Teresa Walker runs Woman Centred Way, a woman centred and feminine way of healing and teaching which was created by her own personal healing journey.

She offers one to one mentoring and intimate circles and workshops for women in a safe and comforting environment focusing on healing practices such as Reiki, Pellowah, womb healing, yoga nidra and more recently meditation gong and sound baths.

The Woman Centred Way originated from Teresa’s own personal experiences as a registered nurse in West Wales. While working she trained in Reiki, primarily for her own use and to benefit friends and family. As she thoroughly enjoyed the Reiki, she trained as a practitioner, although never used it while she was working full time.

Over 10 years ago, the often stressful and pressurised work as a nurse left Teresa suffering from burnout, so she took some time out and eventually left.

While at the time this brought confusion and grief at the loss of her long and successful career, she says,

“I now know that it was absolutely the best decision, and that I didn’t actually walk away but took a sideways step.

I am still very much caring for people but in a holistic way. I have found a healthier way of giving and receiving and a healthier and more fulfilling way of living.”

The therapies that Teresa offers have evolved over the past 15 years, with the gong baths being the most recent addition, something which she has focused on for the past 3 years and has opened up her women-centred therapies to men too.

“Energy and sound healing have always been my passion. I have been practising the gong bath mediation in Pembrokeshire for the past 3 years.”

Teresa is also passionate about her Welsh roots. Although she was born abroad, she grew up in Llangwm and Hill Mountain in Pembrokeshire. She trained to be a nurse in Carmarthen, and moved to the valleys when she met her husband and they got married. She now spreads her time between there and Pembrokeshire, with plans to move back to the area in the near future as her home is really calling her back, and she is looking forward to further developing her working practises there.

The Woman Centred Way, as the name suggests, focuses predominantly on women. Teresa has in the past held residential retreats for women and hopes to return to holding these next Spring.

She says,

“All of the therapies weave themselves into the retreats. The women attending can deep dive into healing and see the therapies on offer. It’s on a much more personal and deeper level.”

Teresa notes that these women-only events can bring a real sense of closeness and community between those attending.

“It is a sacred space where women feel they can share things safely and be completely themselves. I keep the groups small and intimate, offering a respectful, nurturing space, where quite beautiful sisterhood and friendships develop during our time together.”

Teresa has also worked with Women’s Aid in the past and is looking to work with more charities and services in West Wales. She is also taking in part in Ashram’s locally organised retreat days for unpaid carers.

She notes that her work differs from the nursing she has come from, yet the element of wellbeing is the same.

“Now I practice a more holistic approach.

The work that I offer has a different approach than our traditional medicine but they also work together, complementing each other. A lot of physical pain and disease has emotional roots. Sound and energy healing helps to treat various problems from the root.

More and more people are being drawn to older and traditional ways of living, and indeed looking after themselves. The last two years have led many people to return to a healthier lifestyle and ways of looking after their own and their family’s well-being as a whole, focusing on what they really want in life, and it’s been a period of huge growth and change.”

Teresa currently works out of the wellness hub in Narberth, offering her services as one to one or in group sessions.

She says that the work she does is extremely beneficial to those involved, particularly the return of gong bath meditations which she offers for small groups.

“When the lockdowns eased last year, I felt a real sense of wanting to draw the community back together after long periods of isolation for many, and this was really welcomed!

Initially I was offering monthly gong baths in the community, but since restarting last summer they have become weekly and gradually fortnightly, and are now really well attended.

There is a real sense of community which is a joy to see, and we have so many people coming along time after time, because they’ve really noticed the health benefits, physically, emotionally and spiritually.

People’s faces literally light up when they attend, new friends and connections have been made, and what’s really wonderful is that each time more and more newcomers are coming along to experience the healing benefits of the gongs!”

So, what can you expect when attending a gong bath meditation?

Teresa explains that it is usually best to wear comfortable clothing and layers, to have a mat to lie down on or a reclining or comfy deck chair to sit on and to create a cosy space. The word bath is used as the sounds literally wash over you.

You can just relax and close your eyes, letting the sound waves from the gongs and other instruments, wash over you.

She adds

“Each gong bath is very different as it depends on the people there, and their unique and individual needs at that time. It is hugely beneficial for health and wellbeing.”

Teresa is holding monthly gong bath meditations at Haverhub community space and fortnightly gatherings at Templeton community hall. You can attend as few or as many as you like, with all bookings at the moment made via Teresa herself.

Find out more here.