Who We Are...
“You have such a crystal clear approach and seemed to just answer the questions that were in my head….”
I’m the founder of Well Within Reach, lead trainer, researcher and consultant.
My unexpected (and ongoing!) journey began over 20 years ago working in creative education, which me to a deep appreciation for the role of emotional health, and eventually towards young brain development and theories as well as the actions which support a person’s innate desire to self-actualise.
Jo now specialises in supporting professional practitioners and parents to understand and use this knowledge to strengthen the social and emotional of children, young people, and the adults they becomes, especially those who’ve experienced trauma or chronic stressors, or are struggling with emotionally challenging episodes.
I also provide consultancy support to help organisations to meaningfully plan for, ‘decode’ and evidence the impacts and changes arising from their work, in particular those which feel unmeasurable.
I love to create resources to support practitioners in the CYP sector, as well as young people themselves; find out more on the Resources and Toolkit page.
Additionally, I’m trained in
Dyadic Developmental Practice (ref; Dan Hughes), am a trustee of LCVYS and also try to practice what I preach in my most important role as a mum!
Usha is Well Within Reach’s trainer in ‘Retained Reflexes’, Creativity and Play. Find out more on our Training page.
She is an interdisciplinary artist, creative mentor and trainer, with a wealth of experience in using the transformative power of somatic and developmental movement, creativity, the arts and nature to support flourishing wellbeing in groups and individuals.
Usha has specialist knowledge about the impact of movement in early brain development and, in recent years, has made it her mission to study and develop her practice around the illuminating world of ‘retained primitve reflexes’, which influence the developmental progression
of children from birth, potentially throughout life.
Inspired by her recent training in the practice of ‘Rhythmic Movement’, Usha’s provides practitioners and parents with essential knowledge and practical tools to help understand and mitigate the developmental compromises associated with retained reflexes.
Find out more about this workshop on our training page).
For over twenty years, Stephen has focused on creative delivery and facilitation for a wide range of disadvantaged groups and their supporting communities.
His work investigates the interface between the individual and collaborative processes of creativity, and between art and therapy.
Stephen has studied drama-therapy; not to be a drama therapist; but to support his work with vulnerable people.
He brings this diverse knowledge-base and experience to Well Within Reach, all enhanced by his parallel career as a specialist mask and puppet maker.
In recent years, Stephen has worked with the University of Nottingham to create interactive neuroscientific artwork in collaboration with the Physics Dept (M.R.I.), and the Institute for Mental Health.
One of his sculptures; a giant 3D sculpture mapping the human brain; was exhibited at The Royal Society Science Exhibition 2018.