If you’re struggling, please call for our counselling service
07545 373 413

CHANGE IS POSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY WITH SUPPORT

We have carefully chosen each of our activities and the process of the therapy we offer to bring new skills, real improvement and empowerment into the lives of those who engage with the centre. We hope the testimonies below and the statistics help you understand.

YOGA

Alleviates Depression & Anxiety Symptoms - It activates the parasympathetic nervous system, alleviating symptoms.

Uplifts Mood - 12 week yoga intervention has shown improvements in mood and anxiety.

Improves sleep Quality - Following a 10 week study, an insomniac patient showed improved sleep efficiency and total sleep time.

Creates mental clarity - 86% of yoga practitioners have gained a strong sense of mental clarity.

Breaks the cycle of stress - Your brain releases Endorphins, muscles relax & tension in the body eases. Your body feels better so too will your mind.

POTTERY

Therapeutic and relaxing, while spinning clay your mind and body are in natural synergy, wrapped around your creative ambitions and goals. This thoughtful, artistic activity can open the mind and relieve you of outside worries.

Creative outlet – Both physical and mental benefits from expressing yourself by creating something

Increase optimistic outlook – An outlet for emotions it bolsters confidence and self-esteem.

Improves focus – Shift your focus from worries toward your creation. Help your mind relax and expand.

Reduces stress – The sense of touch and the focus required help outside distractions reduce.

Encourages sociability – The casual atmosphere helps relax the socially anxious. You can socialise confidently with others while still allowing for silence. 

Improve quality of life – Explore the things you can do, connect with yourself, learn new techniques and enjoy a productive lifetime hobby.

"I contacted Portadown Wellness Centre as I was struggling with a relationship breakdown. I was assessed within 24 hours and commenced professional counselling within 7 days. I found the therapy incredibly beneficial and feel so much stronger and empowered today.

In addition, I have had a bad speech impediment all my life. Portadown Wellness Centre suggested I participate in a programme called the Maguire Programme as support. I did the programme and now my speech has hugely improved. This programme was a life changer for me.

Portadown Wellness Centre provide amazing support for those in the community who are in distress and struggling."

David
Participant of Therapeutic, Practical Classes

WOODCARVING

An artistic activity, wood carving is inherently therapeutic, deeply relaxing and promotes self-confidence and self-esteem.  Occupational Therapists recommend woodcarving to patients who find it soothing, relaxing and assisted their rehabilitation, general health and wellbeing.

Physical improvement  - Wood carving lowers stress, blood pressure and heart rate

Calming - People who carve as a hobby feel calm and relaxed while carving. Some even carve without any target, just for that relaxing feeling. Anyone can learn the skills and there is no rush. 

Conducive to Flow and Mindfulness – Wood carving is like a meditation, supporting mindfulness and focus, helping connect us with ourselves.

Reconnect with Nature - Working with an element of nature, touching the material, enjoying the scent, it  helps us feel more relaxed and naturally uplifted and promotes positive emotionality.

Provides social engagement and cultural meaning in one’s life - learning these skills can become a rewarding lifetime hobby and an activity which bonds us with other makers and those who appreciate our work.

FLOWER ARRANGING

Flower arranging is very beneficial in helping to improve your mental health. Flower arranging brings you into the present moment since you’re focused on arranging the flowers and less on your mind chatter. We all have a constant dialogue going on in our heads that tends to take us out of the present moment. We typically are thinking about something that’s happening later or something that happened in the past. When we are arranging flowers we tend to focus on the task at hand and our mind chatter seems to slow down.

It feels so good to arrange flowers and tune into the different sensations they offer. For example, you can really engage with or tune into the softness of the petals on your hands, the cool temperature of the water in the vase and the lovely scent that flowers have. If you slow down and focus on the flowers in front of you, you turn arranging flowers into a deep experience that excites the senses.

"When I first visited Portadown Wellness Centre, I felt quite shy and vulnerable. I was always made feel very welcome and soon got to know the team.

I have met some very caring and supportive friends at the Centre and there is always plenty of non-judgemental support when I need it.

Today, I am back working full time and gaining confidence every day.
If you are finding life tough, take the first step and visit the Centre."

Mary
Participant of Therapeutic, Practical Classes

WOODWORK

Improves the heart - Blood pressure levels lower and stress eases with reduced Cortisol (stress hormone).

Strengthens the body - Carrying, sawing and the motions maintain joint flexibility, aid balance and hand- eye coordination, tones muscles and improves bone health.

Helps prevent future illnesses - Proved to reduce the risk of osteoporosis and fractures, discourages dementia and keeps you healthy.

Improves the mind - Concentrating on the task is good mental exercise at hand keeps the mind sharp. It encourages creativity and knowledge of types of wood, tools, etc. Building something brings a sense of fulfilment, boosting the mood and self-confidence.

Community building - Exchange ideas and grow friendships here, then join a local woodworking community, they're ready to welcome you.

ARTS & CRAFT

When we engage our creativity and freely express ourselves, we aid our emotional well-being in a way more active pursuits cannot, especially amongst older people. It improves your adaptability. your confidence and even fights depression and addiction.

Mood altering - Brings profound changes in emotions, sensory experiences, actions, behaviours and patterns of thought, which means that it can effectively alter the way we perceive the world.

Reduce stress & depression - It's often just as effective as prescription medication in coping with mental illness.

Stay sharp & positive influence for recovering addicts - Devoting time to creative activities is an accessible means of asserting control in an uncertain environment & see growth in mental agility.

Improve mental wellbeing - The goals we set ourselves tend to be the most satisfying to achieve, improving your levels of mental wellbeing.

 

MEDITATION

With Meditation you train your mind to focus and redirect your thoughts to increase awareness of yourself and your surroundings, as a way to reduce stress and develop concentration, to develop a positive mood, self-discipline, healthy sleep patterns and even increased pain tolerance.

Reduces Stress - the effect can be strongest in individuals with the highest levels of stress. Meditation can also reduce symptoms in people with stress-triggered medical conditions.

Controls Anxiety - Routine meditation helps reduce anxiety and anxiety-related mental health issues like social anxiety, phobias and obsessive-compulsive behaviours.

Improves Sleep - Relaxing and controls the "runaway" thoughts that can interfere with sleep, shortening the time it takes to fall asleep and increase sleep quality..

May Help Fight Addictions - Meditation develops mental discipline and willpower and can help you avoid triggers for unwanted impulses. This can help you recover from addiction and redirect other unwanted habits.

Promotes Emotional Health - Some forms of meditation can improve depression and create a more positive outlook on life. Research shows that maintaining an ongoing habit of meditation may help you maintain these benefits long term.

"I decided to initiate Portadown Wellness Centre following my own experience of having mental ill health.
It is my belief that most mental ill health is caused by a trauma or a stress in a persons life. Therefore, to find lasting wellness, I believe we must address these traumas in a safe and confidential environment with a qualified and professional counsellor.
Also the participation in practical, therapeutic activities and classes boost self-belief and confidence, creating an ambience to meet new, supportive caring friends.

read more...

Alan McDowell
Founder of Portadown Wellness Centre

BAKING & COOKING

Creativity makes you feel good - Easy recipes in particular carry strong mental health benefits (no anxiety), encouraging focus, boosting creativity and happiness.

An end reward - We get something tangible for our efforts, a delicious “reward” for doing a task.

Improves quality of life - Cooking is self-care at its most basic and nourishing.

Cooking is meditative - An activity which takes your whole attention can have a calming, meditative quality to create space in the mind and ease negative thinking processes.

Feels good baking - All the experiences of cooking stimulate your senses, which in turn increases feel-good endorphins.

Food brings people together - If you struggle with social contact, the act of sharing your home cooked meal can be really powerful. Positive feedback and just seeing someone else appreciate your work has major implications for your sense of worth and value.

SEWING

A great way to not only spend quality time with yourself, but also to do something for yourself.

Alternative to Screens - Screen time leads to sensory overload, it's tiring and leads to unrest and unhappiness.

Social Connection - Sewing groups are valuable for advice and building relationships with others who share similar interests.

Stress Relief - By focusing on sewing, you become mindful and concentrate on a single activity which helps you feel relaxed.

Decrease depression -  By sewing your brain releases dopamine, a natural antidepressant.

Fights low self-esteem - Working through a sewing pattern gives you a sense of accomplishment, improving your self-esteem and confidence, to help you overcome hurdles in your life.

PHYSICAL EXERCISE

Regular exercise can have a profoundly positive impact on depression, anxiety, ADHD and more. It boosts physical & mental energy, relieves tension, improves memory, helps you sleep better and releases endorphins to boost your mood.  Modest amounts of exercise makes a difference, no matter your age or fitness level.

Depression - Mild to moderate depression can be relieved as effectively as antidepressant medication, WITHOUT  side–effects.

Anxiety -  Being mindful during exercise will interrupt the flow of worries running through your head.

Stress - The endorphins released will relax your muscles and relieve body tension. When your body feels better so too will your mind.

"I decided to initiate Portadown Wellness Centre following my own experience of having mental ill health.
It is my belief that most mental ill health is caused by a trauma or a stress in a persons life. Therefore, to find lasting wellness, I believe we must address these traumas in a safe and confidential environment with a qualified and professional counsellor.
Also the participation in practical, therapeutic activities and classes boost self-belief and confidence, creating an ambience to meet new, supportive caring friends.

read more...

Alan McDowell
Founder of Portadown Wellness Centre

HYPNOSIS

Solution Focused Hypnotherapy can be so beneficial, because it combines powerful solution-focused discussions, followed by encouraging a relaxing trance state so that the ideas and solutions discussed can be explored and applied by the brain to create significant positive changes and transformations in the clients life.

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REFLEXOLOGY

Reflexology works by balancing and harmonising the body. When someone suffers with anxiety, confidence issues or stress related illnesses, reflexology can help by inducing a state of relaxation. This relaxation can then help to ease tension and increase circulation. With the gentle pressure on the reflex areas, reflexology can stimulate the nervous and lymphatic systems, encouraging a release of the feel-good hormones, Endorphins, that are renowned for relieving stress.

Reflexology may encourage good mental health by:
Reducing stress levels
Stimulating nerve function, reducing chronic pain level.
Enhance self-esteem and confidence
Enhance feelings of control and the ability to cope
Improving communication skills
Increasing energy levels.

» LEARN MORE

CHILDREN'S PSYCHOTHERAPY

Child psychotherapists have a specialist training in working with children, adolescents and parents as the issues that arise and the ways that children communicate are very age specific. Younger children are unlikely to be able to talk easily about the things that are upsetting them and child psychotherapists are carefully trained in observation to notice and think about the child's play and what it is communicating about them and what is on their mind. The techniques used by therapists will depend on their training, but most will help the child to think about their play, to think about the feelings of the different characters in the play and helps them to both understand and feel understood.

Child psychotherapists also work closely with parents helping them to think about and understand a child who might be experiencing difficulties and finding ways of supporting them from within the family.