Meet the team
Navigating whom to trust for your or your child’s needs can be challenging, but rest assured, we’ve carefully selected therapists and content writers who are highly qualified and experienced. Our team includes esteemed researcher Dr Alex Richardson, ensuring comprehensive support tailored to your requirements.
To schedule an appointment, please choose the therapist you wish to book with. For additional details on which therapy might be appropriate for your or your child’s particular requirements, please consult the following sections:
Support for Mood issues Support for Behavioural issues Support for Sleep issues
Nutritionists
Julie Griffiths
MPhil MSc.
Registered Nutritionist
Experience and booking
It all started when I was 12 whilst attending a live taping of celebrity chef cooking show in a TV studio. I remember the dish, “Pork Chop a la Belle Fontaine” to this day as I immediately went home, got my dad to shop for the ingredients and made the dish unaided much to the delight of my parents. Happy faces! I became hooked on food!
At university many years later, whilst studying criminology and neuropsychology towards a bachelor’s degree, I worked in a group home for young offenders and noticed that sugary drinks, cakes and candies sent many of the residents into a spin, meaning hyperactivity and ‘bad behaviour’ on an intolerable scale. However, psychology studies being dominated by Freudian philosophy at the time, I didn’t quite realise that a lot more than just sugar could affect behaviour.
It wasn’t until many years later that I became interested in what I regarded as a phenomenal surge in autism spectrum disorders, (ASD), ADHD and learned that omega 3 essential fatty acids (fish oil) could have a huge positive impact on ASD but also dyslexia thanks to the work of dr. alex richardson, a pioneer researcher in the area of food and behaviour. (Dyslexia was a very common finding in my group of young offenders and also in the local training school where they had been.)
So, fascinated by this, I went back to university as a mature student and studied the interaction of nutrients and the mind, for which I was awarded an MPHIL. I went on then to study Nutritional Therapy at the Master’s level, it being a total game-changer as I came to realise that the gut was one of the principal drivers of health and well-being. Just recently. new research has pointed to the inflammatory basis of depression. In fact many chronic diseases are in fact associated with high inflammation. There is a way of opposing inflammation in the body through specific nutrition. So by targeting the gut, restoring the microbiome and reducing pro-inflammatory foods, one can achieve quite astounding reversals in disease and declining mental health. I say targeting the gut as research shows that in children with autism, there is more pathogenic gut bacteria than in siblings.
I look forward to guiding parents in their journey to a better life for their children.
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Anna Marie
Registered Nutritionist & Mindfulness Coach with BSc (Hons), MSc
Experience and booking
Registered Nutritionist & Mindfulness Coach with BSc (Hons), MSc.
Experienced in mental health, ASC, and staff wellbeing. NHS, private sector, and own business background. Personalized coaching based on evidence. Specialized in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). Nutrition coaching for long-term brain and body health, including weight loss and disordered eating support. Gain knowledge and confidence in understanding your nutritional needs.
support@theannamarie.co.uk
@annamarie.mh
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Angela Ducker
Registered nutritionist.
BSc (Hons) Public Health Nutrition.
Experience and booking
I have a son with ADHD, so I can relate to the joys and frustrations that this brings. I have learned which foods help and which foods hinder my child and have adapted his diet to suit his needs. I was lucky to have my degree in nutrition to be able to confidently do this, but many people don’t, which is why I am so passionate about informing others on the impact of food on our thoughts and behaviour and helping people to adapt their diets safely and effectively. Though I am happy for clients to bring me their ideas and input, we go on a journey together, making changes at the individual level to best suit their needs and get the best results for them, one size definitely does not fit all!
Background in holistic therapies and Public Health Nutrition. Also a trained yoga teacher, using a holistic approach for personalized plans.
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Therapists
Lawrie Davies
Awaiting info
Experience and booking
Awaiting info
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Sian?
Occupational Therapist.
Experience and booking
Hannah has over 15 years experience working with children and adults with complex needs, including: behavioural, cognitive, environmental, mental, physical, sensory and social needs. She has extensive experience as a therapist supporting people with sensory processing difficulties in private practice, the NHS, Local Education Authorities and for non profit organisations.
Hannah delivers one to one therapy packages, consultation, training, workshops and wellbeing appointments. All have a unique focus on sensory integration and the individual’s sensory needs. Hannah is passionate about Occupational Therapy’s holistic approach to health and wellbeing, and the power it has to support positive transformation in people’s lives, allowing increased participation and fulfilment.
Hannah was an examiner representing Wales in the International EASI project, evaluating Ayres Sensory Integration, led by Dr Zoe Mailloux, a world leader in Sensory Integration. She also published a wellbeing journal in 2021 to support people’s wellbeing and mental health.
For more information or to book a free discovery call please email: hannah@sensorywellbeingot.com
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Jane Harris
Qualified Clinical Reflexologist.
Well-being practitioner.
Experience and booking
Jane at Find your Balance is a qualified clinical reflexologist and well-being practitioner living and working in Swansea.
Jane has a wealth of experience in working with children and young people with neurodivergence and their families.
Her background working for the NHS as a behaviour specialist in the learning disability directorate and a career of over 10 years working to support families with complex needs within social services combines with her passion for alternative health and a holistic approach to wellbeing to drives her passion for her business.
As a clinical reflexologist Jane conducts a comprehensive consultation and then develops an individualised treatment plan specific to your needs .
For further information or to book a consultation Jane can be contacted on 07882 242 4291
or you can follow her on
Instagram @fyb_reflexology
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CONTENT WRITERS
Dr Alex Richardson
DPhil (Oxon), PGCE, FRSA
Experience and booking
She was based at the University of Oxford for 30 years, and the impact of her 90+ publications still puts Dr Richardson in the top 3% of academic researchers worldwide. A selection of these can be found below, but more details can be found via Google Scholar or Researchgate.
Alex is best known for her research into how nutrition (and particularly fatty acids) can affect behaviour, learning and mood, as her pioneering clinical trials were the first to show that dietary supplementation with omega-3 (and omega-6) fats can improve behaviour and learning in children with dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD and related conditions; and that this approach may also help many other children without such diagnoses. She also published some of the earliest reports of successful nutritional approaches to both depression and schizophrenia in young adults, which have subsequently been confirmed and extended by others.
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Hazel De Maeijer
MSc, BSc (Hons), GMBPsS
Experience and booking
Hazel has taken part in CPD courses on disordered eating and neurodiversity from the training provider NEDDE, and advocates the tailored support of neurodiverse individuals, regarding both their physical and mental wellbeing. She also contributes to ongoing research, in collaboration with universities, and the work of related educational & support charities, whilst currently completing a further Diploma in Advanced Nutrition Science.
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Chris Speed
MND, ADP
Experience and booking
With over 25 years of experience in the nutraceutical, food, beverage, and personal care industries, I am a co-owner at SkySail Foods, a company that provides business solutions for the dietary supplement and natural products industry. I am passionate about helping my customers bridge the dietary gaps they are trying to remedy, by offering them high-quality ingredients, innovative marketing strategies, and evidence-based nutrition and plant-based compounds.
As a co-owner at SkySail Foods, I leverage my skills and qualifications in financial modeling, budgeting, brand management, go-to-market strategy, sales and marketing tactic development, influencer engagement, strategic business planning, and opportunity pipeline development. I also use my master’s degree in human nutrition and dietetics, and my extensive knowledge of food and nutrition science, to provide excellent customer service and technical support, as well as to articulate the desired image and position of my customers’ brands. I have a proven track record of driving clear and focused marketing and public relations strategies that produce measurable and accountable sales results.
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Bernie Mertens
Registered Nurse BSc (Hons)
Experience and booking
English and Media BA (Hons) Experienced nurse, specialising in digestive diseases with a passion for overall health and holistic medicine.
I have always been interested in food, but through my journey of working for the NHS I started to understand the extent of nutrition in the management of disease.
By obtaining my Masters Degree in Nutrition and Behaviour I expanded my knowledge of health science and gained a more complex understanding about the impact of nutrition in both physical and psychological health. It was during this time that I took a particular interest in the relationship between food and cognitive function, and how behaviour is affected by nutritional choices and vice-versa. During my degree I specialised in hormonal influence on food choice and food cravings with particular focus on female health. I also spent some time creating content for a UK based company that worked with schools to improved child nutrition and eating behaviours developed at a young age. I am now expanding my knowledge surrounding brain health and neurodivergence.
Along-side my appreciation for health/food I am an avid writer and researcher and am a firm believer in knowledge being power! My main goal is to help people gain an understanding of the value of nutrition and behaviours that could impact their long-term health.
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Amanda Franklin
Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA)
Trauma Informed School Practitioner
Emotion Coach Practitioner Trainer
Registered Behaviour Technician (RBT)
Experience and booking
I currently work at a local primary school supporting children with additional learning needs. For the past seven years I have supported children with ASD, ADHD, dyslexia, speech and language difficulties and challenging behaviours. I plan and implement strategies and interventions to improve their emotional well-being, develop communication skills and enable the children to access learning.
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Hannah Childs
Occupational Therapist.
Sensory Integration practitioner and Wellbeing practitioner.
Founder of Sensory Wellbeing OT .
Experience and booking
Hannah has over 15 years experience working with children and adults with complex needs, including: behavioural, cognitive, environmental, mental, physical, sensory and social needs. She has extensive experience as a therapist supporting people with sensory processing difficulties in private practice, the NHS, Local Education Authorities and for non profit organisations.
Hannah delivers one to one therapy packages, consultation, training, workshops and wellbeing appointments. All have a unique focus on sensory integration and the individual’s sensory needs. Hannah is passionate about Occupational Therapy’s holistic approach to health and wellbeing, and the power it has to support positive transformation in people’s lives, allowing increased participation and fulfilment.
Hannah was an examiner representing Wales in the International EASI project, evaluating Ayres Sensory Integration, led by Dr Zoe Mailloux, a world leader in Sensory Integration. She also published a wellbeing journal in 2021 to support people’s wellbeing and mental health.
For more information or to book a free discovery call please email: hannah@sensorywellbeingot.com
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Directors
Hayley Everard
Founder Director.
BSc Biomedical Science
Experience and booking
For the last 4 years I have worked for a charity called Food and Behaviour Research. This experience has given me a real passion for learning more about how food affects mood and behaviour
I live in Swansea with my husband and three wonderful children. My youngest child, Lola, was diagnosed with autism when she was three, and my journey searching for ways to help her started soon after. Discovering effective strategies to support Lola not only significantly improved her wellbeing but also positively affected the entire family.
I’m excited to share my experiences with you!
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Helen Landers
Director.
Experience and booking
“Health and well-being are central to learning and development. I strongly believe that as adults we should mitigate the impact of as many of the contributory factors as we can to help our children and young adults navigate through life. It is evident that diet and nutrition have a major role and is one of the significant areas where, as parents and carers, we can make a significant contribution to their positive development ”
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Kirsten Heaven
Director.