As a single parent of four mum certainly had a lot on her plate and very little support it being the late 1970s and all. In fact, she was spurned by neighbours, supposed friends and some family for not staying committed to a loveless marriage and an alcoholic husband.

“But it’s not about stuff!” they said, “it’s about the people, the human connection and being there.”

I’d just finished visiting mum after a particularly difficult family meeting which was mediated by a care lead of mum’s residential home.

Nicolle Mitchell explores the ethics of touch, consent and boundaries as a modern therapist

The strung out and overworked carers around him and the duty nurse Steve were all on high alert.

Ian usually enjoyed his massage each week and would happily sit while I smoothed away tension he held in his upper back.

Doris sits in her wheelchair by the edge of the dining tables, a busy thoroughfare, grasping at people as they walk by her, each one swerving, avoiding her grabbing hands. Each one another painful rejection.

It’s 7am on a December morning. I’m checking messages across all my media. This is my best quiet admin time.

How a lack of autonomy & agency impact health for a person living with dementia…

We’ve all experienced that feeling…

Recently, I’ve been thinking more about time and the pressure we are under to fit everything in…

Don’t you just love it when you hit it off with someone and are completely on the same page.

When mum was first diagnosed with dementia, she had also been living with a diagnosis of depression.

It’s not surprising mum didn’t sleep well. In my teens, I would often come downstairs to start breakfast and find her asleep on the couch. She would often fall asleep there with a duvet pulled over her having watched TV until the white dot blinked into blackness.

Although dementia continues to touch more lives, the growth of the number of people who live with dementia slowed in recent years and this in part has been linked to better lifestyle choices; “what’s good for your heart is good for your head”.

Oxytocin is our love & wellbeing hormone; our “tend & befriend” hormone which calms & connects us & helps us build trust with others. It supports our immune system & helps regulate more volatile emotions.

Being diagnosed with any serious illness can be traumatic, and dementia is no exception.

Many people have said you should never disagree with people living with dementia.

“If at first ……. the spanner doesn’t work, then try the pliers … and if the pliers don’t work try something else, including going back to the spanner.”

Trauma bit me on the bum! I thought I went into adoption with less naivete than many, having co-deputized as a manager in a children’s home in the 1990s, I helped create a nurturing environment for children who had experienced a very rocky start in life. We based our care practice on play therapy which […]

Good – Gooood – Goooood – Good Hydration ….. One of the more frustrating aspects of caring for someone who has dementia is ensuring they keep well hydrated. It can seem like a 24 hour job just trying to keep our loved one well watered. Signs of dehydration are: Dry skin Constipation Headaches Postural hypotension […]

Green Policy I don’t have a written policy as such, more that I try to be conscious of the impact on our environment & have been since I established my practice in 1998. I have been passionate about our planet & sustaining it for most of my life. One of the reasons I chose to […]

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I have a practice near Redruth, Cornwall and visit people in their own homes if they cannot attend my clinic. Story Hands Massage is a wonderful way to combine my passion for massage, story-telling and creative writing to improve mental, physical, emotional & social health. I love to share this powerful skill with individuals and […]

I would like to warmly welcome you to the Little Massage Clinic. At my clinic in Redruth, I offer integrated massage therapy including aromatherapy, deep tissue massage, stress management, diet and nutrition, hot/cold stone massage, Hopi ear candles and more. You will find me approachable, respectful, empathetic and understanding. If you have any need for additional support when visiting […]

Dementia & Trauma Click here to read the article as first published in International Therapist, Issue 131 (January 2020), the membership magazine of www.fht.org.uk.