Jacqui Ellis’ work as a Developmental Trauma Specialist has seen her work with children to help them to achieve their true potential and shine.
For many of the families Jacqui Ellis has worked with, the results have been transformative. As a Developmental Trauma Specialist with Deep Connexions, she has helped children and their parents recognise the unseen traumas that they might have experienced and learn new ways to deal with them.
Among the conditions Jacqui has helped to address are concentration, anger issues, low confidence and self esteem, and balance and coordination
“As a Developmental Trauma Specialist, I specialise in working with babies, children, parents, and families helping them all to understand how their unseen/unheard experiences from their time in womb and during birth may have left imprints which are still affecting how they live their lives today.
“As these very early experiences are preverbal and buried deep within our subconscious nervous system, they can influence how we react in times of stress, change and transition later in life.
“I work intuitively with a range of therapies: Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy, Integrative Baby Therapy, Birth Mask Reveal and Reflex Integration/Neuro Developmental Therapy.”
Through her work with families, Jacqui has seen a wide range of benefits, including –
- Improved relationships between family members meaning family life is calmer and more joyful.
- Parents feeling more connected/attuned to their children.
- Children having improved self-esteem, less anxiety/anger, more able to cope with change and transition.
- Improvements in academics and sport.
Describing one particular recent case, Jacqui recalls a seven year old boy who had become increasingly defiant when asked to complete tasks, wanting to do everything his way and trying to control events in family life.
“During one of the sessions, he asked me to play a game with him. He went under the therapy table which was draped in blankets and asked me to slowly push my hand along the floor under the edge of the blanket towards him. This I did and he pushed my hand away. He wanted me to repeat this.
“Each further attempt caused him to become more agitated and angrier to the extent that he punched my hand and aggressively pushed it away shouting, ‘I don’t want you in here! Get out! Get out!’
“Turning my attention to mum, I could see she was holding her lower belly and when asked what she was with, she explained that she was really feeling her C-section scar (her son had been born via C-section due to being breech presentation). He appeared to be expressing his sense of anger with regards to the invasion of the obstetrician’s knife and being extracted from his safe space, and therefore feeling out of control.
“I enquired as to what he needed, and he shouted back, ‘I want to do it my way!’
I acknowledged his emotions and worked with the sensations he was with. I then asked him what he wanted to do. He emerged from underneath the blanket backwards. We slowed the whole process down and then he wanted to repeat it again, each time smiling as he became visible.
“It was a real healing moment for him and his mum – a real recognition that he had endured a difficult experience during his birth that he had really wanted to share with her.
Moving forwards, she was able to recognise that it was important for her lad to have input into decisions, so he felt empowered, acknowledged and valued thus actively repatterning his birth experience.”
Jacqui’s desire to set up Deep Connexions and help families across the Bath and Wiltshire region was created by her own children. “Each of our children had their own struggles: difficulties with reading and writing, struggles with coordination and balance, difficulties sitting still and concentrating, to mention a few. I just couldn’t understand why some things seemed so difficult and how to help – it did not make sense!
“Discovering the Developmental Movement Programme (INPP) and Cranio Sacral Therapy transformed all our lives and enabled our children to achieve their true potential and shine.”
Jacqui explained that Biodynamic Cranio Sacral Therapy (BCST) is a gentle therapy that is holistic in its approach, and recognises that the body, mind and spirit are absolutely and inextricably intertwined.
“The therapist is highly skilled in listening to the body’s inherent health expressions, whilst creating a safe space for traumatic experiences to emerge and resolve smoothly without overwhelm and re-stimulation, as well as improving the functioning of the brain and nervous system.”
Her work has resulted in feedback to Jacqui from families who say –
- Family life is calmer – bedtimes/mealtimes/homework are easier.
- Their child/ren are now achieving both academically and in sports.
- Their child is happier and more contented.
- Parents feel empowered to parent with greater clarity.
Jacqui sees her clients at her Therapy Space in Chippenham, as well as arranging online appointments if they live further away.
For more details and to book an appointment, go to www.deepconnexions.co.uk