Testimonials

“‘I decided I wanted my child to do the 121 sand therapy program as they was struggling with emotional dysregulation and was finding it difficult to articulate how they were feeling and deal with big emotions. It was affecting them at home and at school. I came across Bright Emotions on social media and approached Sophie to discuss her therapy sessions. Sophie was really helpful and understanding. We decided to go along to a craft and calm session first to meet Sophie and was immediately welcomed by her and felt so at ease. My child also built an instant rapport with her and enjoyed being at the bright hub. It was warm and welcoming and felt a really lovely place for children and families . Its filled with wonderful children's books, crafts made by other children, lots of fidget and sensory toys and is a really nurturing environment. I was really impressed by Sophie and her passion for supporting children's wellbeing and the services that Bright Emotions provided so my mind was made up then that I wanted to go ahead  with the 121 sand therapy. I thought this would work best for my child as it would be a calm and sensory experience and I can't believe the positive difference we have seen since the sessions started. Since the beginning of the program my child has been able to express how they are feeling and describe their emotions so much better.  My child had their sessions in their education setting and I felt having these sessions there really set them up for a positive start to the week. They would look forward to the sessions each week and each week we could see more and more progress being made. Throughout the whole process Sophie would do regular check ins via email and phone. She always has time to talk and is so approachable and easy to talk to, its no wonder my child felt so at ease with her and was able to really get the most out of these sessions. She helped me with some sensory circuit ideas for at home which we continue to do after school. She is so knowledgeable and passionate about the work she does. At the end of the programme my child came home with a folder with all the pictures from the sand therapy sessions and a certificate. My child really enjoyed talking through the photos and about the sessions they had with Sophie. I have and will continue to recommend and support Bright Emotions as the work they do is absolutely crucial to supporting families and young people and I hope the community Sophie has built continues to grow.” - Parent  

“From the outset, Sophie was able to advise and plan a programme of work to meet the complex needs of our Looked After Children. The impact of her work with the children was seen after just a few sessions. We are seeing the impact of the sessions - shorter melt downs, quicker recovery times, better understanding of feelings and increased willingness to ask for help, sharing overwhelming emotions. She quickly established a working relationship with the children and has built trust, enabling them to tackle some of the issues. This programme of work is excellent value for money. I highly recommend Sophie Whelan, Bright Emotions, as an additional resource for supporting vulnerable children”. - Carlton C of E Primary School

“100% would recommend this course to anyone whose child is struggling with their emotions. X has loved going every week, and was gutted it finished today. He was really happy and confident going in each week. Looking forward to seeing what courses come next. Thank you Sophie Bright Emotions Cic”. - Parent

“I would really recommend this course for anyone who’s little one is struggling with learning how to deal with their emotions. X attended for the last 4 weeks and she’s absolutely loved every minute of it. Bright Emotions Cic, Thank you Sophie”. - Parent

“I cannot thank you enough Sophie for such a wonderful course. You have given us such invaluable tools to use and as a parent who wants to remain close to my children as they grow these insights into effective communication are so helpful. I loved that the boys learnt how to notice how they feel in certain parts of their bodies when they feel angry, sad, worried and that they can use exercises such as controlling their breathing to help them process their feelings. I loved your kind and patient approach and think you are so well suited to this. Thank you again!” - Parent

“We feel that the topics have been very appropriate and progressive, the feedback each week was highly useful in showing how each skill and strategy was interleaved and developed. We feel that the work with Bright Emotions has given the pupil, Greater awareness of himself, A reduction in feelings of guilt and self blame which he was articulating before, A reduction in anger towards others, Greater ability to label and identify his own emotions and some strategies he can use to help himself, More positivity about himself and greater confidence. Communication from Bright Emotions has been fantastic – really thorough feedback and strategies shared which mean that the team could replicate and support effectively. We have really enjoyed working with Sophie and it has been a great partnership and we hope to continue this in the future”. - Goldington Green Academy

“Thank you for everything you have done over the last 4 weeks. I really do notice a different in my daughters confidence and ability to help herself in situations of nerves or frustration. The course was structured and delivered well and Sophie was always available to answer questions. Thank you.” - Parent

“I thought the way you made it so simple and accessible for children was so helpful and easy to use and practical to incorporate into family life. You came across as really warm, relaxed and playful. It was exactly what I wanted for T to help us have a joint language for talking about emotions and practical tools we can use together! Thank you for the time and creativity you put into the content and sessions”. - Parent

“My daughter is managing her emotions so much better and home life feels a lot calmer. She is using some of the techniques you have taught her at home and school. She has been using her worry box and we have been able to talk through her worries which felt amazing to connect with my daughter again!” - Parent

“They loved it! I was really impressed with your session, I liked how small the group was and how calm and enjoyable it was for the children” - Parent

“We referred a small group of three Reception children plus an older Y5 child. Anxiety was a common theme for the younger children. This manifested as refusals and distress. One child in particular had very low self esteem, related to her learning needs. The older child is experiencing identity difficulties and needed support to acknowledge her thoughts and raise her self esteem. The younger children worked in an Emotional Well-being group. This was ideal for their needs, giving them the security of the other children and helping them to see that they weren’t the only children who had these worries. They loved the gentle approach and nice activities and greatly looked forward to Sophie’s visits. The older child completed a 1:1 Emotional Support Programme, using her love of art and creativity to facilitate ways to self regulate and focus on time for herself. Again, she looked forward to her time with Sophie and gradually opened up more, building her trust in Sophie. The programmes suit the needs of the children very well - I wish all children could have this time. I like in particular that Sophie works to develop a relationship with the parents too, as this is crucial to the success of the intervention. For children with the level of needs many have shown, I think it would be naive to expect a quick fix and that is not what we hoped for. We wanted the children to feel valued, safe and listened to. We wanted them to make links with other children with the same needs. They have all taken away small successes and self help strategies, and have built their relationships with others through the programme. It has met my expectations. Sophie has been extremely professional, reliable and a great asset to us. She has understood our school well and has proved that this is essential work within our schools. I’d like to see Borough put together a register of services that schools can use to access this level of support - you’d be first on the list! A big thank you, and please come back to us in September! We have plenty more children for you to help!” - Wilstead Primary

“X was finding school increasingly difficult, managing his emotions and behavior. We felt one to one sessions addressing some of his feelings would help, also finding strategies to help him cope with situations that he was finding stressful , and therefore displaying behaviour that was concerning staff and disrupting the class. Bright Emotions took time to get to know X and adapt the sessions to activities that he would enjoy or that suited his interests. Then as time went on really focusing on his individual feelings and worries allowing him to find ways to cope in various situations. I’m happy with all the topics as they all seem to have made some impact on how he manages himself at times both in and out of school. He keeps his tools and ideas safe and to hand and I have seen him benefit from having the ideas to help him at times. I do feel there has been progress, in the last 6 weeks he has significantly improved at school and has recognized that he has managed his emotions well preventing incidents that may have occurred previously. His self esteem has therefore improved, he feels he is doing great at school and is counting the weeks where he feels he has improved, now challenging himself to get to the end of term to make 10 great weeks. Sophie has been a great communicator throughout, sharing relevant information where appropriate, advocating for X throughout and gaining a real insight into his needs and emotions. I feel the programme has a lot to offer many children who struggle with emotions. All the tools and strategies are adaptable and I feel they are beneficial to any child needing help with managing everyday situations that they may find overwhelming or stressful”. - Parent