Jo shares her Tree Room Story

After 10 years as the manager and facilitator at The Tree Room I decided it was high time you knew a little bit about how I found myself here and how The Tree Room has evolved into a beautiful safe space which is always ready to welcome you to take some respite.

Before coming to The Tree Room, I worked as a Manager in Education at a College of Further Education.

Working with vulnerable students from all walks of life, it was my job to ensure they received equal access to education and also that the college I worked for, was legally compliant with what was then “The Disability Discrimination Act”. I so enjoyed working with the students and seeing them reach their full potential, growing in confidence as they pursued paths they never believed they could.

As time went on I was finding myself working less and less with the students and more and more behind a desk, working with figures, risk assessments, timetabling, lesson planning, policy writing, and dealing with the more structural management of the college. I was somewhat unfulfilled by this, no longer having the contact with the students and feeling rather disillusioned by everything, so I started to consider other opportunities.

I didn’t really know what I was looking for and in a twist of fate found that The Tree Room was looking for a new proprietor. I cannot describe what I felt when I first came to poke my nose around, the vibes I felt as soon as I walked through the door were just so positive and filled me with excitement and my imagination ran riot!

Fortunately, the previous proprietor had spent some time developing the structure of the building and there were one or two things already going on, including a couple of yoga classes, giving me a platform to build from. I started liaising with the current practitioners and some potential new ones, reorganised the use of the rooms, then set about opening the doors wide and letting people know we were no longer the secret in Trinity Street!!

Since then I have met so many wonderful people, with interesting, beautiful stories to tell, each bringing with them their own warm, positive vibes to The Tree Room. I could write a book based on them and maybe one day I will! I am sure the walls absorb these positive vibes, and they then remain a permanent part of the building, felt by all who find themselves here. There has of course been people through the doors seeking support through troubled and challenging times (including me!!) and The Tree Room has been such a source of restoration, leaving people feeling refreshed, revived and with more clarity, not only through the various practitioners and regular classes and workshops but just simply by being here. I have made some amazing life long friends too from whom I have learned so much

This year has brought about much despair for many of us and I have felt so warmed recently, having not only seen people gradually return but so many new, positive faces too. I have missed The Tree Room tribe very much and I am so looking forward to all the wonderful things that take place here all starting up again.

If you would like to share your own story of how you found The Tree Room and what it may mean to you , I would so love to hear from you, and I hope to see you at The Tree Room too.