Blossome, Colchester (2025)

22/11/2025

The one with bubbles and playful movement.
Today we had the joy of experiencing a Mindful Movement session led by Fi from bemoredandelion.

Fi led us through a number of gentle movement exercises, including using props. The group went from feeling nervous and somewhat awkward to feeling free to move in our own bodies in our own way.

“feeling held, safe and not judged, being with others who get it!”

“I felt free”

We are super excited to have Fi leading another session, part of our immersive 12-week Self-care for Grieving Hearts programme.

If you’ve been affected by someone else’s drinking, drug use, gambling or any addiction, find connection in the Blossome Community. Meet others who understand. No judging, no fixing, no advice- just a safe space to feel held and be with your own experience- and process your emotions.

Find your way back to you,

https://www.blossome.support/self-care-programmes/12-week-self-care/

21/11/2025

The one where the water temperature was warmer that the air. 🌅

This morning’s sunrise dip with 4 courageous souls who braved 2 degree weather. A challenging and invigorating dip, where the hardest parts were getting there, knowing it would be cold, and then warming our toes and feet after. Being in the water, was so life affirming, and beautiful.

The sun started to dance for us under the clouds, highlighting the tips and edges. Being in nature, and seeing these moments, it helps us to connect t with something bigger than ourselves, making life’s challenges feel smaller - while we feel bigger, stronger.

And now we get to take away the feeling of being fully alive, awake and proud the we did it. 💪🌸

18/11/2025

It’s Self-Care Week (17–23 November) a reminder to pause, breathe, and remember something so often forgotten when you’re coping or caring for someone struggling with addiction:

You matter too.

For anyone who has been affected by another person’s addiction, those holding everything together, those exhausted by worry, those carrying emotional weight in silence - this week is an invitation to turn some of that care back toward yourself.

And to support you, we’ve created a brand new Blossome resource:

✨ The Blossome Self-Care Guide ✨
A gentle, practical booklet designed to help you begin (or return to) your self-care journey with compassion, steadiness, and support.

Inside, you’ll find simple practices to help you reconnect with your body, ease emotional strain, rebuild connection, find moments of peace, and create more stability in your daily life.

Because self-care isn’t selfish.
It’s survival.
And you deserve it as much as anyone else.

👉 Download your free Self-Care Guide here: https://www.blossome.support/self-care-guide/

17/11/2025

Today we were reminded by Kerry how relaxing a day at the beach hut is - even this time of year. She has been there all day and says "It's sooooooooooooooooo relaxing.!" 🥰

So if you are looking for the perfect gift for someone special, consider one of our curated Self-care Days at the beach hut.

What is It?
Enjoy a blissful day of relaxation and rejuvenation at the much-loved Red Beach Hut at Walton on the Naze. This gift voucher invites you to step away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and immerse yourself in a world of tranquility and self-care.

Imagine a serene day where the gentle sound of waves lull you into a state of blissful calm. Your self-care journey begins with a curated selection of self-care activities designed to nourish both body and soul. Choose a self-care activity:

Sea glass art kit – Craft your own unique piece of art inspired by the beauty of the beach.

Paint by numbers – Surprise yourself with what you can make with guidance by numbers provided.

Journalling – A new journal with gentle writing prompts to help you explore and nurture your inner world.

As you unwind, enjoy a selection of healthy refreshments that will invigorate your senses and keep you feeling refreshed. Each nourishing snack, each bite is crafted to enhance your self-care experience, as you savour the tastes.

To ensure that the spirit of self-care continues long after your visit, you’ll receive a self-care guide and a special memento to take home, a gentle reminder to embrace self-care as a daily ritual. This day is not just about relaxation; it’s about cultivating a lifestyle that cherishes your well-being.

This gift voucher is the perfect way to show someone you care, or to treat yourself to a well-deserved break. Escape the ordinary and indulge in a day dedicated entirely to you.

Let the Red Beach Hut be your sanctuary, where every moment is an opportunity to breathe, create, and nourish your spirit.

Buy your Voucher in our online shop:
https://www.blossome.support/product/self-care-day-at-a-beach-hut/

17/11/2025

Money worries hit differently when you love someone suffering with addiction.

It’s not “just money.”
It’s the late-night panic, the memories of chaos, the guilt, the “if only I’d done better.”

It’s the way your whole body reacts before your mind even catches up.

I’ve lived with this fear too, for years.
And truthfully, I’m still learning how to steady my nervous system around money.

In this week's self-care reminder, part of our monthly focus on Money Worries & Stability, , I wrote about:
✨ why money fear runs so deep
✨ how financial insecurity becomes a trauma trigger
✨ the guilt so many of us carry
✨ and the tiny, gentle steps that actually help

If money has felt overwhelming lately, this might be exactly what you need today.

With loving kindness
Kim

👉 Read the full blog: https://www.blossome.support/2025/11/16/when-money-feels-like-a-threat-building-financial-stability-in-small-steps/

You’re not alone in this. 🌸

14/11/2025

What if you stopped being so hard on yourself… and everything began to change?

When we care for someone who is struggling with drinking, drug use, gambling or any addiction, we walk through life carrying invisible pressure:
• the voice that says “you should be coping better”
• the guilt that creeps in when you're told it's your fault
• the feeling that you’re responsible for holding everything together

It's hard. Really hard.

The 8-week Cultivating Self-Compassion Programme is designed for adults affected by someone else's addiction. It will help you learn a kinder way of being with yourself - easing the suffering.

This isn’t “bubble bath self-care.”
It’s real, evidence-based inner work that has helped thousands of people:

✨ Quiet the inner critic and develop your compassionate coach
✨ Reduce stress, anxiety, and overwhelm
✨ Feel more grounded and emotionally steady
✨ Respond to difficulties with more care and less shame
✨ Rebuild wellbeing from the inside out
✨ Put your crown back. Motivate yourself with compassion

Over eight weeks, you’ll learn practical tools from the Mindful Self-Compassion curriculum, supported every step of the way with:

🌿 guided practices
🌿 weekly themes and reflections
🌿 a safe, non-judgmental group who understand
🌿 our private online hub with recordings and resources
🌿 “Resourcing Me” sessions for extra support and practice

If you’re tired of pushing through… if you want to treat yourself with the same warmth you offer everyone else… this programme is for you. Some ME time, and a way back to finding YOU.

Next programme starts in January. Choose from:
Thursday Evenings Online 6.30 pm - 8.30 pm
OR
Saturday afternoons in Colchester 1.00 pm - 3,00 pm

👉 Find out more and book your place:
https://www.blossome.support/cultivating-self-compassion/

You don’t have to wait for life to get easier.
You can learn to meet it — and yourself — with compassion.

No cost - thanks to funding from Essex County Council

13/11/2025

🌼 World Kindness Day 🌼
Today, let’s remember to turn kindness inward too.
The world asks a lot of us - to show up, to give, to keep going. But maybe today, the most meaningful kindness is the one you offer yourself. 🤗

Tell your inner critic it can rest for a while.
Speak to yourself with gentleness.
Ask what you need - really need - and listen.

Whisper into your own ear the words you’ve been longing to hear.
You are trying. You are enough. You are worthy of care.

What kindness can you show yourself today? 💫

Share this post to remind someone you love to be kind to themselves too.

12/11/2025

Resourcing Me - A weekly drop-in support session (on Zoom)
Wednesdays, 7pm (UK)

Struggling with someone else's drinking, drug use, gambling or any addiction can leave you feeling empty, confused and exhausted. Resourcing Me is a gentle 45 minutes to catch your breath, learn a self-compassion practice to ease your suffering, and feel less alone.

Who it’s for:
Partners, parents, family members and friends affected by someone else’s addiction - whether you’re living with it now or grieving after.

What happens:
A short checking in with what we need, one simple practice you can use in daily life, and optional time to reflect, share or just listen. No pressure to talk.

Come along: Join using this link → https://us06web.zoom.us/j/3550937547?pwd=SPWrbV1EF5bSGh3RNvqRkbrEpK9WbN.1

Questions?
Send us a message, we are here to help.

07/11/2025

Another integral supporter of our work and future trustee is Madeline Bracken, Blossome advisor and widowhood researcher at The University of Essex

Madeline met Kim through a study she was doing through The University of Essex and was impressed by how Kim was reaching and supporting the widows of alcoholics. Recognising the need for an organisation that supported people affected by another's addiction, Madeline came on-board as an advisor and has helped Kim with research and compassion training as well as working together to establish a support group for widows.

Madeline said: "I have known people whose partners have been alcoholics and , therefore, had an appreciation of the hidden personal costs to them, and the stigma and difficulties they faced. I'm so proud to be part of an organisation that is delivering on its promise of compassion and awareness for those people who are often forgotten in the conversation around addiction.

My hopes for Blossome as we move towards becoming a CIO are that we can both continue our support locally, and grow nationally, to raise awareness, reduce isolation, and share self compassion across the country."

07/11/2025

Join us for Slow Stitching:
Saturday 8th November 3-5pm
at Berryfields Cafe, Firstsite.

This is an opportunity to practice mindfulness, slowing everything down and quietening the noise in our heads. The repetitive slow stitching is a mindful activity that gets us out of our busy minds.

And breathe…..letting everything settle , so your nervous system can begin to remember what safety feels like.

You don’t need to know how to sew. It’s not about the sewing. We’ll help you to be able to express a message onto a square, something that might be hard to say out loud - how you feel about your loved ones addiction, how it’s impacting you.
This activity is part of the Stitch away the Stigma campaign, and all of our squares will be stitched together to create a community art piece with a message.

If you haven’t completed a square join us. If you have completed a square, join us. Everyone is welcome. 🤗

Berryfields cafe is at the back of firstsite galley, another cafe for us to explore together - and enjoy a very social activity. This is an opportunity to meet others who understand what you are going through. No judgement, no shame, no need to share, just a group where you can feel held, and just be.🌸

Please book your ticket so I know you are coming - making that commitment to your own self-care.
https://www.blossome.support/event/slow-stitching-3-2-3/

05/11/2025

🌸 Behind the scenes at Blossome are a group of amazing individuals who give their time and advice to help us provide our community with the support we all need.

🙌 This Trustees Week, as we work towards moving from a CIC to a charitable organisation, we thought we would highlight the people who have been advising and shaping Blossome and who have agreed to become charity trustees for us.

We're starting with Mike - our Governance & Fundraising Advisor. Mike has been with Kim since day one of Blossome, and continues to advise on what we need to do to grow and become a charity.

When we asked Mike about why he wanted to support Blossome he said: "I wanted to become involved with Blossome as helping people who have suffered to be restored, to find hope and a future, resonates strongly with me.

By supporting with governance and fundraising my hope is that Blossome will continue to grow to be able to provide more people with a safe space to recover.

We're working to make sure that all of Blossome's original objectives continue to be relevant to the community it serves and to futureproof them as we move towards becoming a charity.

It's a really exciting time for Kim and Blossome's community and I know that this next chapter will mean we are able to support more people and families to recover from the pain of addiction."

Blossome

22/11/2025

21/11/2025

18/11/2025

17/11/2025

17/11/2025

14/11/2025

13/11/2025

12/11/2025

07/11/2025

07/11/2025

05/11/2025

Address

Telephone

Website

Alerts

Contact The Practice

Shortcuts

Share