CURRENT PROJECTS
Circle of Trees
Monthly environmental arts therapeutic workshops moving through the cycles of the year with nature
Pegasus
Neuro-affirming, therapeutic play and creative arts parent-child sessions for children presenting with anxiety, low mood, low self-esteem and/or withdrawal.
Light Parenting
A parent course that uses play and the creative arts as a gateway to exploring and overcoming barriers to finding connection, joy and lightness in our relationships with our children
Nature's Play
Community outreach workshops for children and young people to engage with nature through stories and art.
Wild Stories
Greenminds funded workshops, improving well-being through our connection with nature.
Team Building with Nature Connection
Regenerative, creative and nature-based approaches to reconnecting teams with themselves, each other, and their core purpose.
Circle of Trees
Journey through the cycles of the celtic year in a series of environment arts therapy workshops
"I really enjoyed the pacing of today, a great mix of self and community"...
"I enjoyed all aspects of the somatic exercises, breathwork, walking in nature, and utilising
nature in a respectful way but also as a tool of self development. Thank you for creating a safe, respectful,
authentic space, without judgement. I felt seen, heard and loved"...
"I loved it all - the creativity and therapeutic side"
" I enjoyed being in a space with others, a safe, conscious and led space where I could relinquish responsibility and invite in play. I loved playing with other adults and being in a space so in touch with nature. Look forward to learning more about the symbolism of trees and becoming familiar with them"....
"Nurture, Play, comfort, cake, gentleness, holding, time together, time solo, flow, the unknown, the variety of spaces and activity, and sense of spaciousness."
"I enjoyed finding things that represent the present moment and thenmaking a shrine and also making a sculpture of my heart cave…having a time to reflect on my thoughts in a focused environment. I enjoyed the combination of individual work and group collective sharing….and both familiar rituals of the previous workshop and incoming different workshop techniques, experimenting
with different formulas to explore the trees. It is good there is a new pattern each time. ""I enjoyed being out by nature and using the willow to symbolically release things that were not of use to me. I also really liked
making a token as it gave me an opportunity to be creative using natural
materials that I would not normally think to use in my creative practice."
Pegasus
Through the powers of play, story, creativity and imagination, children can rediscover their wings.
Designed and delivered by our Play Therapist, these sessions provide a low-demand, small group, nurturing space for children who present as anxious or withdrawn.
We aim for all children to feel seen, heard and accepted for their unique, incredible selves, to support them to begin to grow into and feel more confident expressing themselves.
Our therapist is also trained in Autplay, which means that these sessions are neuro-affirming and provide autism and ADHD-informed practices to support neurodivergent young people to feel safe to unmask and express themselves freely.
Please note that these are parent-child sessions, which means that not only are the children to be accompanied by a main carer but also that the parent/carer will be expected to join in with activities.
We know that it can be difficult for anxious young people to attend groups, which is why the groups are closed, 6-block sessions, with no more than 6 children per group. This provides predictability and familiar faces.
Before starting, our therapist will also meet with you to explore how to support your child to attend and feel comfortable in the setting.
Sessions are 2 hours
£200 per 6-sessions
We do occasionally have concessions available for low-income families, so please do get in touch if finances are a barrier to you accessing these sessions.
You may be able to access Early Help funding for this course. For more information about Early Help see A Quick Guide to Early Help in Devon - Devon Safeguarding Children Partnership
Next block of sessions starts:
28th April 2025
BOOKING ESSENTIAL
Please email maaike@catdevon.org.uk for more information
Light Parenting
Creative therapeutic parenting course exploring ways to connect and find joy in our relationships with our children.
The Island Club
Improving Social and Emotional Skills through Play
"The lunchtime club has had such a positive impact. Two of the attendees have made good friends, which I would never have imagined and they are actually going into class, even for the morning group sessions." LSA at the school
Team Building with Nature Connection
Regenerative, creative and nature-based approaches to reconnecting teams with themselves, each other, and their core purpose.
Plymouth City Council's Natural Infrastructure Team approached CATDevon to deliver a team day of nature connection on a mild, still December in 2023. The day involved our environmental arts therapist guiding the team to slow down and connect to themselves in breath, embodied and imaginative ways through their senses... read more here
“This training helped me connect with myself, nature, and my team in a transformative
way. Having worked in outdoor education and green community work, nature plays
a big role in my life and the people I work with. However, it’s rare I get the
opportunity to pause, breath and feel the natural human ties that arise when we
are not in a state of “doing” and we simply are allowed to notice the world
around us."— Participant
"Gin facilitated this session with a professionalism, grace, and care. Her approach
gently guides people without instructing, or didactically telling people how to
approach the natural world. She allows people to have their own experience and
allows people to approach the session in a way that is personal and meaningful
to them."— Participant
The session provided an excellent balance of playful and calm, which allowed our
team to connect to each other and the natural world in a multitude of ways. If
you are thinking of providing a rich experience for your team, group, or as an
individual, these sessions will leave a lasting impression on you and your
connection to the natural world and your sense of purpose”.
— Participant
Nature's Play
Play and Environmental Arts Community Outreach Well-Being Workshops
Lovely to take a moment to consider what makes them happy through story and activity" (Parent feedback)
"Fascinating" (young person)
Wild Stories
Improving well-being by increasing our connection with nature
"The whole Story gathering and telling process, from start to finish, has been such a joy for our children." (Foster Carer feedback for the group process)
"Ours was the last story to be heard and both D and V had been completely absorbed in the goings on... D gave a little squeal of delight when she heard one of the actors use her actual words” (feedback from the final performance)
https://youtu.be/W0Ixojl6kXU?si=xw_HATiY2o9767Aj
School-Based Anxiety
Providing support for parents and professionals struggling with children refusing to attend school
"
"I feel more aware of what I need to nourish myself, in order to support my son."
(Parent who attended Wood for the Trees Workshop)
Wow!!! Thank you for running this inspirational and powerful workshop... In a world where there is not a lot of help for families like mine, I really appreciate the positively impactful help you gave" (Parent who attended the webinar The Empowering Parents Program: School-Based Anxiety)
