Mental Health & Disability Awareness
Note: Additional testimonials appear on the individual pages for courses
May 2005 - Nicole Cathcart, Melton Mowbray after Pressure & Stress presentation
You are a very inclusive presenter who makes all delegates feel they have something to contribute to the discussion. You encourage input and can modify the session to suit the attendees. You have genuine passion for the subjects you present on and this comes across in the sessions.
Martin Radford, Treasurer of Total Networking, following presentation on Wellness Recovery Action Planning on 16th May 2007
Roger gave a thought proving insight into how we can learn to identify when we are reaching personal crisis points and how we can learn to lessen their impact in the future. A very concise & clear message where we can all make help ourselves.
Tania Linden, Practioner Health Lecturer
Teaching Sessions: 21 March 2007 and 4 April 2007 An overwhelming number of the students cited your session as being the most interesting/informative.
Student on the above course
Having someone who has been through those issues, sharing his experiences, makes you understand more about mental illness and what people go through."
December 2006 - IH at Cheltenham
I was inspired by your presentation in Cheltenham. The ideas about self help and management especially the graphics you used were right on the button I felt .Mixed with your candid personal experience I found it all quite uplifting-thanks for the help!”
February 2005 - Forwarded by senior social worker affiliated to Reading University
Roger, your session on 28.2 was very well received by students. I asked them to score your session in between 1 and 5 when 5 is high. From 18 people who rated your session, 15 scored it 5, two 4, and one 3. Excellent ratings! Specific comments were as follows:
Service user’s lecture was very interesting.
Service user’s perspective was fantastic – really honest.
Service user lecture was really useful.
Roger talking about bi-polar was excellent.
Session taken by a bi-polar sufferer was particularly interesting and useful.
The service user’s insight made it easier to relate to the material and made it ‘real’.
Service user’s perspective was interesting to hear about the reality of having a mental health problem rather than just a text-book description.
I really enjoyed different segments of the ‘mania and depression’ talk.
Roger gave a very interesting and informative account of manic depression.
It was extremely useful to have the service user’s perspective – I hung on his every word!
Feb 2005 - Phil Alsop, after presentation in Cambridge
In his unique multifaceted presentation, Roger demonstrated the need for both the physical and mental approaches to the condition. All this was laced with Roger's hard won experience.
March 2005 - Also John Platts, after a Miracle Cure presentation
Roger has a scientific background but does not suffer from an inability to put his ideas across in language that the layman can understand...as do so many scientists. Couple this with his passionate interest in the subject of mental health and people’s emotional troubles and his genuine desire to help as many people as possible to make the most of their lives and to understand their emotional condition. Result: interesting and informative sessions with many "Eureka!" moments.
July 2005 - John Platts, Leicestershire, commenting on the Sailing to Success presentation on empowering people who realise they need to change their lives
Thank you for your piece on circles of influence. What did I say about eureka moments?? We all know this stuff, it is just common sense but it takes someone like you to come along and shove it under our noses... to make us 'remember' and realise the importance of it.
July 2005 - Gill Askew OH Nurse, following Food and Mood workshop at Masterfoods
I found the presentation on "food and mood" very interesting and motivational. I resolved to have porridge every day for breakfast and in sticking to that, I do believe I feel a lot better and I have lost 5 pounds. Every little helps!
Sept 2005 - Alison Hatcher RN, following Food and Mood workshop
Thanks for a really interesting and thought provoking workshop. I enjoyed the exercises and the friendly discussion - as well as the live visual aids!
Further feedback from 2005
I wanted to share that I have met one of the targets I set myself on our course. I recognised that I needed to extend my friendship network, and wanted to have a new good friend before Christmas. Well tonight I spent an hour and a half on the phone to my new friend who I met through work and I have been getting to know for a while........ it was lovely! On a cold night in Leicester it made me feel warm inside and that was a welcome change from the nothing I have been feeling for a long time. I am glad that I didn't go back on my antidepressants earlier this winter and that I used the new management skills I had covered on the course. And thank you for responding to my various mails and helping me get to here - cos here is nice and I am a 6 (self-esteem good, optimistic, sociable and articulate, good decisions and getting work done). - NB
The course was well structured & informative. Facilitators were good and knowledgeable. Excellent opportunities to interact with & learn from other participants.
Very friendly facilitators. Relaxed atmosphere. Excellent Course - all the bricks on which to build a more fulfilling life.
The course is so beneficial and I wish it was accessible 24 years ago. I feel I would not have lost so much of my life if these tools had been available to me earlier.
Thoroughly enjoyable experience and I will use what I've learned to keep me well. I think 3 days probably isn't enough time for all that could be included. What about a week long course.
Easy going, friendly environment. Very relaxed. A good "event" that i will remember for the rest of my life. I would recommend the course...
Oct 2005 - Jayne Mowson, Nottingham
You have the gift of being able to share your thoughts with people and get right down to the nitty gritty - this is great when you are sharing your views either one to one, in a small group setting or in a big conference - people can relate to what you say. You have written a book - WOW!
Dec 2005 - Feedback from students on part of the "Our Futures" course
- I liked the cards and writing down what applied to us because we could discuss attributes if we wanted but if they were personal we didn't have to.
- I have enjoyed the sessions and they are helping me sort some direction and that I need to start thinking more about the future.
- I liked the way you make the talks interactive. Rehearsing interview situations was really useful.
August 2006 - Kahla, Grantham, emailing after a one-to-one course of stress advice
its been five weeks can you believe that!!!!! i am really enjoying it... family are good... im still walking once a week and i think that does me good. i can now relax without the cd so that takes less time. All the things we talked about have really helped me so you are good at what you do.
April 2007 - `Client 3'
This course has certainly helped. I can't pinpoint how to put it into words. Maybe because the effects of what you have been doing have been very subtle. I think the most noticeable thing to me is that the combination of the work we have been doing together and your regular snippets of encouragement has empowered me to slowly take control of the things in my life that are amiss and to seek help from other specialists in each area that needs rectification.
Without your support I don't think I would have found the strength to do this.
I am feeling more positive at the moment than I have in several years.
Nov 2006 - Marci Humboldt, Northern California regarding on-line coaching
I told her the story of how much you helped me during my isolation period. I realized how horrible a time that was as I typed it. I also realized how appreciative I was to you and I don't really think I ever told you that. I am sorry that I neglected to do so. Thank you so much RAS. I don't even know if you realize how much I changed since then and it was the nudges I was getting form you and the ideas that helped get me on my way.
June 2005 - Judy Mocha, Texas, USA in response to internet support
Roger, I feel the same as you about just exactly how much I can influence things and focus on things where I can make a difference. If I'm lucky, maybe I can help change a few lives along the way. I think you are a fine, gentle caring man, who loves his family , and who tries to make a difference in people's lives. Like me you also accept all people and all cultures. Just because someone is different to me, is just not that big a deal.
Further Feedback from 2007
"Hi Roger, Just wanted to thank for the course at the weekend and all the effort that you put into it. I've taken so much away from it and think I'll be aware of even more benefits as time goes by.........it was a real inspiration." - IT
"Dear Roger, Just a brief note to thank you for facilitating last weekend. I now understand a little just how much time and effort you put into getting the whole deal together. I found the course well thought out and very instructive. I am quite certain that I will find what I learned enormously useful in the future. You have a most effective tutorial talent.…….. and we were lucky in so far that we were among a highly entertaining bunch of attendees!" - RM
"Hi Roger, It was really nice to meet you over the last 3 days. Thank you for everything. You were really an inspiration and a fantastic help." - GP
"I feel the course will not only change my life, but it has also enabled me to make some very good friends, who have been in touch already. You were excellent, even when we did all get a bit loud!!!" - LJ
Note: Additional testimonials appear on the individual pages for courses
Dave Smith, Neath, S. Wales (speaking of a course in 2002)
I first had the pleasure of meeting Roger at a Self-management training course organised by the Manic Depression Fellowship (now the Bi-polar Organisation). It was easy to see why he was asked to facilitate the course. Whilst being a man gifted with intelligence, and having vast personal experience of learning to manage stress in his busy life, he was also a warm and caring individual. Since then Roger has kept in touch and we have exchanged e-mails and talked on the phone.
His latest initiative has led him to offer his services on a consultancy basis to those who would like to further equip themselves in managing what has become the scourge of living in a modern society - Stress!
Roger's commitment and energy will make Stop Paddling/Start Sailing's workshops enlightening, interesting and fun.
Ian Hawkes - hired Roger as a Stress Advisor in 2006, and hired Roger more than once
"Roger has a very thoughtful approach giving unique insights and his knowledge always brings relevant information and ideas into play. His honesty and empathy is hugely helpful and he adapts gladly to individual needs" Top qualities: Personable, High Integrity, Creative
Sarah Francis - hired Roger as a Stress Advisor in 2007
“Roger has extensive knowledge in this field and achieves excellent results.” Top qualities: Great Results, Personable, High Integrity
Nicky Bettany - worked directly with Roger at Stop Paddling >>
"Roger's facilitation of the course I attended was confident, sensitive and well informed. He enabled me to see changes I needed to make to improve the quality of my life.”
Terry Davies - worked with Roger at Stop Paddling >>
"Roger has an enthusiastic approach to facilitating courses and a friendly manner, which puts individuals at ease and encourages them to take part.”
Timothy Morrell - hired Roger as a Business Consultant >>
“I met Roger during a professional training skills course. He is an outstanding trainer and consultant of Stress Management Techniques. Roger demonstrates expert knowledge in his field and with the application of his training style he empowers his clients to create lasting results in their life. He has a warming personality and charismatic style to have you feeling at ease and ready to apply learnings with immediate effect.”
Paula Mountain, Quality Manager, Masterfoods - worked with Roger at Masterfoods >>
"I had just taken over from someone who had left the business with no handover or procedures, Roger proved to be very patient, professional and easily approachable to answer what must have seemed very simple, trivial questions. Over the period of time I worked with Roger, he was constantly a true professional. I would certainly enjoy working with Roger again and would recommend him.”
Mukesh Patel, Medicated Quality & Licensing Manager, Masterfoods - was Roger's client >>
“Roger is an excellent Quality manager and I have worked with him in complex, tight deadlined projects. His key attributes are high attention to detail, good time management, managing client expectations and "pulling out the stops" to help. He has all the values of a high calibre QA professional.”
Jan Ayar, Area Manager, CEM Microwave Technology Ltd - worked directly with Roger at Masterfoods >>
“Roger is a very approachable and understanding person with a very professional manner. I found him very efficient and conscientious in his approach to work and a great facilitator amongst people.”
Chris Mozley, Senior Analytical Tech., Mars Inc
“I've worked with Roger for many years. He is always professional in his approach and very dependable. He has managed the UKAS Quality System for the Central Nutritional Laboratory well and in recent times risen to the challenges of the European Quality Manager role.””
Regis Lesaffre - was a consultant or contractor to Roger at Masterfoods >>
“I have worked with Roger when he was Vendor Assurance Technologist. He was a hard worker, very conscientious.”
Note: Additional testimonials appear on the individual pages for courses
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