Meet the Integrative Therapies Training Unit team

Gwynneth worked as a complementary therapist with patients, carers and staff at The Christie for over 14 years and has been co-facilitating the Adapting Chair Massage for Supportive and Palliative Care course with Dr Peter Mackereth and other members of the complementary therapy team.

Gwynneth led the practice development project in providing chair massage to carers at The Christie and was instrumental in developing and adapting the use of the chair for both patients and carers. As well as co-creating this course, she co-authored with Peter Mackereth chapters and papers on chair massage for carers.

Gwynneth now dedicates her time to her private practice offering therapeutic massage and Chiron Healing®. She also teaches Chiron Healing® and related courses outside of the hospital setting and has several years’ experience of teaching online. 

Ann’s background is in training and health promotion. She has worked as a complementary therapist and teacher since 1989.

In 1993, she joined the Neil Cliffe Centre as an aromatherapist and further developed her skills in massage and providing relaxation sessions for cancer patients. Whilst there, she developed a therapeutic approach called ‘HEARTS’: Hands-on, Empathy, Aromas, Relaxation, Textures and Sound. She has since trained many therapists and health care professionals to use this approach.

From 2000 to 2008, Ann co-ordinated the complementary therapy service across the 3 sites of St Ann’s Hospice (including the Neil Cliffe Centre). She has also worked as a senior complementary therapist at The Christie and has played a significant role as education co-lead for the ITTU. 

Tim has been teaching mindfulness in clinical, educational, corporate, and community settings for over 30 years and has been a teacher-trainer for integrated mindfulness for over 14 years. A senior lecturer in the University of Salford Counselling and Psychotherapy training team, he leads mindfulness-based modules for therapists’ wellbeing and the use of trauma-sensitive approaches with clients.

Time has been an accredited Breathworks mindfulness teacher since 2008 and has also trained in MBCT, MBSR, Mindfulness in Schools, Mindful Self-Compassion as well as undertaking training in ACT and Compassion Focused Therapy.

As a counsellor, CBT therapist and hypnotherapist he integrates mindfulness and self-compassion-based approaches into his work. He has a particular interest in adapting mindfulness to meet the needs of groups often marginalised from mainstream services – a recent example is working with men in the Orthodox Jewish community in North Manchester. 

Tim trained as a nurse in York and a midwife in London and has over 45 years of experience in clinical, managerial and director roles. He has worked across organisational boundaries: operationally, strategically; in tertiary and quaternary care services and managed care networks, both nationally and internationally. He has specialised in haemoglobinopathies, oncology, haemato-oncology, autologous, allogeneic progenitor transplantation, specialist palliative care and end of life care.

In an educational role he developed/delivered a range of post graduate education modules across London universities and is a leading empowered organisation course facilitator. He developed and delivered quality assurance programmes across England, Ireland and Qatar and has written numerous publications, chapters and articles.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Tim has been a team leader for the End-of-Life Care Team in an acute trust and is a Trustee of a hospice and a part time vaccinator. 

Peter became a nurse in 1976 and has worked in intensive care, neurology and oncology. He started his training in ComplementaryTherapies in 1987 and has trained in medical acupuncture, clinical hypnotherapy, aromatherapy/oncology massage, biodynamic bodywork and reflexology.

For 15 years, Peter led the complementary health and wellbeing team at The Christie. He set up a CT service for patients, carers and staff, established a smoking cessation service and was the founder of the ITTU, where he is still one of the programme leads.

He has an MA in Medical Ethics and has completed a PhD examining reflexology vs. relaxation training for people with MS.

Peter has been a university lecturer and reader, involved in various studies, authored a number of papers and books and speaks nationally and internationally. 

Linda is a qualified massage therapist, hypnotherapist, naturopath, stress management and mindfulness therapist. She has worked for the complementary health and wellbeing team since 2002 when she joined The Christie as a complementary therapist and course coordinator.

As a complementary therapist, Linda has worked with patients, carers and staff alike supporting them with their physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. As course coordinator, she has been responsible for coordinating the educational events within the ITTU and co-tutoring on several courses including Resolving Anxiety and Panic States, Adapting Chair Massage for Hospice and Cancer Care, Adapting Massage for Hospice and Cancer Care.

She also works as staff wellbeing advisor for the engagement team at The Christie, where she is responsible for providing 1:1 support for the staff as well as implementing health and wellbeing initiatives into the workplace. 

Jacqui is the clinical and research lead for the complementary health and wellbeing service at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust. Besides leading the team of complementary therapists, she has also been working clinically herself with essential oils since 1997.

Jacqui's clinical focus is the management of patients with complex physiological and/or psychological needs, at all stages of their treatment. The role includes maintaining a clinical case load where essential oil preparations are used with standard licensed medications to facilitate maximum healing and symptom support.

In addition to her clinical duties, Jacqui leads on the department’s research programme as a central part of her role. Fundamental to her leadership is addressing the issue of sustainability when choosing essential oils, for use in both the clinical and research setting. 

Sarah is a holistic bodywork therapist and teacher with over 20 years’ experience, working with massage therapy, reflexology, craniosacral therapy, scar therapy and hypnotherapy. 

She has a long-standing private practice alongside which she has worked in a variety of corporate, charitable and healthcare organisations. The most notable experience of these was working in a specialist cancer care environment with the complementary therapy team at The Christie for 10 years and working as a complementary therapist for Chai Cancer Care for 8 years. She has also been a regular therapist at local Signpost for Carers wellbeing days.

In addition to her clinical role at The Christie, Sarah was involved in running the educational events for the team’s Integrative Therapies Training Unit until leaving the team in March 2021. Although now back in full-time private practice, she continues to co-facilitate Massage and Reflexology for Cancer and Supportive Care courses as well as The HEARTS Process. 

Jenny is a highly qualified complementary therapist with over 20 years’ experience providing therapies in hospice and cancer care settings, coordinating complementary therapy services and public health project management.  

Jenny has a passion for teaching and has lectured at degree level to both complementary therapy and nursing students. She is also a fully qualified yoga teacher with experience teaching students with life limiting and life threatening illnesses as well as classes for the general public.  

She currently works at The Christie as an integrated therapist and ITTU diploma programme lead as well as working in private practice providing complementary therapy treatments and yoga classes. 

Anita has facilitated many of the ‘touch-based’ courses in the ITTU for many years. She was the deputy clinical lead in the complementary therapies service at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust from 2008 until 2018. Since then, she has continued her clinical and research work within the Trust and took on the role of clinical manager for the volunteer therapists within the service.

Since February 2022, Anita has been an integrative therapist within the complementary health and wellbeing service.

Anita’s background is in nursing and she has been providing complementary therapies within oncology settings since 1999. Anita is a Master NO HANDS® Massage therapist, and within the Trust, she uses an integrated approach including various touch modalities, clinical hypnotherapy, aromatherapy and stress management techniques.

Anita is co-investigator for the H&N-PRER-RAC Study, exploring claustrophobia and the patient experience of radiotherapy using an immobilisation mask. She has also completed a post-graduate Diploma in Psycho-Oncology (Distinction).

Jayne is an integrated therapist with over 25 years’ experience. After initially qualifying in 1997 with Reflexology and Indian Head and Shoulder Massage, she went to study a BSc in Health Sciences and Complementary Therapies at the University of Westminster, London. Since then, she has studied numerous postgraduate and advanced trainings, in a range of massage, botanical, energy and mind body techniques and teaches Yin Yoga and Meditation.

Her private practice, The Quiet Way, has included working with survivors of war in Bosnia, working in a yoga retreat centre in Spain. Between 2013 and 2015, she worked on a full-time basis as a Cancer and Palliative Complementary Therapist at Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Trust. She then moved to the position of Service Manager/Senior Therapist at the Macmillan Cancer Centre, UCLH NHS Trust.

From March 2020, she worked as a full-time integrated therapist at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, in Manchester, offering therapies, relaxation and resilience strategies to patients. In May 2022, she moved to a part-time bank role and revived The Quiet Way and is delighted to be part of the Integrative Therapies Training Unit teaching team.

Vicky has been a qualified registered adult nurse for 23 years and has worked within a variety of settings including palliative care, oncology and haematology. During this time, she has worked in various roles, including ward sister, Macmillan/palliative care nurse and educator. She was previously employed as a complementary therapist for the MS Society and maintained a small private practice alongside her nursing career. In 2022, she was appointed to the role of deputy clinical lead within the complementary health and wellbeing department at The Christie.

She is a qualified massage therapist, reflexologist, reiki practitioner, acupuncturist and has completed the diploma in complementary therapies for cancer care within the ITTU. She is currently a student on the hypnotherapy and counselling skills course and is looking forward to developing her skills further to apply in her job role.

Vicky has both the HABC Level 3 Award in Education and Training (PTTLS) qualification and completed the Training for Teachers in Palliative Care training in 2016. She is a passionate teacher and excited about being able to deliver courses within the ITTU.