A Shropshire woman who helps people recover from loss has shared her knowledge with experts across the county – and looks set to start training people from all over the world.
Phyl Edmonds, a Grief Recovery Specialist of Wellington, received a rapturous ovation when she appeared as an inspirational speaker at the Good Mental Health Works conference in Telford on Friday (April 15).
She said: “I can’t believe the start I have had to 2016.
“The workload has grown more than I could have imagined and the interest in the Grief Recovery Method is incredible.
“I’m speaking at more and more events and each time we are getting a great reaction.
“People are really seeing the benefits and I’m excited to start sharing my knowledge with people from across the world this year.”
After losing her husband to suicide in 2010 Ms Edmonds completed the Grief Recovery Method® and found it so helpful she trained as a Grief Recovery Specialist to help others experiencing loss.
After taking people through the programme, she is now training to become only the second Grief Recovery Trainer in the UK.
Set to complete her training with Carole Henderson, Grief Recovery UK Director, in the coming months, she will then train others to become specialists.
As well as overseas visitors – including professionals from Tenerife and Thailand as well as 15 counsellors from Turkey attending this year – experts across Shropshire are interested in the help she offers.
After speaking at the Good Mental Health Works conference, held at the Park Inn, Phyl and Carole were inundated with requests for information and training.
There were around 200 attendees including representatives from commissioners of mental health services across Telford & Wrekin and beyond such as MIND, Citizens Advice Bureau, local employers and the South Staffordshire and Shropshire Mental Health Services.
Ms Edmonds said: “We are aware that emotional health and wellbeing services are being delivered, but as professionals we don’t know exactly what is out there.
“It was a great way to work together. Many professionals I met want to train as specialists in the Grief Recovery Method.
“I have held sessions with groups and individuals for over two years and it is great to see mental health professionals valuing the work we do.
“I didn’t envisage it when the year started but my training has come at just the right time for me to be able to meet the demand for our services.”
Ms Edmonds has now been asked to be a member of the Telford Mental Health Network.
David Gill, lead governor and deputy chair of South Staffs and Shropshire NHS Foundation Trust, said the event was a huge success with emotive speakers.
He said: “It’s very much the beginning of an initiative to develop strong networks of support around service users and carers by forging a strong partnership between private, voluntary and public sector organisations.
“This includes effective communication and promotion of services with clear support options from which to select.
“The session Phyl delivered provided a powerful, personal tale of real lived experience that engaged the whole audience in rapt attention together with the clear, tangible benefits of the Grief Recovery Method.”
Ms Edmonds offers group or one to one sessions in therapy rooms at OJoy Wellness in Shrewsbury and at the Glebe Centre in Wellington, Telford.
For more information on the services she offers call (01952) 255952 or 07817 910 552, email phyl@griefrecoverymethod.co.uk or visit the website www.griefrecoverymethod.co.uk or www.siservices.life.
Carole Henderson and Phyl Edmonds
