An Oswestry area woman is drawing on her own life experience and training to inspire women to live the best lives they can.
Judy Abramson, 58, who trained as a counsellor and life coach in Liverpool before moving to Weston Rhyn, has developed a self-help course so that small groups of women can support each other in living their lives to the full.
Judy will lead the Gathered Branches self-development courses, Spring Clean Your Life, on Monday evenings from 7.30pm to 9pm or Wednesday afternoons from 12.30pm to 2pm. The six-week courses start on March 21 and March 23 at the OpenSpace Studio above the library in Arthur Street, Oswestry.
There will be free taster sessions on March 14 at 7.30pm and March 16 at 12.30pm for those interested in signing up or finding out more. Judy is also supporting the OpenSpace Studio project by donating half of the proceeds of the course to the community interest company.
Judy, a former teacher, explained that she had had many ups and downs in her life which had led her to complete a counselling degree and later qualify as a life coach.
During one low point in her life she had reluctantly attended a self-help group in St Helens with little hope that she would benefit.
“In fact, it turned out to be the most fantastic and uplifting experience of my life with the most inspiring group of women,” she said.
She moved to Weston Rhyn two years ago determined to build new opportunities and live her life to the full and went on to set up her own business using fallen branches to create high quality rustic picture frames.
She also supports vulnerable young adults and as a result began to search for a women’s self-help group in the area to help one of her clients.
“There really wasn’t anything around so I decided to use my own experience and training to set one up in the hope that it would open doors for other women in the same way as doors were opened for me.
“I want it to be more than a self-help group. The women on the course will be able to decide what topics they want to deal with and I’m hoping it can make a real difference to someone’s life as it did for me. I want it to be a magical and wonderful experience,” she said.
Judy chose the name Gathered Branches for the groups to reflect the aim of bringing together individuals to form their own supportive network from which they could grow.
Places on the course cost £50 with half of the proceeds donated to the OpenSpace Studio project. Details are available by contacting Judy at judy@gatheredbranches.co.uk, by phoning 07930 819 276 or through the events page at the OpenSpace website at www.openspacestudioscic.com
Pictured: Judy Abramson.
