Welcome to Athena Mentors CIC: Our Story
- 23 hours ago
- 3 min read
People often ask me...
"What is Athena Mentors CIC?"
and
"Why did you set it up?"
The answer is both simple and deeply personal.
As a Relational Psychotherapist, I have had the privilege of supporting people across many different identities and cultures, each with their own lived experiences, challenges and strengths.
Time and time again, I have witnessed how important it is for people to have access to culturally safe, compassionate therapeutic support, yet, I am also aware that therapy is only one part of supporting our holistic wellbeing and whilst counselling and psychotherapy remain at the heart of my work, I can also see the value when people come together through creativity and community. I too wanted to create something that brought these elements together in a way that felt culturally accessible, inclusive and grounded in genuine care.
That vision became Athena Mentors CIC
Established as a Community Interest Company (CIC), Athena Mentors has been created to make wellbeing support more culturally accessible and safe, through therapy-informed services, creative self-care workshops, nature-based experiences and opportunities for people to develop, make meaningful connections and prioritise their holistic wellbeing.
Our work has a particular focus on supporting women, children and young people from the black community, however, we also welcome people from all ethnic communities.
Today, Athena Mentors has grown into an organisation that offers a range of services designed to meet people where they are and support holistic wellbeing in many different ways.
Counselling & psychotherapy remain central to our work, providing a safe and confidential space for groups to explore life's challenges through creative and reflective self-care workshops. Please come, engage and enjoy mindful, reflective activities, creative freedom, creative space and therapeutic practices, all within the community, that encourages meaningful connections, fun, confidence, self-expression and holistic self-care.
We also have our Nature Therapy & Retreats in the form of wellness getaways and mindful outdoor experiences, that will invite you to slow down, rest, reset, reflect and develop.
More recently, I created...
My 10-Minute Dawn to Dusk Journal: Mindful Mornings & Reflective Nights | Self-care to encourage simple moments of reflective writing, affirmations, gratitude practices and mindfulness, as part of everyday life. It is based on the belief that even a few mindful minutes each day can become meaningful habits over time.
My hope is that my blogs will encourage conversations around mental health, inspire people to make time for their wellbeing and show that there are many different ways we can support ourselves and one another.
Ps. I will also be producing a monthly newsletter as a natural extension of Athena Mentors, which you can subscribe to.
Here, I will be sharing therapy-informed insights, practical wellbeing ideas, self-care inspiration, journaling prompts, reflections from nature, updates about our workshops and retreats and the work we are doing within the community, so why not sign up today, to which you will also get a FREE self-care checklist, designed to help you gently explore how you are supporting yourself across key areas of your holistic wellbeing. It is simple, clear and designed to take just a few minutes, while giving you meaningful insight into where you are and what you may need next.
✨ Click the button to subscribe to Athena Mentors monthly newsletter and to receive your FREE self-care checklist
A Final Thought
Whether this is your first visit or you have been following Athena Mentors for some time, thank you for being here. I look forward to sharing this journey with you.
Warm wishes, Charly 😊
