools, ethos & three principles you provided them, in the future. Myself & staff also found it very beneficial, personally & to promote to clients. We support a lot of care leavers & young people with emotional insecurities & worries & I feel the training will help them to focus on the future & not the past & think more positively about their lives. Good luck in the future & keep spreading your knowledge & support." (Sian, Team Leader, Caer Las Cymru YPS)
“Just wanted to say I found the ‘More Joy, Less Stress’ training for kinship/SGO carers fab, and was on a course with a carer yesterday who told the whole group of carers that they should go on it and how she is already using it with her children – so when can we do it again please?” (Claire, Social Worker, Family & Friends Team, Swansea County Council)
“Alex has done some very beneficial work with a young person of mine who was experiencing a very difficult time. Alex gave this young person the tools to cope with the various issues being presented to her and has empowered her to grow in maturity and confidence.” (Sarah, Personal Advisor, Corporate Parenting, Pembrokeshire County Council)
“Interesting - lots to think about – and it will impact positively on the children if I’m less stressed” (Kinship/SGO Carer)
“A lot to think about and will help us get through glitches with the children” (Kinship/SGO Carer)
“The bit about Mind and Thought stick in my head – and letting thoughts go. I feel like a great weight’s just been taken off my mind”” (Kinship/SGO Carer)
“I want to hear more about how to pass this on to my daughter” (Social Worker)
“I feel I understand better now what’s happening when talking to children and trying to find solutions” (Kinship/SGO Carer)
“This will help me approach problems in a really different way” (Kinship/SGO Carer)
“I really enjoyed this and talking to the others about it – it will help us ‘expand’” (Kinship/SGO Carer)
Children & Young People:
“Thank you so much for your amazing work with us – we truly appreciate it! We wish we could have more!” (young people’s feedback, Caer Las Cymru YPS)
“I have really enjoyed learning about the 3 Principles, and doing the Labyrinth – I have been given the guidance to look beyond my own anxieties, focus on the present, and now I feel able to look and plan for the future for me and my family. Thank you so much Alex – I think you’re amazing and do such amazing work.” (female, young person who has left care)
“The 3 principles sessions have been really helpful for support and improving my confidence. I get a lot less stressed now – that’s been the biggest difference to me.” (male, young person who has left care)
“I was suicidal when we started sessions. Alex kept talking to me about the part of me that is wise. Me! Wise! I thought she was crazy, I didn’t get it and then I did! Nothing winds me up as much now, my nightmares have gone right down and even when I hear my voices I think of them as just more Thought. I really have got this wisdom and so does everyone” (male, young person who has left care)
“It was so easy to talk to you – I could just spill about anything on my mind, it was so relaxed. It’s been really helpful and I’m going to miss our meetings.” (female, young person who has left care)
“I feel strong when I remember that I have wisdom inside me. When I still get bad feelings and want to cut myself I can think of other stuff to do now until the thoughts have gone away and then I’m fine. I don’t feel scared now because I know my thoughts aren't real.” (female school pupil, 9 years old)
“My wisdom is like an egg around me, protecting me from the nasty things that the bullies say to me.” (female school pupil, 10 years old)''
Schools:
"I wanted to put in writing the exceptional impact that the Innate Resilience project with Alex Waters has had on some of our most vulnerable students. When the project began I was concerned about the ability of pupils who lacked self-esteem, organisation skills and confidence in actually attending a regular slot. I needn't have worried. Both of our initial groups of year 10 and 9 pupils were consistent due to the incredible clarity they developed about themselves within each session. The pupils talked about seeing the world differently as a result of their conversations and group interactions and all of them were profoundly impacted by the way the resilience training made them think about their social interactions. In all cases pupils fed back that not only did they feel that they were managing academic stress far more effectively but that also they were using the training to help them stop and think about choices they make in relation to social relationships. On parents evening the overwhelming sense from parents of pupils involved was that they had noticed that their child not only seemed to have found acceptance in a new group of friends (one of the things that all pupils I chose had in common - insecurity in social interactions) but that also life at home had become more measured. At least 5 separate parents reported that their child had come home and spoken to them about the discussions they had within the group, opening a line of communication which was a huge milestone for all concerned. Perhaps most indicative of the success of the project was the barrage of emails and conversations I had with parents and pupils once the course had ended. All wanted to know how such provision could continue and all were devastated for the course to move on.
Within my interactions with Alex I too have learnt a great deal as a practitioner and I have begun to implement these basic principles into the PSE schemes of work for all pupils in year 7, 8 and 9 at the school. Having seen the incredibly constructive and positive air that Alex' provision has provided thus far, I am in doubt that this knowledge will impact many more of our pupils. We were lucky enough to be able to offer some one-to-one sessions, which the pastoral team at Bishop Gore were tremendously grateful for. It speaks volumes that some of the most withdrawn pupils at the school were encouraged, independently to sign up for these intensive sessions after the fulfillment they developed within the initial project. Parental, staff and pupil feedback identified the enormous usefulness of this provision too.
I am devastated to lose such effective, immediately trans-formative provision for our pupils at the end of March. We had non-attending pupils arriving at school every Tuesday just for their session and the enormous impact in their grades and social interactions should never be underplayed.
Thank you so much for your provision. I very much hope that funding continues and that our pupils and staff may be able to benefit further from this timely and essential provision" (Rebecca, Head of Performing Arts and PSE, Bishop Gore school)
"Excellent, an opportunity to be calm and think positively about how we can manage our own worries and teach the children about the 3P’s. This will definitely help me to manage the school’s worries as well as my own worries about the school. I will share today’s training with other head teachers at cluster meetings” (Rachel Webb, Head Teacher, Hafod primary School)
“Given me a clearer mind to deal with others’ problems” (Darren, Hafod Primary School teaching staff)
“Very thought provoking Better equipped to deal with the over-thinking, just seeing thoughts as thoughts that will pass. I will continue to use the inner positive part of me that is innately present” (Rosalind, Hafod Primary School teaching staff)
“Very interesting, I feel that this backs up my thought process of knowing that there is a connection with my ‘source’ that is always available! Being able to step back and know that things will be ok no matter how far past ‘Ok ’I feel and seeing issues from others’ point of view and knowing people/children may just be following their ‘thoughts’“(Stuart, Hafod Primary School teaching staff))
“To get the children to realise they have thoughts they don’t need to act on…” (Mandie, Hafod Primary School teaching staff)
“I will try to put this message across to the pupils and parents I work with as much as possible because this will empower them.” (teacher, Hafod Primary School teaching staff)
“Fantastic, eye-opening, helpful, simply powerful! Yes! (teacher, Hafod Primary School teaching staff)
“Thank you loads personally and professionally” (teacher, Hafod Primary School teaching staff)
“Really enjoyed, and I could relate to this with my faith. I am going to pass it on to my daughters. Thank you” (Jahanara Hafod Primary School teaching staff), )
“I’ll pass this on to the children. And I liked the use of physical resources and props to teach children abstract ideas and concepts (Richard, ) Hafod Primary School teaching staff)
“It will help me to listen more in depth to the children instead of rushing to do the next task” (Nicola, Hafod Primary School teaching staff)
