These statements have been given regarding Lee's Social Art & Therapy work in varied contexts. Lee is developing SA&T Ltd.
Nichole Herbert Wood (2016) Director, Second Floor Studios and Arts, London Running a large creative community of over 450 studio members naturally we have a proportion of the community with varying degrees of mental health challenges. It was raised by a few of the members that they would appreciate us running a talk/workshop to take them through some issue identification and coping mechanisms. As directors of Second Floor Studios and Arts we felt that approaching SA&T and requesting the design of a workshop/solution would be the right approach.
Lee Anna Simmons submitted a proposal that supported members over three workshops and helped set up a support system among themselves so that the intervention had more longevity.
Lee delivered the workshops and the feedback from the participants was that she provided the right balance of empathy, guidance and direction and that the members were pleased they had participated. We would happily recommend Social Art Therapy (SA&T), and Lee.
Shaun O'Leary (2015) Executive Head, Adults and Safeguarding, London Borough of Sutton, UK Lee is an exceptional professional and individual who brings together the science of human behaviour with the art of managing change. I commissioned Lee (2012 - 2014) as part of the Transforming Lives programme whilst Executive Head - Adults & Safeguarding at the London Borough of Sutton.
As an artist and psychotherapist she is able to use metaphor and alternative forms of communication to reach out and connect with a range of vulnerable individuals and their communities. The impact that her work has had on older and younger people on a SW London council estate was truly remarkable. Lee offered an added dimension and skill set in helping the Adult Social Care Department manage risk and deliver its core duty to enable vulnerable adults to maximise their potential for independence.
As a skilled professional she also helped Social Workers, Doctors, Nurses and OT's see an alternative perspective. Lee is an artist in her own right but when these skills are applied to the world of social care and health some powerful and exciting changes can be delivered to 'hard to reach' communities. I would highly recommend Lee to any health or social care organisation that was looking to deliver major change whilst seeking to deliver positive therapeutic outcomes to the communities they serve.
Jonathan Parsons (2011) artist, coordinator artist resource centre (ARC) Lee is a highly flexible and adaptive Advisor, with valuable experience in her field. She is able to impart her knowledge in a thoughtful, intelligent and useful way.
Kefi Chadwick (2012) Writer I worked with Lee on the Punchbag domestic violence project for Proteus. I found her approach to taking our text and transforming it into artwork innovative and exciting whilst also tapping into key visual elements of the white ribbon campaign. She and I worked very closely, discussing approaches and ideas, and I found her at all times to be professional, stimulating and incredibly imaginative. On the day, Lee worked tirelessly in freezing conditions to install her striking artworks in Basingstoke and Southampton.
These installations attracted a huge amount of attention and really drove home awareness of the impact of domestic violence. I do hope we work together again
Barbara Chabior(2015) Social Worker, Community Social Work Team, Sutton, UK Lee is a deeply intuitive artist and a therapist, working with rigour and authenticity in both fields and defying typical boxing in stereotypes of what the roles can be and are, whilst respecting and using knowledge and traditions in both fields of practice. She embodies unique awareness of the domains conflicting in an industrial sense but being complimentary and naturally in synch when it comes to the reality of thinking about and doing the work.
Sophie Fegan (2019) Head Mistress, La Sainte Union Secondary School, London, UK We are a secondary school in inner London. We contracted Lee to cover a maternity in our mental health team. Lee provided short term counselling for teenage girls who were facing a number of personal issues. The young people referred to Lee always engaged very well. Lee also sat on multi-agency team meetings and all members of our inclusion team benefited from Lee’s expertise. I would highly recommend Lee to any school that was looking to offer a range of mental health support for young people.
Bettina Dreier (2019) independent supervision at SA&T since 2016 I am a Social Worker at Freedom from Torture and at the Southwark Day Centre for Asylum Seekers. My main area of work is providing support for young people and families who have experienced torture in their country of origin. I liaise with Leaving Care Teams/ Social Care to ensure the young people and families I work with receive the support they are entitled to taking into consideration the trauma they have experienced. Many of my clients are so severely traumatised and isolated that there is often a risk of self-harm. Having monthly supervision sessions with Lee has helped me process some to the difficult and challenging experience that arise at work. I am more able to reflect on my practice and Lee’s creative approach has helped me improve my resilience. I would highly recommend Lee and her very thoughtful and effective approach.
Sarah Temple-Smith (2019) Manager, My View, London, The British Refugee Council Lee provided group supervision for the My View Children’s Therapy Project. We work with young refugees and asylum seekers who have come to the UK on their own, having experienced and/or witnessed traumatic events including torture, detention and sexual violence. This kind of work demands a lot from the therapist, both clinically and in terms of their personal resilience and the group members highly appreciated Lee’s therapeutic input into supporting their practice as well as in helping promote their self-care. The whole team benefited from Lee’s flexible and creative approach and learned a lot from her experience and knowledge of working therapeutically with the refugee client group.
David Giles (2019) Mountain Leader, Research Fellow, Health and Social Care Research Centre, University of Derby, UK I was fortunate enough to spend a day visiting and observing Lee Simmons in November 2018 at the Reach Climbing Centre. During this time we discussed Lee’s therapy work and how climbing is becoming integrated into this. We spent the afternoon with one of her clients climbing, during which time I was able to see how Lee is able to combine climbing and her therapy work. Not only did her client have a thoroughly enjoyable session, but it was also clear to see how the climbing was also benefiting them.
Art & EMDR therapy followed by indoor climbing, client's mother (2019) SA&T studio, London It’s amazing the change in my son since coming here, he was suffering from crippling depression and anxiety that he couldn't see a way out of, he’s now a teenager who sees a whole new world and life in front of him and is going out there to grab it. A huge turn around that I’m extremely grateful for because I don’t think he’d be here now without Lee and her therapy.
Gail Dee (2015) Principal Psychologist, Clinical Health Team, London Borough of Sutton, UK I was fortunate enough to meet and work with Lee Simmons, Art Psychotherapist, when she worked in a community team in the London Borough of Sutton. During this time she set up a number of fantastic mental health community initiatives and also offered individual Art Psychotherapy work to mainstream clients who were identified as being at risk of developing more severe mental health difficulties. She had a special interest in using EMDR techniques and made many significant changes during her time here. It was refreshing to work with someone who is so creative and passionate about her work.
