The Survivors Hub first opened its doors in November 2019 as a face-to-face peer support group for women identifying with Complex PTSD. Our priority was to create a relaxed environment where women would be able to safely express what they are experiencing and feel emotionally supported and understood. Each session, led by a holistic therapist, introduced a new method for achieving inner balance and wellbeing.

We ran the Survivors Hub over several months thanks to support from the National Lottery Community Fund. Then everything changed in March 2020, with the introduction of the government's Covid19 restrictions on gatherings. We had to suspend the group, watch and wait, just as the group was developing and beginning to bond.

We trialled monthly meet-ups on Zoom under the name, Virtual Energy Healing Group. This experience showed us that we could still create a supportive peer-led community online, and complementary therapies could be adapted to benefit the group. But sadly we lost the original members, some of whom expressed a preference to sit it out and wait until the original face-to-face format could resume. Since we do not know how long this wait will be, we are re-launching the Survivors Hub series on Zoom with an exciting new format under the leadership of Bedford-based counsellor Juanita Puddifoot MBACP.

Our next series of Survivors Hub sessions will be run as a five-month course, facilitated by Juanita Puddifoot MBACP, a professional transpersonal counsellor, international lecturer and teacher. 

Juanita’s interest in holistic approaches stems from her own personal childhood traumas that led her on a journey of self-development, healing and transformation. Her passion is to help others understand and explore how to connect with the deeper knowledge and power within to heal the wounded parts of their soul. From her own ‘out of body’ experiences and sensitivity to other people’s emotions, Juanita understands the need for supportive and practical therapeutic methods to work with people.

For over 25 years Juanita has helped clients to transform their lives. She has also trained numerous people to develop their sensitivity to their subtle energy bodies and connect with other realities in a practical and grounded way. Using her therapeutic skills she supports people to explore their own inner journeys of healing, helping them connect with their own innate knowledge and power. The comments and feedback she has received over the years confirms her ability as a highly skilled teacher.

Juanita has a ‘tool kit’ of approaches to work with clients – psychodynamic, transpersonal, CBT, NLP, mindfulness/meditation, nature connection based work, goal focused, DMP regression therapy, shamanic practices and ceremonies, energy awareness chakras, aura etc, integrating the fragmented inner child, resolving generational repeating patterns (ancestors), healing the dissociative effects of trauma, and changing negative belief scripts to positive.

At Recovery Code X we understand that it takes a multi-level approach to recover from the symptoms of Complex PTSD.

The Survivors Hub is a peer support group facilitated by Juanita Puddifoot, who though her own journey to heal the effects of trauma understands that each aspect of a person: their mental, emotional, physical and spiritual levels needs support during the process of self-healing.

The 5-month course of two hour sessions will offer space for the group to share. We will be exploring differing methods to give participants practical tools to work with. Such as:

•      Meditation
•      Relaxation techniques
•      Solution focused tools
•      Breathing exercises to calm the nervous system
•      Understanding the science
•      How to work with the fragmented self and inner child
•      Exploring the bigger picture of meaning and purpose

The Survivors Hub peer support group may help if you fall into two or more of the following categories:

A report by NESTA and National Voices (2015) shows  that peer support can help people feel more knowledgeable, confident and happy, and less isolated and alone.

The two organisations examined the outcomes of peer support in 524 studies.

Among the initiatives found to be the most useful for improving emotional and physical well-being were:

• face-to-face groups run by trained peers which focus on emotional support, sharing experiences, practical activities and education
• online forums, particularly for improving knowledge and anxiety

• support offered regularly (such as weekly) for three to six months 

November 3rd 2020

The event was attended by members of the community from diverse backgrounds with a shared interest in services available for people needing help with their Complex PTSD symptoms.

Founder and Project Co-ordinator, Anna Bragga, and new Survivors Hub group Facilitator, Juanita Puddifoot, presented their talks at two different timeslots in order to comply with the government's Covid19 guidelines.

More help is needed for men with CPTSD

A repeating theme that came across was the need for services that address men's needs. As a result, Recovery Code X plans to conduct further consultations and look at funding new projects for men.

Anna L. Bragga, Founder and Project Co-ordinator

The Survivors Hub is a Bedford-based community project that Recovery Code X has designed to help survivors of Complex PTSD. The event was well attended and held at Provident House in Harpur Street Bedford.

The atmosphere was welcoming, relaxed and friendly. After introducing herself and talking a little of her own personal experience as a CPTSD survivor and why she set up Recovery Code X, Anna Bragga introduced Juanita who is also a CPTSD survivor. Then Juanita spoke of her personal experiences which led her to become a professional transpersonal counsellor, international lecturer and teacher on this subject. The format of the Survivors Hub and the creation of future projects were discussed.

 I was impressed by the whole experience as it reminded me that we all need to connect as humans on the most basic of levels

 - Liz Sorbo

The whole event was infused with warmth, empathy and a spirit of collaboration between Anna, Juanita and the attendees. The conversation flowed effortlessly and questions were asked and answered in a sincere way. The friendly atmosphere of the event was further enhanced by the offering of refreshments which was welcomed by all.

I was impressed by the whole experience as it reminded me that we all need to connect as humans on the most basic of levels. We need to keep in touch with our humanity and part of that humanity is that of connecting with one another in both good times and bad. It is in our nature, as humans, to want to stretch out our hands and offer love, healing and a place of refuge to those that most need it and this was done, on a small scale, here today at Recovery Code X.

For further information and to apply contact Liz Sorbo: el.sorbo@recoverycodex.org