Carer of the Year: Ellen Spafford
ART psychotherapist Ellen Spafford has been nominated as the Pride of Guernsey Carer of the Year award. She works with Guernsey Mind several days a week, at the PEH in the palliative care team and privately.
‘Ellen has been supporting and working with me through art therapy and talking as part of my support for my ongoing recovery from anorexia, my physical disabilities and mental health and trauma,’ said the nominator, who wished to remain anonymous.
Art therapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses art media as its main mode of expression and communication. Art therapists/art psychotherapists help individuals address emotional problems which may be confusing or distressing them.
‘In the last year Ellen has helped me to continue to gain hope and strength, to make me feel that I am a worthy, loved and valuable person and through art is helping me make sense of my traumas, anorexia, mental health and disability and health problems that I face, to help me start to find strength and hope within myself and see a way forward to grow and develop.
‘I am so grateful. Ellen gives me hope within the darkness and helps me to see there is a way to cope and that the light at the end of the tunnel is somewhere in sight and makes me determined more than ever to break free of my demons.’
