23 years ago a small seed was planted in the mind. It began as a dream for Director Louise Johnson to create something unique and different in the approach of helping people seeking support. Not only concentrating on the therapy itself, but incorporating the whole experience of going to a psychology practice. She wanted to create a place where people would feel calm and at peace when entering the premise. A place that, when you enter through the door, the body relaxes and the mind tells you that you have come to the right place. Throughout Louise’s career, she was shocked with the environments which help and support operated from. The settings were clinical and sterile which was traumatic and scary for children. Adults found the experience as overwhelming, cold or de-personalised.
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Our rabbit and guinea pig support children and adults with traumatic experiences develop trusting attachments. Our furry friends are living metaphors for trust, unconditional love and acceptance. Animal therapy has endless therapeutic opportunities to create live, non-threatening experiential learning. These small little creatures and their behaviours can teach us humans a lot.
The enclosed outdoor area has chairs and table to sit and interact with the animals amongst a little forest of corn, fruit trees and lush grass. We have created a decking, pond and running water for people who just want to sit and relax., after their session or while waiting for their children. |
A basketball court provides many opportunities for teens to gain therapeutic insight without the intensity of one on one adult therapy in a room. Our garden also has a small playground area for younger children and a cubby house. The Garden is used as a complimentary instrument in our therapeutic work. |
4thought was created so that clients have a safe place where they can access the best possible personal care. We like to assess each client's needs and match them with the most appropriate practitioner, not only therapeutically but for rapport and style of therapy. We all know that the fundamental essence for therapy to work is that there must be trust between client and therapist. Rapport is also paramount; especially with small children, adolescence and clients that feel especially vulnerable. Louise Johnson has spent much time over the years finding the right practitioners with the same passion and values in the way they care for clients as she herself does.
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