open Physical theatre workshops

Whether you are an experienced performer, mental health professional or simply curious about personal self expression our inclusive open workshops are an opportunity to explore personal story and the holistic benefits of connecting to the body, movement and improvisation.

What is Physical Theatre?

All live theatre is physical in some way, but physical theatre is storytelling that predominantly uses the body to convey the moods, atmospheres and feelings of the narrative and plot of the story being told. It gives as much weight to visual, physical, musical, and non-verbal expression as it does to words. It uses movement and bodies in space as starting points.

Tailor made workshops

Mental Health Organisations

What we can offer:

• Workshops to service users in devising theatre from personal story, which also integrates accessible skills to support self-regulation.

• Training for staff in body based skills to support self-regulation which can be integrated into their creative work with service users. 

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What participants say about out workshops:

‘It was a wonderful workshop in a safe and friendly environment’

‘I felt I unlocked a small part of me that had been imprisoned for decades. Brilliantly done!’

Taster workshop - the moving pieces approach

Date: Saturday March 22nd
Time: 10am - 5pm
Venue: The Artworks London Bridge, 60A Weston St, SE1 3QP
Cost: £95

This one-day workshop will offer you an opportunity to explore the main components of our unique integrated approach to embodies storytelling and mental health. You will have a taster of a range of techniques - from movement, storytelling and improvisation - to help you explore the dynamics of personal creativity; the expression of our aliveness and at times what gets in the way of this. 

As Moving Pieces is informed by body psychotherapy and how movement can help regulate the nervous system, you will also have a taster of body-based skills to support in the moment awareness, grounding and protection against stress.

This taster can be attended on its own and also gives you access to our upcoming Level 1 Training on the Moving Pieces Approach

How to book: Email charlieblowers@movingpieces.co.uk for further info and to book a place

stories from the body

An 8 week evening course – discover your potent self! A dynamic and playful exploration of stories that emerge from connecting to the body and the more hidden and conflicting aspects of ourselves.

Date: TBC
Time: TBC
Venue: The Artworks London Bridge, 60A Weston St, SE1 3QP
Cost: TBC

What you will gain over the course of the programme:

• The ability to develop a story through creating and embodying a mask, exploring movement, voice work and improvisation*

• New theatre making skills and devising that begin with connecting to the body 

• Confidence in using body-based skills, including the Feldenkrais method, to reduce stress and build emotional resilience 

• An understanding of how embodiment and creativity can protect and help maintain good mental and physical health - An opportunity to share a creative presentation personal to you, based on material and learning that surfaces throughout the workshop series 

*Each participant will receive a simple list and links to materials needed for creating a mask and other arts based activities

supervision for mental health and arts practitioners
(online and face to face)

Online: Via Zoom
Face to face: The Artworks London Bridge, 60A Weston St, SE1 3QP
Cost: Individual consultation - £100 for a 60 min session / Regular individual supervision - £90 for a 60 min session

Reflective practice specialising in trauma-informed, embodied and creative approaches for mental health professionals and art practitioners.

As people working in mental health and care settings, we know that supervision is important. A reflective practice helps to ensure that client service is of the highest quality. It is also an essential part of self-care, and helps to lower the risk of being negatively impacted by working with individuals or groups experiencing high levels of challenge. 

Our current situation in terms of navigating the pandemic is creating additional challenges for many. Moving Pieces is now offering additional individual consultations and supervision. 

Charlie Blowers is a UKCP registered psychotherapist, clinical supervisor, yoga therapist, and Feldenkrais practitioner with 30 years of clinical experience with children, adolescents and adults. She works with mental health professionals and arts practitioners working with vulnerable individuals and groups. 

She specialises in embodied and creative approaches to managing trauma and regularly delivers the popular training ‘Body Based Strategies to Lower the Risk of Secondary Trauma’ to groups of psychotherapists, arts practitioners and mental health organisations.

Individual consultations and supervision sessions are opportunities to:

• Explore strategies that may be particularly helpful in responding to the current crisis;

• Consider embodied and creative practice in order to deepen understanding of the therapeutic process;

• Learn effective self-care strategies particularly when working with high levels of emotional distress;

• Explore linking a range of theories with practice.

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These sessions can be attended in person or via Zoom. Please see our COVID-19 policy for face to face events.

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How to book: Email charlieblowers@movingpieces.co.uk

level 1 SEMINAR - Body based strategies to support self-regulation and resourcing for mental health and arts practitioners (online)

This is an offer to mental health professionals and arts practitioners offering support to vulnerable people and organisations. It is an opportunity to think through and prioritise effective strategies in terms of supporting others, learn specific body based skills to support self-regulation, resourcing and strategies to lower the risk of secondary trauma.

This seminar helps you reduce the risk of secondary trauma, the symptoms of which are often similar to 'burnout'. The day will be part theoretical with an emphasis on experiential learning, providing practical techniques you can use to enhance your practice.

It is aimed at mental health professionals, therapists, performers, artists working in mental healthcare settings, and people interested in personal development.

The theoretical aspect includes the sharing of the psycho education of mechanisms that are involved in secondary trauma, based on insights from recent neuroscience.

Experiential learning combines simple body-based strategies with mindfulness and breathing techniques, which support regulation specifically of the autonomic nervous system. You will receive a toolkit of body-based strategies as part of the workshop.

This seminar can now only be booked by groups or organisations. For a booking /cost enquiry contact charlieblowers@movingpieces.co.uk

level 2 Seminar - Body Based Strategies to Lower the Risk of Secondary Trauma for Mental Health and Arts Practitioners (online and face to face)

If you have attended the first Secondary Trauma seminar, this is your opportunity to build on those skills, deepen your knowledge of ill-health prevention strategies, and progress to the next level. 

Specifically for mental health professionals and those who work in the sector, learning how to properly protect your wellbeing is an essential self-care strategy and will ensure good sustainable working practices.

Each participant will receive a toolkit of body-based strategies to support an ongoing practice to protect wellbeing and boost resilience.

This seminar can now only be booked by groups or organisations. For a booking /cost enquiry contact charlieblowers@movingpieces.co.uk

What is the feldenkrais method?

The Feldenkrais Method is named after its originator, Moshe Feldenkrais (1904-1984), an engineer and physicist as well as a Judo teacher. It's a practical and unique way to realise your potential, focusing on learning and movement, which will bring improved movement and enhanced functioning. 

The benefits of Feldenkrais include easier and improved breathing; relief from tension and muscular pain; greater relaxation and wellbeing; improved performance in physical activities, dance, music and drama; greater ease in everyday activities and increased vitality.

INDIVIDUAL lessons (online and face to face)

Online: Via Zoom
Face to face: The Artworks London Bridge, 60A Weston St, SE1 3QP
Cost: £95

Charlie offers 1:1 sessions online and face to face.

These sessions are an opportunity to book an individual lesson which is interactive and bespoke. You will be guided through an awareness through movement lesson, responding to specific areas of need and interest that you have. When sessions are face to face these can include hands on Functional Integration work. 

Maybe there are particular movements you want to improve on?  Your performance in general in sports or the performing arts? Or you are simply curious about the potential of the Feldenkrais Method to improve your overall health and wellbeing?

Click here to read FAQs about The Feldenkrais Method

How to book: Email charlieblowers@movingpieces.co.uk for further info and to book a session.

From Feldenkrais to Improvised Movement and Writing (online & Face to face)

Dates: Sat Dec 7th Time: 9 - 1pm
Venue: The Artworks London Bridge, 60A Weston St, SE1 3QP
Online: Via Zoom
Cost: £70

On the morning of Saturday Dec 7th, we will be running our popular workshop ‘From Feldenkrais to Improvised Movement and Writing’. This workshop is a stand-alone workshop and also a taster for a monthly series of 3 workshops offered from Jan 2025.

The workshop will be informed by the Feldenkrais Method and other movement-based practices as a springboard to your own creative movement, image making and improvised writing. We will explore ways to enliven your body and imagination and how images and changes in our state can be taken into embodied creative practice.

Studio spaces are limited to 8.

​​How to book: Email charlieblowers@movingpieces.co.uk for further info and to book a session

a series of 3 short workshops based on “from feldenkrais to improvised movement and writing (online and face to face)

Date: Tues Jan 28th, Feb 25th, March 25th
Time: 6.30 pm- 8,00 pm
Venue: The Artworks London Bridge, 60A Weston St, SE1 3QP
Cost: £105 to attend the series 

This series of 3 workshops based on our popular workshop ‘From Feldenkrais to Improvised Movement and Writing’ is an opportunity to explore and build on a different theme each month.

The first theme will be an exploration of cross-motivation – how we can hold conflicting impulses in our movement, the second theme the experience of transition and change and the third theme the experience of integrating different impulses. There will be an opportunity in each workshop to take this exploration from movement into improvising, image making, writing and sharing creative work with each other for those who would like to.

Studio places are limited.

​​How to book: Email charlieblowers@movingpieces.co.uk for further info and to book a session