LEARN MORE ABOUT TRAUMA INFORMED PRACTICES

Meet Victoria Smith

From a young age I struggled to fit in with education and never felt like I knew my place. When my parents separated when I was 15 this then led to me not knowing what was next and it felt as though the rug was pulled from underneath me.

During this time I was at college studying nursery nursing and I was finding it difficult. My tutors responded "Well you have your own flat now so what's the problem?" . Unsurprisingly I didn't manage to complete the qualification and had a few years of jobs which I hated following this.

Once I started working with children and young people from the age of 19 I knew that I would always do everything in my power to support children and young people to never have them feel lost or to not feel that they were enough.

I have worked with children and young people in care for over 20 years in residential care, education settings and through participation. Unfortunately my personal life had some of its own challenges and I have experienced domestic abuse from a narcissist, traumatic early birth of my twins who had to spend time in NICU after my son nearly died during the birth. I was then diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 38 which helped things make so much more sense. Throughout all of this I wanted to be the best I could within the work environment and give the best I could but unfortunately there were times when challenges with my mental health impacted on what I was able to offer but also being able to even make it into work leading to sickness.

Since I have started doing work on myself and my nervous system I have seen such an improvement in what I am able to offer not just in work but also to myself & my family. I am so excited to be working with The Mental Wellbeing company and sharing with people what such an amazing impact being trauma informed can have on people!

My Qualifications

  • BA (Hons) in Youth and Community Work (2:1)

  • Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology

  • Drawing and Talking (Drawing and

  • Talking - CPD Certification Service)

  • Drawing and Talking Advanced (Drawing and Talking - CPD Certification Service)

  • Coordinating Peer mentoring Programme - Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF)

  • Level 9. Credit rated by Edinburgh Napier University

  • Evaluating a Mentoring Programme - Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) Level 9.

  • Credit rated by Edinburgh Napier University

  • Teaching Assistant Level 2 Diploma - New Skills Academy

  • The Complete SEND Diploma - New Skills Academy

  • Emotional intelligence (EQ) Practitioner Cert (Accredited) - The Priority Academy Ltd.

  • Neuro Linguistic Programming & Emotional Freedom Techniques Kids Practitioner (Accredited)

  • Thrive (Accredited)

  • Mindfulness Training

  • LEGOⓇ SIX Bricks Level 1 & 2 Certified Training

  • Children's yoga and mindfulness

  • NVQ level 3 in Health and Social Care

  • NVQ Level 2 in Youth Work

A Message From Caroline Strawson

CEO & Founder of The Mental Wellbeing Company

Caroline Strawson is a globally recognised mental health and nervous system educator, therapist, and coach.

She has lived experience of homelessness, domestic abuse, debt, and mental illness. Having not only survived, she has gone on to become a world-leading expert in the study and education of mental health and human behaviour. Caroline brings a wealth of knowledge to her mission of making mental health and trauma mainstream subjects for all.

Through founding the Mental Wellbeing Company, she is leading a movement to make trauma informed awareness and positive psychology tools the norm in schools, workplaces, public sector organisations, and beyond.

Her vision is a world where every human understands their nervous system, leading to more compassion, passion, resilience, and thriving.

Featured In

Featured In

We Believe In…

Compassion

Resilience

Empowerment

Inclusivity

Healing is not a destination, but as your journey unfolds and you heal yourself, you heal the next generation, too.

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