isas Incest Sexual Abuse Survivors ANNUAL REPORT 2016 17 1
CHAIRMAN DIRECTORS LETTER Dear all As this letter is being written on one day we have supported over 30 survivors of childhood abuse our wonderful counsellors giving their time free of charge to ensure that survivors receive the support they need where they need it and give them the very best chance of recovering from the worst kind of emotional scars we can imagine CONTENTS 3 4 CHAIRMAN DIRECTORS LETTER 5 TREASURER S REPORT 2016 17 6 ISAS SERVICE REPORT 7 YEAR IN REVIEW 8 9 MEET THE TEAM 10 OUR IMPACT 11 CLIENT STORY 12 GROUP WORK 13 15 16 CREATIVE THERAPIES ACKNOWLEDGMENTS CONTACT Just taking a snapshot of the kind of complex clients from one week can give you an idea of the kind of trauma we are helping people face Last week we saw a client in their seventies who had held onto their abuse for decades waiting until her father had passed before seeking the courage needed to seek help systematically abused from the age of five until well into her teens and disbelieved by the adults in her life She had spent years pretending to feel ok attempting to have normal relationships All the while she had been suffering from panic attacks feelings of low self worth taking antidepressants and had attempted suicide on more than one occasion More and more complex cases come through the door a male client abused in a children s home over many years forced to watch others 2 abuse and then gone on to develop issues with drugs and alcohol with long spells in prison due to his addictions After accessing male group therapy and 121 counselling he is a different man positive able to express his feelings having been given the safe and trusting environment he has never been shown Without any self worth or trust in the world and those around you it is impossible to take steps to achieve in other areas This is what we do best and what we have done for over a quarter of a century We know that with our specialist service we can and will make this client and many others feel whole again give them the coping strategies to face their everyday fears and look to a more positive future We see this evidence in our statistics the most dramatic increase in client s sense of selfworth trust and hope these may sound like insignificant markers to measure our impact but these are feelings that effect the rest of our lives and impact the bigger decisions such as going back to work getting out of a violent relationship getting addictive behaviours under control 3
CHAIRMAN DIRECTORS LETTER Dear all As this letter is being written on one day we have supported over 30 survivors of childhood abuse our wonderful counsellors giving their time free of charge to ensure that survivors receive the support they need where they need it and give them the very best chance of recovering from the worst kind of emotional scars we can imagine CONTENTS 3 4 CHAIRMAN DIRECTORS LETTER 5 TREASURER S REPORT 2016 17 6 ISAS SERVICE REPORT 7 YEAR IN REVIEW 8 9 MEET THE TEAM 10 OUR IMPACT 11 CLIENT STORY 12 GROUP WORK 13 15 16 CREATIVE THERAPIES ACKNOWLEDGMENTS CONTACT Just taking a snapshot of the kind of complex clients from one week can give you an idea of the kind of trauma we are helping people face Last week we saw a client in their seventies who had held onto their abuse for decades waiting until her father had passed before seeking the courage needed to seek help systematically abused from the age of five until well into her teens and disbelieved by the adults in her life She had spent years pretending to feel ok attempting to have normal relationships All the while she had been suffering from panic attacks feelings of low self worth taking antidepressants and had attempted suicide on more than one occasion More and more complex cases come through the door a male client abused in a children s home over many years forced to watch others 2 abuse and then gone on to develop issues with drugs and alcohol with long spells in prison due to his addictions After accessing male group therapy and 121 counselling he is a different man positive able to express his feelings having been given the safe and trusting environment he has never been shown Without any self worth or trust in the world and those around you it is impossible to take steps to achieve in other areas This is what we do best and what we have done for over a quarter of a century We know that with our specialist service we can and will make this client and many others feel whole again give them the coping strategies to face their everyday fears and look to a more positive future We see this evidence in our statistics the most dramatic increase in client s sense of selfworth trust and hope these may sound like insignificant markers to measure our impact but these are feelings that effect the rest of our lives and impact the bigger decisions such as going back to work getting out of a violent relationship getting addictive behaviours under control 3
isas Incest Sexual Abuse Survivors ANNUAL REPORT 2016 17 1
CHAIRMAN DIRECTORS LETTER Dear all As this letter is being written on one day we have supported over 30 survivors of childhood abuse our wonderful counsellors giving their time free of charge to ensure that survivors receive the support they need where they need it and give them the very best chance of recovering from the worst kind of emotional scars we can imagine CONTENTS 3 4 CHAIRMAN DIRECTORS LETTER 5 TREASURER S REPORT 2016 17 6 ISAS SERVICE REPORT 7 YEAR IN REVIEW 8 9 MEET THE TEAM 10 OUR IMPACT 11 CLIENT STORY 12 GROUP WORK 13 15 16 CREATIVE THERAPIES ACKNOWLEDGMENTS CONTACT Just taking a snapshot of the kind of complex clients from one week can give you an idea of the kind of trauma we are helping people face Last week we saw a client in their seventies who had held onto their abuse for decades waiting until her father had passed before seeking the courage needed to seek help systematically abused from the age of five until well into her teens and disbelieved by the adults in her life She had spent years pretending to feel ok attempting to have normal relationships All the while she had been suffering from panic attacks feelings of low self worth taking antidepressants and had attempted suicide on more than one occasion More and more complex cases come through the door a male client abused in a children s home over many years forced to watch others 2 abuse and then gone on to develop issues with drugs and alcohol with long spells in prison due to his addictions After accessing male group therapy and 121 counselling he is a different man positive able to express his feelings having been given the safe and trusting environment he has never been shown Without any self worth or trust in the world and those around you it is impossible to take steps to achieve in other areas This is what we do best and what we have done for over a quarter of a century We know that with our specialist service we can and will make this client and many others feel whole again give them the coping strategies to face their everyday fears and look to a more positive future We see this evidence in our statistics the most dramatic increase in client s sense of selfworth trust and hope these may sound like insignificant markers to measure our impact but these are feelings that effect the rest of our lives and impact the bigger decisions such as going back to work getting out of a violent relationship getting addictive behaviours under control 3
ISAS SERVICE REPORT YEAR IN REVIEW ISAS makes me feel at home when everything else is falling apart and people are judging me I can find my safe place here Anon Female Survivor Throughout the year of 2016 17 we are proud to say that ISAS has continued to offer a high professional standard of therapeutic support to survivors of sexual abuse throughout the area of Nottinghamshire This support has also been extended to family members survivors of immediate trauma and rape alongside young survivors of which we have modified our assessments this year to ensure our clients are assessed accordingly and to better reflect our service There has been a struggle with the financial climate for charitable organisations this year seeing cuts to Mental Health Funding which has proved to be a challenge Yet in the face of adversity our staff and counsellors have ensured that the therapeutic process remains at the heart of everything we do certifying that we continue to provide the service that we recognise our clients need 6 This year the organisation has experienced an ever increasing demand for our counselling services with a noticeable increase of referrals regarding initial contact from GP s support workers crisis teams and well being centres Alongside this there has been an increase in media coverage reporting on national awareness of historical sexual abuse which has led to individuals finding the strength to seek help From the increasing demand for our service a considerable amount of work has been needed in order to minimise the waiting times for clients in all four areas This has been executed superbly by our Clinical Co ordinators by way of keeping effective contact with our clients offering clients alternative areas with shorter waiting times and offering group work From our meticulous check ins with clients who are waiting for one to one counselling we have found that our outstanding reputation has provided ease in willingness to wait This is clearly demonstrated by one of our clients who stated that ISAS are The best at working with survivors of sexual abuse As an organisation we have seen some changes welcoming new fantastic people to the team saying goodbye to others recruiting new volunteers as well as increasing our amount of creative workshops and therapeutic groups A great example of this comes from the thriving female therapeutic group in Newark which has seen its numbers rise from three to twelve with an expanding waiting list Client services improve continuously and our wonderful volunteer counsellors feel at home and looked after with plenty of support not just during our monthly Peer Supervision groups and our trainings but every day the team works tirelessly to ensure we are always available to clients and counsellors alike While statistics can capture a certain amount of information regarding the difference that counselling has made to psychological wellbeing and general health the impact of the benefits of counselling cannot be totally measured Our counsellors see between 2 5 clients per week and can sometimes come away from sessions wondering if they have made a difference However in a recent conversation regarding an encounter that a counsellor had with a very old client the counsellor said The person I met was not the person I d expected to meet the ex client was confident energetic and spoke enthusiastically about their current work The client reflected on the counselling sessions that they had had with our counsellor and described them as Priceless The counselling space had allowed them to speak openly about past sexual abuse and its impact on their life An accepting person who did not judge and offered warmth and the space to be allowed the client to grow This is what our counsellors do Our clients come to us disempowered and de personalised from the very first contact often by phone and then at assessment clients are met with warmth care empathy and acceptance Clients feel empowered and supported with ISAS A particular client saying My life will never be the same again you have saved my life and I will always be indebted to you and another describing ISAS as lifesaving Written by Stephanie de Carpentier Esther Hastings Deanne Gardner LOCATIONS NEWARK RUSHCLIFFE GEDLING BASSETLAW 23 19 MANSFIELD ASHFIELD 25 33 REFERRALS 367 7023 42 INDIVIDUALS SUPPORTED HOURS OF COUNSELLING VOLUNTEERS DONATED 9 556 HOURS OF SERVICE TO ISAS 21 42 19 19 IAPT SELF REFERRAL GPs OTHER ORGANISATIONS 7
ISAS SERVICE REPORT YEAR IN REVIEW ISAS makes me feel at home when everything else is falling apart and people are judging me I can find my safe place here Anon Female Survivor Throughout the year of 2016 17 we are proud to say that ISAS has continued to offer a high professional standard of therapeutic support to survivors of sexual abuse throughout the area of Nottinghamshire This support has also been extended to family members survivors of immediate trauma and rape alongside young survivors of which we have modified our assessments this year to ensure our clients are assessed accordingly and to better reflect our service There has been a struggle with the financial climate for charitable organisations this year seeing cuts to Mental Health Funding which has proved to be a challenge Yet in the face of adversity our staff and counsellors have ensured that the therapeutic process remains at the heart of everything we do certifying that we continue to provide the service that we recognise our clients need 6 This year the organisation has experienced an ever increasing demand for our counselling services with a noticeable increase of referrals regarding initial contact from GP s support workers crisis teams and well being centres Alongside this there has been an increase in media coverage reporting on national awareness of historical sexual abuse which has led to individuals finding the strength to seek help From the increasing demand for our service a considerable amount of work has been needed in order to minimise the waiting times for clients in all four areas This has been executed superbly by our Clinical Co ordinators by way of keeping effective contact with our clients offering clients alternative areas with shorter waiting times and offering group work From our meticulous check ins with clients who are waiting for one to one counselling we have found that our outstanding reputation has provided ease in willingness to wait This is clearly demonstrated by one of our clients who stated that ISAS are The best at working with survivors of sexual abuse As an organisation we have seen some changes welcoming new fantastic people to the team saying goodbye to others recruiting new volunteers as well as increasing our amount of creative workshops and therapeutic groups A great example of this comes from the thriving female therapeutic group in Newark which has seen its numbers rise from three to twelve with an expanding waiting list Client services improve continuously and our wonderful volunteer counsellors feel at home and looked after with plenty of support not just during our monthly Peer Supervision groups and our trainings but every day the team works tirelessly to ensure we are always available to clients and counsellors alike While statistics can capture a certain amount of information regarding the difference that counselling has made to psychological wellbeing and general health the impact of the benefits of counselling cannot be totally measured Our counsellors see between 2 5 clients per week and can sometimes come away from sessions wondering if they have made a difference However in a recent conversation regarding an encounter that a counsellor had with a very old client the counsellor said The person I met was not the person I d expected to meet the ex client was confident energetic and spoke enthusiastically about their current work The client reflected on the counselling sessions that they had had with our counsellor and described them as Priceless The counselling space had allowed them to speak openly about past sexual abuse and its impact on their life An accepting person who did not judge and offered warmth and the space to be allowed the client to grow This is what our counsellors do Our clients come to us disempowered and de personalised from the very first contact often by phone and then at assessment clients are met with warmth care empathy and acceptance Clients feel empowered and supported with ISAS A particular client saying My life will never be the same again you have saved my life and I will always be indebted to you and another describing ISAS as lifesaving Written by Stephanie de Carpentier Esther Hastings Deanne Gardner LOCATIONS NEWARK RUSHCLIFFE GEDLING BASSETLAW 23 19 MANSFIELD ASHFIELD 25 33 REFERRALS 367 7023 42 INDIVIDUALS SUPPORTED HOURS OF COUNSELLING VOLUNTEERS DONATED 9 556 HOURS OF SERVICE TO ISAS 21 42 19 19 IAPT SELF REFERRAL GPs OTHER ORGANISATIONS 7
MEET THE TEAM MEET THE TEAM 3 ISAS 4 KEY VALUES LINK STRONGLY TO THE ETHICAL PRINCIPLES OF THE BACP 1 2 That need us with warmth and respect ACCESSIBLE Tailored services to meet the needs of the people that need us We are flexible in our delivery and in the choice of services that we offer 4 TRUSTED We aim to be transparent as an organization building trust internally with our Stakeholders and with our Service Users EFFICIENT We believe in clear and demonstrable outcomes that demonstrate the real change we are making We will continuously strive to be a robust and sustainable organization always able to meet the needs of our clients Esther Hastings 8 CARING A compassionate and caring team dedicated to achieving our vision and supporting those CLINICAL CO ORDINATOR Newark Deanne Gardner CLINICAL CO ORDINATOR Mansfield Nottingham Amanda Jones CLINICAL CO ORDINATOR Nottingham Daniel Mckay ACTIVITIES CO ORDINATOR Stephanie De Carpentier OFFICE MANAGER DRAMA THERAPIST Joanne Butler DIRECTOR This is what we do best and what we have done for over a quarter of a century 9
MEET THE TEAM MEET THE TEAM 3 ISAS 4 KEY VALUES LINK STRONGLY TO THE ETHICAL PRINCIPLES OF THE BACP 1 2 That need us with warmth and respect ACCESSIBLE Tailored services to meet the needs of the people that need us We are flexible in our delivery and in the choice of services that we offer 4 TRUSTED We aim to be transparent as an organization building trust internally with our Stakeholders and with our Service Users EFFICIENT We believe in clear and demonstrable outcomes that demonstrate the real change we are making We will continuously strive to be a robust and sustainable organization always able to meet the needs of our clients Esther Hastings 8 CARING A compassionate and caring team dedicated to achieving our vision and supporting those CLINICAL CO ORDINATOR Newark Deanne Gardner CLINICAL CO ORDINATOR Mansfield Nottingham Amanda Jones CLINICAL CO ORDINATOR Nottingham Daniel Mckay ACTIVITIES CO ORDINATOR Stephanie De Carpentier OFFICE MANAGER DRAMA THERAPIST Joanne Butler DIRECTOR This is what we do best and what we have done for over a quarter of a century 9
OUR IMPACT CLIENT STORY LETTER FROM AN ANONYMOUS FEMALE SURVIVOR Thanks to all at ISAS For helping me to see that what happened to me over 50 years ago was not my fault It was not me that would have brought shame and distress to my family and I did not let anyone down PRESENTING ISSUES 44 55 73 WITH DRUG ADDICTIONS DOMESTIC ABUSE SUICIDE OR SELF HARM 53 10 MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES OUTCOMES 67 75 90 This has been with me all my life and the realisation of what happened has taken 52 years and two mental breakdowns to come back to the forefront ISAS listened to me and gave me a positive outlook and ways of dealing with these memories I am a good caring person who normally cares and protects others before myself Now I love myself a bit more and know I need to ensure that I am okay first emotionally before being the knight in shining armour I would not have got to this point without the help of ISAS Many thanks to all TESTIMONIAL CLIENT STORY INCREASE IN MANAGING ADDICTIVE BEHAVIOURS IN INCREASING MANAGING RELATIONSHIPS INCREASE IN POSITIVE IDENTITY SELF ESTEEM 97 INCREASE IN TRUST HOPE How ISAS helped me ISAS has made such a difference in a very positive way to my life Today I am finally feeling good and happy again I feel that I ve now learnt how to live with what has happened to me and I have been given the tools to continue on my own so that as and when anything pops up in future I feel that I can now deal with it I couldn t have done any of this without the help guidance activities and counselling that ISAS has provided to me I have attended 3 group therapies as well as having 1 2 1 counselling I attended the Women s Group Drum Workshop and Art Workshop With each group that I went to it helped me in different ways to begin the journey of processing what had happened to me and to be able to find some good outlets for my emotions There s nothing quite like having a good free style play on a Djembe or painting how you feel or writing a tree of your life to be able to see where you are now and what has affected you so that you can understand more Being listened to and feeling safe is so important and I have found this at ISAS I have got something positive out of all the therapies Looking back I feel that they complimented each other as well It was important to me to have the opportunity to try different group therapies to find what worked for me I really feel that I also took some of each group therapy forward into my 1 2 1 counselling and although it has been a difficult my 1 2 1 journey has really benefitted from this Thank you ISAS 11
OUR IMPACT CLIENT STORY LETTER FROM AN ANONYMOUS FEMALE SURVIVOR Thanks to all at ISAS For helping me to see that what happened to me over 50 years ago was not my fault It was not me that would have brought shame and distress to my family and I did not let anyone down PRESENTING ISSUES 44 55 73 WITH DRUG ADDICTIONS DOMESTIC ABUSE SUICIDE OR SELF HARM 53 10 MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES OUTCOMES 67 75 90 This has been with me all my life and the realisation of what happened has taken 52 years and two mental breakdowns to come back to the forefront ISAS listened to me and gave me a positive outlook and ways of dealing with these memories I am a good caring person who normally cares and protects others before myself Now I love myself a bit more and know I need to ensure that I am okay first emotionally before being the knight in shining armour I would not have got to this point without the help of ISAS Many thanks to all TESTIMONIAL CLIENT STORY INCREASE IN MANAGING ADDICTIVE BEHAVIOURS IN INCREASING MANAGING RELATIONSHIPS INCREASE IN POSITIVE IDENTITY SELF ESTEEM 97 INCREASE IN TRUST HOPE How ISAS helped me ISAS has made such a difference in a very positive way to my life Today I am finally feeling good and happy again I feel that I ve now learnt how to live with what has happened to me and I have been given the tools to continue on my own so that as and when anything pops up in future I feel that I can now deal with it I couldn t have done any of this without the help guidance activities and counselling that ISAS has provided to me I have attended 3 group therapies as well as having 1 2 1 counselling I attended the Women s Group Drum Workshop and Art Workshop With each group that I went to it helped me in different ways to begin the journey of processing what had happened to me and to be able to find some good outlets for my emotions There s nothing quite like having a good free style play on a Djembe or painting how you feel or writing a tree of your life to be able to see where you are now and what has affected you so that you can understand more Being listened to and feeling safe is so important and I have found this at ISAS I have got something positive out of all the therapies Looking back I feel that they complimented each other as well It was important to me to have the opportunity to try different group therapies to find what worked for me I really feel that I also took some of each group therapy forward into my 1 2 1 counselling and although it has been a difficult my 1 2 1 journey has really benefitted from this Thank you ISAS 11
GROUP WORK CREATIVE THERAPIES GROUP SESSIONS DRAMA THERAPY The ISAS therapeutic groups have provided our clients with a safe nonjudgemental space where self exploration is abundant I have found these responses familiar from people when stating what I do whether it be a client or even a fellow therapist Clients can absorb a social atmosphere whereby boundaries are paramount We utilise various activities in which clients have the opportunity to focus individually on their issues with then the option to reflect and explore these as a group This provides our clients a supportive environment and comforts the notion that they are not alone In addition the groups provide clients the opportunity to appreciate different perspectives which can in turn provide movement in their healing 12 As some of our clients of an older generation have been holding their trauma and its effects for many years and can feel a sense of hopelessness in their ability to heal Thus being in a group of fellow survivors can encourage this healing particularly as our groups often combine clients who are either new to ISAS or who have been through their one to one counselling already For the latter these groups provide the additional support needed to be able to feel confident enough to transition away from ISAS and move on with the next part of their journeys These therapeutic groups are structured to focus on a different topic each week with this structure being based on our clients needs Clients work on trust is pivotal due to their issues created with trust not only from their abuse but the potential responses from disclosing the abuse and not being believed These groups aim to expand the clients boundaries of trust whilst provides an opening for clients to express their powerful emotions such as fear and anger whilst being held in a safe container by two of our counsellors I was never any good at drama Drama reminds me of school I can t act 680 GROUP SESSIONS Drama Therapy is still not as well known as some of the other Arts Therapies Yet I find it to be all encompassing and non restrictive in approach utilising art movement body mind connections story objects play music and many more It is a psychological therapy that can incorporate any creative aspect One of the biggest challenges I face is spreading the word to bring everyone into the know about Drama Therapy This creativity has been proven to have many healing factors for survivors of childhood sexual abuse It can provide key connections to the clients inner child as well as offering different perspectives All clients within the last year who have attended our Drama Therapy group have acknowledged improvements in their mental health on average seeing a 70 increase in managing mental health and well being Principally creativity offers one of the most vital aspects for this client group safety as it offers clients a way to explore their issues at a distance For example the use of metaphor is valuable in its use to establish a symbolic language in which clients can both vocalise and explore their feelings Following 12 week groups our measurements show remarkable improvement in their confidence self esteem social relationships and ability to talk about the abuse Drama Therapy continues to help facilitate survivors on their difficult journeys enabling self expression and as one survivor stated empowering our clients Over the past year I have worked with clients both as one to one and group utilising drama Therapy to facilitate their healing journeys 36 DRAMA THERAPY SESSIONS 13
GROUP WORK CREATIVE THERAPIES GROUP SESSIONS DRAMA THERAPY The ISAS therapeutic groups have provided our clients with a safe nonjudgemental space where self exploration is abundant I have found these responses familiar from people when stating what I do whether it be a client or even a fellow therapist Clients can absorb a social atmosphere whereby boundaries are paramount We utilise various activities in which clients have the opportunity to focus individually on their issues with then the option to reflect and explore these as a group This provides our clients a supportive environment and comforts the notion that they are not alone In addition the groups provide clients the opportunity to appreciate different perspectives which can in turn provide movement in their healing 12 As some of our clients of an older generation have been holding their trauma and its effects for many years and can feel a sense of hopelessness in their ability to heal Thus being in a group of fellow survivors can encourage this healing particularly as our groups often combine clients who are either new to ISAS or who have been through their one to one counselling already For the latter these groups provide the additional support needed to be able to feel confident enough to transition away from ISAS and move on with the next part of their journeys These therapeutic groups are structured to focus on a different topic each week with this structure being based on our clients needs Clients work on trust is pivotal due to their issues created with trust not only from their abuse but the potential responses from disclosing the abuse and not being believed These groups aim to expand the clients boundaries of trust whilst provides an opening for clients to express their powerful emotions such as fear and anger whilst being held in a safe container by two of our counsellors I was never any good at drama Drama reminds me of school I can t act 680 GROUP SESSIONS Drama Therapy is still not as well known as some of the other Arts Therapies Yet I find it to be all encompassing and non restrictive in approach utilising art movement body mind connections story objects play music and many more It is a psychological therapy that can incorporate any creative aspect One of the biggest challenges I face is spreading the word to bring everyone into the know about Drama Therapy This creativity has been proven to have many healing factors for survivors of childhood sexual abuse It can provide key connections to the clients inner child as well as offering different perspectives All clients within the last year who have attended our Drama Therapy group have acknowledged improvements in their mental health on average seeing a 70 increase in managing mental health and well being Principally creativity offers one of the most vital aspects for this client group safety as it offers clients a way to explore their issues at a distance For example the use of metaphor is valuable in its use to establish a symbolic language in which clients can both vocalise and explore their feelings Following 12 week groups our measurements show remarkable improvement in their confidence self esteem social relationships and ability to talk about the abuse Drama Therapy continues to help facilitate survivors on their difficult journeys enabling self expression and as one survivor stated empowering our clients Over the past year I have worked with clients both as one to one and group utilising drama Therapy to facilitate their healing journeys 36 DRAMA THERAPY SESSIONS 13
CREATIVE THERAPIES CREATIVE THERAPIES WALKING GROUPS DRUMMING GROUPS ART GROUPS These take place mainly through the summer months in the Peak District This is one of the oldest forms of healing used throughout the world in spiritual gatherings from Mongolia to Africa as a tool to promote physical mental and spiritual health These groups focus predominantly on creativity and how we can all make large bodies of art work on either how we feel or on past present experiences regardless of whether they feel they are a creative person or not When playing our African drums here at ISAS clients experience much the same feelings but with a number of connections towards our modern society relating towards connectivity grounding creativity which all ultimately improves overall wellbeing Fundamentally we work on how to become an artist and work through ideas that could sometimes be hard to explain so to give our clients an outlet to explore these emotions in a safe environment has been extremely beneficial They have been a great release for many here at ISAS as a way to connect back with nature and to enjoy a day doing a positive activity that is accessible to us all TESTIMONIALS On time safe warm Thank you very grateful TESTIMONIALS Thank you for the experience It was very good and helpful to be in a drumming therapeutic environment A whole day doing something constructive Thank you it made the biggest difference 14 Nice to see people in the group grow and develop also nice relaxed feel to the group Who knew drumming could bring so many emotions out of me Loved my time Wish there were more sessions TESTIMONIALS The group has helped me see other ways to help myself it has identified to me how therapeutic it is Also some tools to help me with self care identifying how my body is reacting and acknowledging it I really enjoyed the group and it was non threatening and comfortable I am really grateful for all the help I have been given by ISAS and the team Thank you 15
CREATIVE THERAPIES CREATIVE THERAPIES WALKING GROUPS DRUMMING GROUPS ART GROUPS These take place mainly through the summer months in the Peak District This is one of the oldest forms of healing used throughout the world in spiritual gatherings from Mongolia to Africa as a tool to promote physical mental and spiritual health These groups focus predominantly on creativity and how we can all make large bodies of art work on either how we feel or on past present experiences regardless of whether they feel they are a creative person or not When playing our African drums here at ISAS clients experience much the same feelings but with a number of connections towards our modern society relating towards connectivity grounding creativity which all ultimately improves overall wellbeing Fundamentally we work on how to become an artist and work through ideas that could sometimes be hard to explain so to give our clients an outlet to explore these emotions in a safe environment has been extremely beneficial They have been a great release for many here at ISAS as a way to connect back with nature and to enjoy a day doing a positive activity that is accessible to us all TESTIMONIALS On time safe warm Thank you very grateful TESTIMONIALS Thank you for the experience It was very good and helpful to be in a drumming therapeutic environment A whole day doing something constructive Thank you it made the biggest difference 14 Nice to see people in the group grow and develop also nice relaxed feel to the group Who knew drumming could bring so many emotions out of me Loved my time Wish there were more sessions TESTIMONIALS The group has helped me see other ways to help myself it has identified to me how therapeutic it is Also some tools to help me with self care identifying how my body is reacting and acknowledging it I really enjoyed the group and it was non threatening and comfortable I am really grateful for all the help I have been given by ISAS and the team Thank you 15
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Allen Lane Foundation Jones 1986 Charitable Trust The Foreman Hardy Charitable Trust Bassetlaw Clinical Commissioning Group Nottinghamshire County Council Thomas Farr Greggs Foundation Nottinghamshire Police Crime Commissioner All of our Supporters Donors J N Derbyshire Trust ISAS is immensely proud to be a volunteer led organisation we have volunteer counsellors working across the County delivering therapy to clients throughout the day and evening Our volunteers are at the heart of what we do whether they are still studying or have been with us for years they are truly valued OUR VOLUNTEERS IN 2016 17 WERE Agniezka Sikorska Clare Harrison Katherine Office Louise McQuade Ros Anderson Amanda Jones Dawn Hopkins Kelly Spink Michelle Teasel Roy McPartland Anita Harris Ellis Frost Kerry Chapman Natasha Barnes Rukhsana Munir Bridget Chillingworth Funbi Sarras Kris Godden Patricia Fagan Steph de Carpentier Charlotte Whelan John Nicol Kulbinder Thorpe Patricia Knowles Tracey Street Cherie Palmer Julie Knowles Lesley Lewell Paula Palmer Wendy Field Chrisiti Carson Karen emery Lisa Haydon Richard Kettley Yvonne Seabrook isas notts org uk ISAS QUEENS HEAD CHAMBERS 42 KIRK GATE NEWARK NOTTINGHAMSHIRE NG24 1AB 16 Charity No 1076138 44 0 115 8240314 admin isas notts org uk
