Well, hello there – this is all so very exciting and a little surreal too. I’m around 2 years behind schedule in launching Emma Jenkins Wellbeing…..but you know how it is. Life can really get in the way sometimes. Here’s a little bit about me and the bumpy, twisty, turny path that’s led me to be doing what I’m doing. Let’s call this an introductory Blog……
I’ve had ups and downs, played it safe and at times taken big risks in my career that have brought me to where I am today – focusing on the emotional well-being of both children and adults. Since having my boys, my work has taken on the role of a contortion artist – squeezing and changing shape and form to adapt to our family’s shape shifting needs. I haven’t gone through the years smiling with a bluebird singing on my shoulder, oh no, I’ve done a fair share of regretting, resenting and inside screaming. But I’ve definitely learned to be adaptable and to accept that it’s in the way I respond to the shitty times that’s been the ultimate game changer.
I’m ‘Mam’ to two wonderful (but very messy) boys who have both faced challenges fitting in to what I feel is a very fixed education system. As a family we’ve experienced a good old chunk of pain navigating the school system and I’d be lying if I said that it hasn’t taken its toll on all of us. Neither of my boys are ‘typical’ learners and the rigidity of mainstream education hasn’t ever been able to flex enough to allow my boys to feel completely safe, secure and confident in their learning. It’s true in my case that our pain and battles (which still continue) have only made me want to work harder to support children, young people, families and adults with their emotional well-being. I like nothing better than working closely with educators, children and parents to shine the spotlight on how vital it is for each of our differences to be respected and celebrated. Changing long-standing belief systems isn’t easy and it takes time; but I know of the power that recognising strengths and qualities can bring, because of our experiences as a family
My eldest son (who is now a strapping 6ft, 18 year old drummer) found school an isolating place to be, where he never felt good enough and which ultimately led to a decline in his self-esteem and mental health. This spurred me on to find ways to help soothe and calm him and we started to listen to guided meditations, and we used affirmations and simple yoga. These techniques became a nourishing balm following difficult days at school and led me to take a side-step from teaching and train as a Relax Kids and Just Relax Coach.
The training I took to be a Relax Kids & Just Relax Coach really was enlightening – a real eye-opener for me personally. Learning about the brain/body connection, The Truine Brain theory and further techniques to improve emotional literacy, increase feelings of self-worth and calm spiralling thoughts made me certain that I wanted to work within this area by sharing this with others.
My boys have an ’emotional tool-kit’ that they can dip into whenever they need to, as do I (and my husband does too). And I believe that we all need our own ways to self-soothe which can help us to navigate the ups and downs of life – especially during times of great pain or adversity. It’s all about what works for us all as individuals – without pressure or unrealistic expectations. This is in essence what Emma Jenkins Wellbeing is all about – helping people to find the right way for them.
Once qualified and certified, I started to deliver courses to children and young people in schools as well as in the community. I was blown away in each and every session as to how quickly the techniques could be mastered and how they were used outside of our classes to help relax and restore. I’ve also went on to deliver many Just Relax courses to adults and received beautiful feedback from those who attended. This has grown and I’ve also delivered countless staff training sessions on well-being awareness, staff relaxation sessions, parent workshops and courses to families where children and adults learn together.
Improving mental health has become a huge passion and I’m in a constant state of learning to improve my practice. Some of the courses I’ve completed include; Mindfulness Practitioner, Suicide Prevention (via MIND), ADHD awareness, ASD awareness, Mental Health First Aid, Psychological First Aid for Children and Young People and Positive Parenting training. There’s plenty more…but I’m sure you get the picture.
I’m going to continue to bang my drum about the importance of taking care of our mental health because it’s vital, especially given the modern world we live in. Learning techniques to better manage thoughts, to recognise and respond to feelings and to have tried and tested methods which calm overwhelming emotions can empower people to find a better balance and make sustained changes to their lives. This isn’t about creating a picture-perfect life – none of us have everything sussed and sorted. We all wing it but winging it with a little bit more understanding of how we tick can make all the difference.
I’m probably the least ‘Zen-like’ person you’ll meet – my life is chaotic on a daily basis and I know how bloody awful and debilitating stress can be. I’m writing this whilst wondering how I’m going to get to a work meeting this morning when my youngest is refusing school (again). I’ve had to learn how to adapt to the unexpected, how to break away from ‘the norm’ and how to calm my mind when it’s in MAJOR PANIC mode. And living like this is tricky because by nature I love structure, organisation and planning – oh and throw in a big dollop of perfectionism too. In essence the way I live is the opposite to how I’d choose to live (if of course there was a choice).
I don’t always embrace the unpredictable, I rant (often) at my husband and boys because being the sheepdog to my herd of unruly sheep can be a thankless and tiring task. Just as I think things are sorted, there’ll be a curveball. I’m writing this so you know that I do ‘get it’. Admittedly, your chaos will be different to mine but because empathy is literally my biggest strength, then there’s a pretty good chance that I’ll be able to offer support, understanding and most importantly some ways to make the life-stuff easier to deal with.
Thanks for reading.
Emma x