My name is Abigail and I am an accredited local preacher with the Methodist Church of Great Britain and a qualified counsellor and psychotherapist registered with the BACP. I was inspired to start Beyond Self a few years ago when, as part of my growing self-awareness that comes with training as a therapist, I came to the realisation that whilst I 'do' a lot of things for God and the Church I often don't allow enough time to simply 'be' with God. Even my prayer life can often be centred around what I am doing, rather than purely connecting with God.

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I also recognised that whilst we are called by Jesus to love God with all our heart, mind and soul (or in the Old Testament with our heart, soul, strength and mind), there were significant parts of who I am that didn't feel as connected to my faith. With this new understanding I began to explore how I could experience and express my relationship with God differently, more holistically. This included exploring ancient ideas from Celtic Christianity, modern takes on mindfulness that blend traditions from the East and the West as well as concepts from transpersonal psychotherapy as part of my own training as a counsellor and psychotherapist. All of these different traditions emphasise our connections, with ourselves, with others, with creation and with God, hence the name ‘Beyond Self’.

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Embracing these connections has given me a sense of peace, power, hope and wholeness, even in the midst of a world that feels very broken. I wanted to share that with you by creating retreats that allow us to bring all of ourselves, just as we are and whatever we might be needing or struggling with. Wherever you are on your faith journey, I hope you will join me.