I love working for the Practice Rooms, as soon as I started back in May 2018, I knew that it was the right place for me. I look after, the Westbury on Trym and Southville Practice Rooms in Bristol, I remember coming through the door at Westbury for my interview, I could almost feel the building envelop me with the reassurance of being a haven, a safe port that can weather many a storm. And in this time I have seen many storms. Whether that be in the literal sense of torrential rain, gale force winds, or heavy snow, or in the more recent storm of uncertainty as the world ground to a holt during the Covid-19 pandemic. And yet the centre still stands strong and remains that waiting haven for us.
The maritime metaphor is very relevant to Bristol, a place with a long history of being a shipping city. A city whose ancient harbour had been hard to navigate, as ships surviving the journey of the Bristol Channel, then needed to sail up the Avon with its tempestuous tides. We may not have many working lighthouses on our coasts now, but with six centres around the city, you could say we do have them in the shape of the Practice Rooms, offering a safe harbour for both our therapists and their clients.
As a Practice Manager, I do feel like a lighthouse keeper in these times, life at present is quite stormy out there, so it is my job to make sure that the rooms are ship shape and Bristol fashion at all times, as well as keeping the Practice Rooms light shining bright. The light is there to reassure that we are here, holding space, ready to help guide you back when the time is right. Whether you have been holding fast, waiting and watching, working from home and now ready to return, or you are new to these seas, looking for the light to shine and guide you as you look for new space to build your practice from. Together we can help you navigate the waves, whether you are seeing clients face to face or are looking for quiet, calm space to conduct your practice online, we make sure our wifi signal is strong in all our locations where you can conduct your sessions without interruption. Our rooms are comfortable and comforting, creating, nurturing and protecting, a peaceful space where all can come and find solace.
By Nicola Hall, Practice Manager at Southville and Westbury-on-Trym
