Dr Tom Aldridge - NHS Maxillofacial Surgeon

‘I was recommended to see Stephen after a diagnosis of Long Covid with symptoms of fatigue, headache and myalgia after struggling to cope at work and at home.

I contracted Covid -19 in April 2020 and never fully regained my previous energy levels or exercise tolerance. The concept of Long Covid was relatively new and any therapy was offered with little confidence of outcome.

In addition to my presenting Covid symptoms I carried a number of joint issues which I had attributed to sporting injury and poor posture from work. I had also lost the desire or confidence of taking any exercise in fear of doing lasting damage.

It became very clear in the first session with Stephen I had lost the ability to effectively breath and this was his first focus. 

Stephen was able to give me huge confidence in his assessment and technique. He was able to relate my symptoms to many previous patients and had a quiet reassurance that I in turn would also recover. 

As an NHS surgeon, I have a conventional medical background and admit I do not fully understand all the pathways that Stephen has activated for me, and there were times when I needed to take a ‘leap of faith’ particularly in persevering with certain activations. 

However, over the 6 sessions with Stephen  and with the self activation techniques Stephen has taught me and empowered me to use, I have been able to get back to work, restart exercise and start to enjoy life again.

Being activated has enabled me to control so much more than any of my presenting symptoms. The benefits to bowel health and the tolerance of others was an added bonus. 

The self activation I have continued to use has allowed me to replicate some of the results achieved after a session with Stephen. Although I found some of them difficult to learn, and initially I lacked the strength to carry them out effectively, I now feel empowered to activate my diaphragm, glutes and psoas which is enough allow me swim, cycle and run. Two weeks ago I completed a Triathlon!

I was initially very sceptical of some of the activation techniques and it is hard now to remember quite how broken I was with Long Covid symptoms and possibly years of neglect of certain joints and systems. But now, looking back and remembering where I have come from, being able to intercept certain negative patterns of breathing or symptoms by utilising activation techniques, I feel so much more positive about the future.  

In fact in some ways I feel that Activation has the potential to open previously untapped potential for more exercise and adventures.

Tom’

Other Long Covid Sufferers

Tilly Phillips - School Student

‘I just wanted to thank you again for all you have done to help me. On the weekend I went to the aquarium and walked around it for nearly 4 hours (with no wheelchair in sight!) I caught Covid again but have definitely graduated from being a zero to officially awesome!! Thank you so much, you have changed my life and I am so excited for the future.’

Ruth Elborn - Education Mental Health Practitioner

‘I came to see Stephen feeling utterly exhausted from six months of Long COVID and at times unbearable fatigue. I was struggling to live anything resembling my normal life and only able to manage a few hours work a day from home.

The BeActivated sessions have been the biggest game changer I could have hoped for in my recovery. From the get go we worked on activating my breath properly which in turn has had an incredible impact on my fatigue. The work was intense, both physically and emotionally, but I experienced some profound release on both levels.

Stephen is an incredibly kind, warm and funny practitioner. I always felt safe in the sessions and his work felt very trauma informed, plenty of space and lightness to counteract the more challenging moments.

I feel so grateful to have found this work, especially against such limited effective a treatment or support for long-COVID on a wider scale. My energy improved from 35% to 75% in a few weeks and I feel confident I will continue to improve as I practise the techniques on my self. Since the sessions; I have ridden my bike, gone dancing and put my trainers on for the first time in over six months. I imagine things would be much bleaker if I hadn’t been activated. I can’t thank you enough Stephen for the help you’ve given me and the kindness through which is was given’

Ruth completed the Bristol 10k on the 14th of May - after 6 sessions together !!

Dimitris Hadjidimis - Company Director

‘I am still on a high of how much power and energy I have, and cannot quite believe that the Long COVID is over after having lived with it for so long. There are still a few traps of doing too much and my body clearly lets me know when I overdo it, but you have given me the tools to get out of it again and to continue building on the work we have done. It is currently a balancing act, but I feel great. Thank you’