Wise Minded Wellbeing CIC provides therapeutic interventions, integrating the ancient wisdom of yoga and mindfulness, with the scientific evidence of psychological approaches. Our aim is to promote mental health and wellbeing, and reduce the distress and suffering that results from mental health difficulties.
Dr Ali Downes
Clinical Psychologist, Yoga Therapist (Children & Yong People, Yoga Therapy for Women’s Health), Yoga & Mindfulness Teacher, Managing Director
I initially started Wise Minded as a sole trader, back in 2013, after completing my Mindfulness Teacher Training with Bangor University. I started out offering monthly mindfulness workshops to a group of like-minded mum’s. The following year I trained as a children’s yoga and mindfulness teacher, and began teaching regular classes for children aged 2-12yrs in 2015. In 2018 I added adult yoga to my skill set, after a 2 year journey of practice, training and self-reflection, and started teaching adult yoga classes alongside my children’s yoga classes.
Given my 10+ years experience as a Clinical Psychologist, I am passionate about the benefits of yoga & mindfulness for developing emotional resilience and psychological wellbeing. I’ve spent the last few years working on combining my passions for both psychology and yoga, by training in Yoga Therapy for Children and Young People, and most recently completing my training in Yoga Therapy for Women’s Health.
Throughout all of this nature has remained a constant theme, influencing both my yoga practice and teaching, but also being a foundation to my own self-care. More recently I have begun to explore the research into the healing effects of nature, and explore ways to integrate connection to nature into both my therapeutic yoga and clinical psychology work.
In March 2021 I decided to incorporate Wise Minded Wellbeing as a Community Interest Company, so that I can expand my offerings of therapeutic yoga and nature therapy, alongside my private clinical psychology work. The hope is that Wise Minded Wellbeing will work collaboratively with the community, as well as public and third sector organisations, to improve mental health and wellbeing.
Amy Pickering
Mental Health Practitioner, Student Yoga Teacher, Mindfulness in Schools (.be) Teacher
I am a Mental Health Practitioner and Student Yoga Teacher with 18 years experience of working in mental health with both adults and young people in third sector and education settings. I am experienced in working with people from vulnerable social groups having worked for 12 years in an addiction setting. I am trained to teach Mindfulness in Schools .be (dot be) 10-week mindfulness course to 11-18 year olds, and I have a daily mindfulness practice finding this to be an essential part of looking after my own wellbeing. More recently I have become interested in trauma sensitive mindfulness and how I can bring this into my teaching.
I like to work holistically with clients and tailor my work to their individual needs. I incorporate a range of skills and techniques including those from CBT and ACT alongside counselling skills and grounding techniques. In recent years I have enjoyed bringing mindfulness and yoga techniques into my work and find this to be really beneficial in allowing people to work with difficult emotions and trauma. I am experienced in working with risk and safeguarding issues.
