Jo Bolton
Basketmaking, Somatic Experiencing, yoga and somatic movement
As a founder member and director of Abundant Earth I have the joy and the honour of being a custodian of this precious land in Durham which is continually a resource for me.
My fascination with movement and the human experience of life began more than 30 years ago when I discovered Yoga. The journey has continued and I am glad to be offering Somatic Movement, Yoga, Somatic Experiencing and basketmaking as part of this project.
Jo’s Offerings
Willow Work & Teaching
As a basketmaker and willow worker the whole process is important to me, from growing my willow, harvesting, sorting, and drying it, to preparing the willow, soaking and mellowing, and finally creating baskets. I love the ancient connection to the landscape and our heritage that this craft offers me.
Constantly learning, I am inspired by various teachers, and love to pass on what I have learned to my students. I run regular workshops on how to make baskets, both for beginners and for more advanced students.
I offer basketmaking as a therapeutic craft and trauma therapy in larger institutions eg. probation services
Would you like to commission a willow work? Get in touch with me to organise a chat: jo.abundantearth@gmail.com
Every year in late winter/early spring we gather for our annual willow harvest. Using secateurs and loppers we cut, sort, and bundle the willow rods for the year's basket making, volunteers are welcome.
Join the mailing list to stay updated about willow volunteering and other exciting opportunities to get involved at Abundant Earth.
Somatic Experiencing
Somatic Experiencing is a body based talking therapy capable of relieving physical, emotional and psychological shock, stress and trauma.
It can help relieve pain and anxiety, restore your sense of self and your curiosity for life.
It is a beautifully simple and powerful process that works with the body’s natural self regulating systems.
The SE approach releases traumatic shock and restores connection, which is key to transforming PTSD and the wounds of emotional and early developmental and attachment trauma. It offers a framework to assess where a person is stuck in the fight, flight or freeze responses and provides clinical tools to resolve these physiological states, restoring the authentic self with self regulation, relaxation, wholeness, and aliveness. Human beings have an innate ability to overcome the effects of diverse traumas.
SE helps individuals create new experiences in their bodies that contradict those of tension and overwhelming helplessness. This means that healing isn't about reclaiming memories or changing our thoughts and beliefs about how we feel; it's about exploring the sensations that lie underneath our feelings and beliefs as well as our habitual behaviour.
The objective is to diffuse the power of the narrative and remap the body memory to regain aliveness and flow.
How can we work together?
My aim through this work is to offer a balanced, grounded, attuned presence to my clients, guiding them and supporting them as they unwind the knots that keep them stuck in their lives.
I offer a free introductory 15 minute phone call to see if we feel like a good fit.
I offer in person 1:1 sessions either in my studio at Ushaw College in Durham or on our smallholding at Abundant Earth in Durham.
I offer 1:1 online sessions.
The cost is £60 per 1 hour session.
I'd like to make this work accessible, so I offer a limited number of sliding scale places. Do contact me to discuss.
Yoga & Somatic Movement
Discovering yoga whilst Wwoofing in Spain, I was in awe of the space this created in my body and mind after a hard day's work. My teacher training, in the late 1990s began with the Iyengar tradition, but has since been informed by many other traditions and teachers, including Donna Farhi, Vanda Scaravelli, Uma Dinsmore Tuli, Lisa Petersen, Thomas Hannahs Somatic Movement and meditation. These, and training in Well Woman Yoga Therapy and Energy Healing lead my classes to be fluid, soft, following the innate wisdom of the body.
Weekly online yoga class, get in touch to book your space;
Wednesdays at 9.30 till 10.45 am a gentle class using breath practice, somatic movement, yoga postures and yoga nidra. This class is suitable for all, those new to yoga and the more experienced. It is currently at Durham Yoga Studio, and available online.
Also Wednesday evening at The Hut in Ushaw Moor, from 6.30pm to 7.45pm, get in touch to book your space.
Well Woman Yoga at Abundant Earth, get in touch to book your space;
A new season of Well Woman Yoga Therapy is beginning here at Abundant Earth, and will continue, roughly monthly , at about the time of New Moon. This nourishing monthly class is an opportunity to take time out from busy lives and come home to the peace within ourselves. This 2 hour class flows gently through meditation, breath practice, Somatic Movement, Yoga postures, yoga nidra and relaxation, and is open to all women.
