Client Feedback
Female, aged 59, from Essex, 2009
Suddenly widowed and then, whilst still dealing with the shock and grief, I was a victim of crime – to this day I cannot remember events after I arrived home to find the back door smashed. I then found that I could barely cope with daily living – physically ill, angry, unable to make decisions. Every time I tried to drag myself out of this black hole something would happen that would send me straight back. Still there a year on, I realised that I wasn’t going to get out on my own, which is where Brian came in.
Firstly, Brian explained what my brain was doing, or rather not doing, with the stress, so that I understood why I was where I was, and what he could do, i.e. he gave me hope that there was a way out. Getting out was not easy, I stumbled several times, but Brian was always there, listening, guiding, advising, teaching me to relax, challenging my negative outlook and showing me how to change it to a more positive approach. During our sessions he got me to think about various aspects and I found I could best express them as computer artwork that depicted, for example, my route out of the black hole, how to make decisions and how to stay positive in the face of lots of problems. I cannot thank Brian enough.
Robyn, aged 10 from Wiltshire, March 2008
Talking about a 'Feelings' card game designed to promote communication within the family group:
"It's really about what you think; you don't have to use someone else's opinion"
"It's not scary or anything, there's nothing really bad about the cards. It's just a way of you saying things out loud so you don't have to be embarrassed"
"It will make you feel a lot better than if you kept it all secret"
"I would recommend lots of kids to have a go, it helped me speak about my feelings"
Robyn and her family played this game and developed their own ways of doing it. Robyn added that it was a good way of hearing how others felt.
Diploma in Management Studies Students
Highbury College, May 2008
Hampshire Fire & Rescue (Station Manager) "I feel more able to apply the knowledge gained.......... aimed at the correct level.......excellent"
St Mary's Hospital (Senior Technical officer) "Class involvement/feedback worked well"
Bournemouth Borough Council (Senior Parenting Practitioner & former Anti-social Behaviour Co-ordinator) "I feel more inspired to learn more about the subject matter [Human Givens & Stress management]
British Army Soldier serving a period of Military detention, aged 21, Jun 2008
The following is a testimonial written by a soldier referred to Brian. The soldier had been given a military detention for going Absent Without Leave (AWOL).
"After getting back from IRAQ I felt very distant and confused and sometimes very angry and bitter. I knew something was up with me but being stubborn I just tried to ignore it for five months, but it only got worse and all my anxiety and anger turned into depression which resulted in me going AWOL.
When I handed myself in I asked for some help and was referred to the CPN (community psychiatric nurse) but unfortunately I only saw the CPN once and was sentenced to 30 days detention in MCTC (Military Corrective raining Centre in Colchester), which I wasn't happy with. After about a week of feeling very angry and like I was going to explode, I told one of the staff that I could not put up with being here [MCTC] because I felt like flipping out anytime I got a little bit of pressure on me. So I was referred to the welfare centre.
After a chat with the welfare officer he put me through to see Brian Chenier. After the first session with him I felt like a weight had been lifted off my head and from that minute on I felt as though someone had pressed a release valve of pressure on my head. I could finally think straight and rationally again, it was amazing.
It is now 2 weeks on and I still feel just as good. I am now very happy because I could not see anyway out of my confused state that I was stuck in for over a year, I just couldn't shift it, but thanks to Brian I have. It was so simple because I thought I was losing the plot, but now I realise I wasn't. And now I understand why I was feeling like that. I am now looking forward to sorting my life out and actually enjoying life again for the first time in over a year and a half.
This young soldier had two 1 hour sessions with Brian . Each session was based on Human Givens practice and the use of relaxation techniques.
Private Clients
Male aged 24 from Essex, November 2006 "Brian made it very easy to talk to him, he was encouraging and really listened"
Male aged 40 from Scotland, October 2006 "Having to think about the future was daunting, but Brian showed me some techniques to help me deal with it better"
Male aged 21 from Essex, January 2008 "The relaxation techniques really helped me to stop losing my temper ...... Using my imagination was fun and when I had done it a few times it was a lot easier"
TA Soldiers, group feedback after a training session, November 2007 "the training was well delivered and a difficult subject was made more understandable by using real life examples ............... very professional, it was clear that Brian knew his subject"
Parenting Workshop June 2008, Colchester
on behalf of
North Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
"Managing Stress at Home"
"... would like to do this again."
"Nice, comfortable and friendly day! Thanks"
"Will look further into the subject [stress management] as it could help a great deal in our situation"
"Going to try the sleep advice. Thanks very much"