Dedham Vale Network

The Dedham Vale Network has some really exciting news: We will be taking over use of the Dedham Vale Comunity Health Centre, Manningtree Road, Dedham from the beginning of November 2008. Any queries about the open day contact Liz Kotarska on 01206 299 724.

The full press release follows:

Feeling Good? Complementary Health Clinic for Dedham

The troubled history of the Dedham Vale Health Centre has at last taken a turn for the better. The building, in Manningtree Road, Dedham was intended as a GPs surgery. However, once completed, local GPs found themselves unable to take on the building after all, leaving it vacant. Now, however, it is set to become a centre for complementary therapies as a group of local professional practitioners from the Dedham Vale Network take it on.

The Dedham Vale Network, set up four years ago is a group of highly qualified therapists and practitioners, covering a wide range of complementary disciplines. Founder Liz Kotarska, one of the groups hypnotherapists says that ‘the aim was to bring together a group of dedicated and serious practitioners under one banner to give the public confidence that they would be dealing with properly qualified and regulated professionals.’

So, what will be available? Initially, there will be three regular practitioners at the Centre. Liz Kotarska FRICS DABCH MCAHyp will offer Hypnotherapy, Hypnohealing, Thought Field Therapy and a Wellness Consultancy. Whilst able to help with a wide range of problems Liz finds that much of her work is related to slimming, stress, anxiety issues and fatigue. The therapies offered are very much about helping the client discover their own, often hidden, resources to bring about beneficial change.

Andrew Stewart MRSS, who will also continue his work at the Constable Country Medical Practice and at Raydon, will offer Shiatsu. Based on the same principles as acupuncture, this hands on, fully clothed body therapy involves applying pressure to specific points and using stretches and rotations to relieve symptoms as diverse as bad backs, shoulders and joints to lack of energy, stress and sleeplessness.

Marion Gill MAR RMNAM MNFSH, the group’s reflexologist of 16 years standing, also works at Stow Health Medical Centre in Stowmarket and will be offering mainly Reflexology but also Indian Head Massage and Spiritual healing. Reflexology is a complementary therapy which works on the feet or hands to help heal the whole person not just the presenting symptoms. It helps to reduce stress and tension and can also speed recovery from a wide range of acute and chronic conditions such as back pain, hormonal imbalances, digestive disorders, to name just a few.

The remaining members of the network, Hypnotherapist Hugh Clover, Counsellor Amanda Portway and Physiotherapist Neil Foster will continue to practice at their current clinics: Hugh at Stratford St Mary, Neil in East Bergholt, and Amanda at her various locations in and around Ipswich. Referrals can now also be made through the new clinic.

The Centre is due to open on 3rd November with an open day on Saturday 15th November to give the public the opportunity to meet the practitioners and find out a bit more about what they do. Visitors to the open day will receive a voucher giving a 25% discount on first treatments at the centre. Liz Kotarska says ‘being in Dedham, just off the A12 means that we are in easy reach of the whole of the Colchester and Ipswich areas. Our convenient location with car parking makes it easy for people to visit us, so there’s no reason not to come and see what we can do for you. The range of skills offered by our team in Dedham means that there is almost certain to be someone who can help. Even if not, the wider group represents an even greater range of possibilities. Our slogan,”Feeling Good?” says it all. If you are, then great, if not, then we can help’

The Charitable Trust set up to administer the building is still hopeful that a GP can be found to hold surgeries at the Centre alongside the Dedham Vale Network, although at the moment there are no takers on the horizon. Cllr Chris Garnett says ‘I hope that by proving there is a need for a health centre in Dedham, we can make the village attractive for a General Practitioner. Making a success of the Complementary side of things will certainly help us in this.’

Liz Kotarska agrees saying ‘having a GP at the Centre would be the icing on the cake for the village, making Dedham Vale Health Centre a fully integrated health care package.’

More details about Dedham Vale Network and their practitioners can be found at www.DedhamValeNetwork.com.