About
Hi, I’m Cheri
I founded Unique Balance over 20 years ago but began my own wellbeing journey in 1993... by that point I had experienced the cycle of being overweight and then unhealthily thin for almost a decade and had developed some chronic health conditions, alongside some very skewed beliefs about food and body image.
It wasn’t until I came across the concept of ‘food as medicine’ that my understanding changed, and I began to heal. Good nutrition not only permanently removed my symptoms of IBS, PCOS and Asthma, it had a positive impact on my mental wellbeing and overall outlook on life…
I was hooked, and over the next few years I continued to research all I could in relation to Body and Mind health and undertook formal study, gaining a ‘Diploma in Natural Nutritional Therapy’ in 2001 before going on to complete an ‘Advanced Diploma in Natural Nutrition’. This allowed me to work on a 1-1 basis with clients at a Community Health Project based within a local GP surgery and in my own private practice.
My business name (Unique balance) was born out of my belief that there is no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to wellbeing. Most ‘Health Ideals’ completely disregard your starting point, genetic history and life circumstances, making them unachievable or unsustainable.
I like to think of ‘wellbeing’ as more like a swinging pendulum - always in a state of movement. We are uniquely influenced by so many factors beyond our control (holidays, emotional triggers, injuries, seasons, stress) that when you strive for a prescriptive ideal, described in a book or displayed on Instagram, it is usually, so far away from who you are, that the pendulum of wellbeing begins to swing wildly from one side to the other, resulting in an ‘all or nothing‘ approach.
I’d chosen to study ‘Natural Nutrition’ as I knew our bodies need more than good food to thrive; we are nourished through sleep, daylight, stress management, nature, movement and connection.
These are some of the key principles that help to create a sense of wellness, how these principles are applied, ‘can’ and ‘should’ be varied to meet your own unique needs. This leads to a much gentler movement of the wellbeing pendulum, allowing it to sway either side of centre to create your own perfect balance.
The more I worked with Nutrition clients, the more I began to witness the impact feelings and beliefs have on wellbeing. I decided to train to be a hypnotherapist as I knew from personal experience, it is one of the quickest and most effective ways of creating positive emotional and behavioural change.
I studied with the UK Academy of Therapeutic Arts and Sciences, obtaining a ‘Diploma in Clinical and Advanced Hypnosis’ and the ‘Hypnotherapy in Practice Diploma’, alongside specialist qualifications in ‘Smoking Cessation’ ‘Stress Management’ and ‘Timeline Therapy’.
I continued to work with clients on a 1-1 basis, helping them to identify and meet their wellbeing and lifestyle goals. I also delivered bespoke workshops for businesses and community groups.
In 2012 life decided to throw me a curved ball and I developed Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, I was challenged on every level, not least in my beliefs about health.
With my normal high-energy activities not accessible to me I found I was still able to practice very gentle yoga. I’d always used yoga as a movement practice to improve flexibility and strength, but at that point in my life – I finally got what yoga really was. It helped me to understand my body, my energy levels and my thoughts in a completely new way.
I learnt that good health is not always the speedy removal of symptoms; it is an ongoing relationship you have with yourself, it is the strong foundation that allows you to be the most you can be, in any situation.
It took 6 years to recover from CFS and yoga played a huge part in that, so much so that I completed a 10-month, 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training course run by the Soma School of Yoga in 2014. Training whilst chronically ill was both humbling and empowering and on a professional level it helped to define my teaching style.
Since that time, I have been offering Hypnotherapy, Yoga and Natural Nutrition as One-to-one sessions, workshops and group classes from my clinics in Bristol, Bath and North Somerset and, more recently online via zoom.
I continue to update my knowledge through formal training in all three disciplines and have the privilege of being supported on my ‘therapist’s journey’ by Supervisors and Mentors that not only help me to gain more detailed understanding but who also inspire me with their brilliance.
I have a particular interest in supporting people with Stress Management, Self Esteem Issues, Health Behaviour Change and Chronic Health Conditions.
I am a fully insured member of the National Council of Hypnotherapists, the National Society of Hypnosis, Psychotherapy and Mindfulness, the Independent Yoga Teachers Alliance and the Federation of Nutritional Therapy Practitioners.
Most of all I am committed to sharing my knowledge and helping others to develop their own sense of wellbeing. When I am not working, I love to read, travel, feel the sunlight on my skin, be out in nature, connect with my beautiful friends and have new adventures.
Unique Balance Manifesto
- We are all unique and beautiful individuals.
- Emotional and physical symptoms give important messages that need to be listened to.
- Trust that your body and mind are always trying to work towards balance, even if your experience is uncomfortable.
- Our environment, our bodies, our feelings and our needs are ever changing – we have a deep wisdom that lets us know how to nurture and heal ourselves.
- Everything is connected… body, mind, health and universe