I'm Anne Cheshire SEP®, MNIMH, trauma therapist and business strategist
I'm based here in the beautiful city of Edinburgh working in person and online with leaders and decisions makers who experience anxiety and overwhelming stress. I'm a Somatic Experiencing trauma therapist and also a member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists, and director of the Trauma Recovery Clinic. I'm also a qualified business strategist.
My expertise is in helping people overcome anxiety and self-doubt, and deal with inner conflict, so they can identify their goals, make decisions which are absolutely right for them, and their business, and take action with deep confidence. We all have one shot at this great life, and we need to know how to make the most of it. My core programme Calm, Clear Confidence is here.
All my online self-access and supported programmes, one-to-one masterclasses, and fully supported mastermind programme are all based on neuroscience, compassion, and the very real business of living in this world.
I have been a trauma therapist since 2009, and I've worked with thousands of clients and patients in one-to-one therapy, seeing them go from anxious and antsy to calm and confident, identify their goals, make great decisions, and do what they want to do in life. As a business strategist I have seen the same transformation take place in founders and CEOs.
I'm also a mum, a grandma, a linguist, and a medical herbalist, I've owned exercise studios (I still teach barre!) and I've been a secondary school teacher. I have witnessed deep, and sometimes irrational anxiety, fatigue, and stuckness everywhere I have been, within families AND in corporate situations, and I know how hard it is to let go of that.
What I know, as a trauma therapist, is that it is not just about knowing rationally what to do, but about getting the unconscious brain to support our rational desires and decisions. Our brain in its unconscious mode is intent on keeping us safe rather than making the right decision.
Here are some of the signs that your unconscious brain is trying to keep you safe, but is stopping you from feeling free to act. You feel:
- overwhelmed by events and circumstances
- anxious, not coping very well
- physical sensations of stress and overwhelm, like racing heart, tight chest, light-headedness, tingling, buzzing, shaking, emptiness, jerky legs, freeze, digestive problems, and many, many more symptoms
- unable to stick with or even make any decisions
- unable to see what the right decision is
- unable to see the right direction
- disconnected with who you are
- stuck with no way out
- frightened of change
- envious of other people who seem to be so happy in life, and just do what they want without anxiety
If this resonates with you, I can help you. Rooted in clinical experience in my field of expertise (trauma therapy, Somatic Experiencing®, and neuroscience-based therapy) my work helps anyone with an unconscious part of the brain (that's you and me!) gain calm, confidence, a clear vision of their goals, and motivation, so they can make great life and business decisions and be empowered to take action. I've been on that journey myself, and I'm here to be with you on your's.
Message me for more information or for a call to see how I can help you.
I don't send spam or give any of your details to anyone else.
Anne Cheshire, BA(Hons), BSc (Hons), SEP, MNIMH
Anne Cheshire is director of the Trauma Recovery Clinic in Edinburgh, Scotland, and has, for the past 20 years, specialised in addressing trauma, traumatic stress, post traumatic stress syndrome, other complex stress-related syndromes and immune system dysfunctions such as fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome and all mind-body responses to emotional stress and physical trauma.
Anne graduated from Sussex University in 1979 with an honours degree in Philosophy in the School of European Studies. Within a year she was training to teach Lotte Berk Method exercise, the challenging Pilates and dance-based exercise method with Lotte Berk herself at her London studios. Since then Anne has run Lotte Berk and Pilates studios in Brighton and Lewes, and later in Barcombe, East Sussex. She now teaches Barre classes in Edinburgh. Anne was a teacher of Modern Foreign Languages and Philosophy for 9 years, and during her time in the Education was responsible for Initial Teacher Training (teaching others to become teachers).
She continued her practice and education in bodywork during her career in education and in 1999 left teaching to open a private bodywork practice, the Myofascial Release Clinic Ltd, in Barcombe, East Sussex. Specific training and her own research into body and mind approaches to pain conditions and trauma have led Anne to form the Trauma Recovery Clinic, specialising in trauma recovery, complex soft tissue pain and immune system conditions.
From 2005 to 2010 she designed and taught courses in Myofascial Release in conjunction with Rachel Fairweather, director of Jing Institute of Advanced Massage, passing on her experience to talented bodyworkers, massage therapists, osteopaths and physiotherapists. She also taught clinical anatomy.
From 2009 onwards Anne has worked full time as a trauma therapist, trained by Raja Selvam in Peter Levine’s Somatic Experiencing, helping people with complex PTSD reregulate their nervous systems after prolonged stress, overwhelm or trauma, so that they can live life with full confidence. Her online programmes are based on these fifteen plus years of experience, combining her training in SE and other types of trauma healing, psycho-neuro-immunology and teaching skills.
Her interest in medicine led Anne to gain a first class degree in Herbal Medicine, and she is a member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists, for whom she was also a director.
Anne now works with clients in her supported online coaching programmes, helping those who are ready to take charge of their lives after living in response to trauma, to re-regulate their nervous systems, so they can make great life decisions and fulfil their purpose, in total alignment with who they are, deep down inside.
She also runs several online programmes for those suffering from general anxiety, high alert, lack of self-confidence, or other affer-effects of overwhelm.
Trauma Healing – Somatic Experiencing®
Anne is a practitioner of Somatic Experiencing®, having completed training with Peter Levine’s senior faculty. This method of addressing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, complex PTSD and other physiological and autonomic nervous system overwhelm, focuses on the way the body responds in trauma or overwhelm of any nature, and helps the individual to regain peaceful self-regulation.
Anne has completed further training in trauma recovery in the following areas: “Pre- and peri-natal trauma” with Dr. Dr. Raja Selvam (that’s two PhDs!), Germany 2010, “Developmental Stages” with Raja Selvam, London 2009 and “Shame and Guilt – The Healing of Early and Complex Trauma” with Dr. Larry Heller London 2011.
Trauma Healing – Brainspotting
Brainspotting (BSP) is a new psychotherapy approach that uses eye positions that correlate with autonomic nervous system states that are held after overwhelm or trauma is experienced. After they are located, these eye positions, or Brainspots, may through maintaining eye fixation and the use of Somatic Experiencing, lead to a healing and resolution of issues that are held deeply in the non-verbal, non-cognitive areas of the neurophysiology.
General (foundational) bodywork training
Anne’s general bodywork training has been with the following institutes and trainers:
Lotte Berk Studios UK – Pilates and dance based movement and exercise method
Wilbury School UK – Swedish Massage diploma, Sports Massage diploma
Touch Pro UK – Amma Therapy onsite massage using Eastern techniques and acupressure points
Jing Advanced Massage Institute – Holistic Medical Massage (including neuromuscular techniques, positional release, soft tissue release, Oriental massage, craniosacral techniques, muscle energy techniques, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, stretching techniques and myofascial release), pregnancy massage and onsite massage – for whom she was also a tutor
Body Control Pilates – Pilates training
Pilates Training Solutions – OCR Pilates Matwork qualificatons
Specialised bodywork training
Anne’s ongoing Craniosacral, Myofascial Release and Visceral Manipulation training has been with several internationally acclaimed top trainers and institutes, reflecting her belief that there is no ‘one true way’ of practising physical bodywork and that each and every master of the field has his or her own wisdom and experience to offer:
Peter Levine, US and London – Trauma Healing and Somatic Experiencing
Jean-Pierre Barral, Europe, US and London – Visceral Osteopathy for the Abdomen and the Thorax; Osteopathic Approach to Trauma
Prof. Eyal Lederman, London – Harmonic Technique, Neuro-muscular Re-abilitation
Upledger Institute, UK – Craniosacral Therapy and Somato-Emotional Release
John Barnes, US – Myofascial Release
Psychotherapeutic understanding
Anne has completed further continued professional developmental training in Somato Emotional Release with Upledger UK and Human Givens in a model of brief therapy from psychiatry, psychotherapy and counseling.
Psycho-neuro-immunology
Further research has taken Anne into the field of psycho-neuro-immunology, and her training and qualifications here are with Performance Enhancement (INLPTA) in NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming), Hypnosis and Accelerated Learning. In conjunction with her work in applied psycho-neuro-immunology she has developed myofascial release and trauma recovery programmes for full mind-body integration.
Pilates and Myofascial Release
Anne’s Pilates training is with Body Control Pilates, London and Pilates Solutions, London. She now specialises in Pilates in conjunction with other bodywork, including Myofascial Release.
Herbal Medicine
Anne gained a first class degree in Herbal Medicine form the University of Lincoln and supports her clients’ return to calm and confidence with specialised herbal medicine.
Anne has also been a German-English/English-German interpreter, and a languages teacher in comprehensive schools.
Ethical Business and Sales Strategy
Anne is a certified business strategist with that Strategy Co. and a certified ethical sales strategist with Alba business and Sales Academy.
