Sarah Hutchinson

I see my role as a guide to bring clients more deeply into connection with themselves and their bodies, so that the body can do what it knows it needs to do in order to become more expanded as a container, more open to allow creativity to flow through and clearer in a sense of knowing, with space for insights and answers to arise. We touch on memory or stories as gateways to activation in the body or as resources, for example, memories of safe places. Feeling is prioritised over story telling and I will constantly bring the client back to what is happening in their body.

Originally I trained in Theatre and worked as a performer, improviser, deviser, then director and producer. I discovered free dance through Five Rhythms in my twenties and movement has been an important part of my journey since. I wished to use theatre more therapeutically and through synchronicity came to train with Dr Sue Jennings, Drama Therapist and pioneer of the first MA trainings in Drama Therapy in the UK. Her Neuro Dramatic Play uniquely brings together mediums from a range of creative therapies: art, play, drama and movement. Based on the roles of these in early child development and how they can be used with older children and adults to address unmet childhood needs, attachment challenges, support risk taking, building resilience and as broad therapeutic tools for self exploration. Called more to support clients recovering from trauma I researched trainings to build skills in this area. Somatic Experiencing stood out to me as a powerful approach and I was inspired by the example of those already practising, Giselle Genillard of SOSI and Peter Levine, creator of the technique. I knew I wanted to follow in their foot steps so embarked on training for three years, including two advanced modules. Using the techniques with clients it's effectiveness is confirmed to me again and again.