Well what can I say – last month was very quiet, too quiet. But, I feel I have well and truly made up for it this month. September was all about embracing the fear and challenging my new found strength.
I had a brilliant time aboard the Border Belle, sailing out around the Estuary of The River Tweed and seeing an abundance of wild life – no dolphin sadly but plenty of seals. The Border Belle can proudly boost to have held a wedding. What a brilliant sailing trip that must have been. Check out the link for their sailing times.
https://www.berwickboattrips.co.uk
What an amazing experience it must have been to get married aboard a vessel – I wonder if the captain performed the ceremony.
For as long as I can remember I have held the biggest most unreasonable fear of the fish and anywhere that they could survive. Growing up in Dominican Republic meant we spent many weekends on the beach or by the pool. It was important to my Mum that I learn to swim. I remember as a youngest, clinging on to her for dear life as she tired to lower me into the swimming pool. The shallow end, I must add. Strangely, this fear, this sheer panic is what made me a very fast swimmer. During swimming lessons or races I would ensure I was the last one in and the first one out. It always amazes me what irrational and bizarre things a phobia can make you do.
To have found myself so close to water without any fear, not once but twice in one month, was a mind blowing experience. I never thought for one second I would be able to kayak on the Whiteadder Reservoir. It was weird, I was not expecting to be so relaxed and especially when my partner Andrew informed me he thought my kayak was sinking. Thankfully it didn’t! When I saw a shoal of fish swimming in the shallows I remained relaxed and carried on paddling.
I did not cure my phobia alone – I did it with the help of this talented lady Sarah Owston. She offered to help me over come a phobia which I never knew was holding me back, I simply avoided fish, it wasn’t a big deal. I have lived beside the sea my whole life. I could never imagine living anywhere else. So I never felt it wasn’t something I was looking to get rid off, until it was gone. I suddenly felt a weight was lifted. I had no idea was holding me back, until it was gone. I was much more relaxed on the beach with the dog and I got to kayak.
Integral Eye Movement Therapy
Integral eye movement therapy (IEMT) is a psychotherapy model that aims to reduce intense negative emotional states. In this model, the patient is asked to recall and maintain a negative image of an event that was experienced in the past. Meanwhile, the therapist asks the patient to move the eyes in specific directions. The typical outcome of IEMT is the reduction of negative emotions with an event or an image in mind.
I cant really explain what Sarah did, so here is a link if you would like to find out more
https://www.avenuehousetherapies.co.uk/
#rivertweed #weddings #berwickboattrips #IEMT #faceyourfears #celebrant #trysomethingnew #alternativeweddings #northumberland