Experience

Self Space

• United Kingdom
• Mental Health Care
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Integrative Therapist

  • Feb 2020 - Present

  In a world which can sometimes be challenging, frightening, overwhelming, complex and seriously hard to navigate, it’s not surprising that sometimes we don't feel ok. Everyday mental maintenance is an essential part of surviving. Self Space offers an opportunity for a good conversation with a qualified person, the probability is you’ll leave feeling better than when you came in. We aren't just crisis management (although we do that too) we believe in talking about where you're at, where you’re going and where you’ve come from, so that you can reach your potential."Ryan believes in using therapy to develop practical solutions that create long-term benefits. He works with specific goals, issues, or transitions, as well as in open-ended explorations of life’s dilemmas. He uses the therapeutic relationship to encourage emotional expression, self-compassion, new perspectives, personal growth, and healthy relationships. His experience includes general mental health difficulties; personal development; trauma; children & families; substance misuse and addiction; sexual health and intimacy; and LGBTQ+ wellbeing."

• Psychoeducation Lead

  • Aug 2020 - Present

  Key Objectives:● To lead on the creation, writing, development of Self Space talks, workshops, training, groups forexisting and new partners.● To grow our education content outwards to meet need in line with the Self space Ethos● To ensure excellent organisation, delivery and evaluation of education aspects of the business● To sell in and upsell education to existing and new partners● To work with our founding partner to develop and deliver staff training models to ensure equality acrossthose delivering● To effectively staff, meet demand and ensure good flow and communication across the business



Ryan's Therapy Space

• Founder

  • Sep 2015 - Present

  I officially qualified and became a state registered Dramatherapist in 2015. Since then, I have been working in a freelance capacity with charities, social enterprises, and in private practice.I currently see clients via online platforms, and in person. For more information, feel free to send me a message or check out my website: https://ryancvaladas.com/My main areas of clinical work are, but not limited to:- LGBTQ+ Wellbeing and Mental Health- Addiction- HIV & Sexual Health- Childhood Trauma



Place2Be

• United Kingdom
• Non-profit Organizations
• 300 - 400 Employee

• School Project Manager - Bank Staff

  • Aug 2021 - Jan 2022

• School Project Manager

  • Dec 2017 - Aug 2021

  - To manage therapy services within the school and play a key role in delivering mission to enable therapeutic and emotional support to be provided to children in schools. - The management and delivery of quality services, supervision of Volunteer Counsellors and control of budgets as agreed.- Build and maintain relationships with the Head Teacher, staff, parents and the whole school community- To ensure the safeguarding and promote the welfare of children in the school- To manage the induction process when the project is new and the induction of new volunteer counsellors thereafter- To liaise with staff on referrals- To assess and allocate children to the appropriate counsellor/therapist- To work closely with parents/carers in the delivery of direct services to the children- To co-ordinate and run a ‘self-referral’ service for children - To provide staff support- To ensure the quality of clinical services through school review and through the recruitment and retention of Volunteer Counsellors and the ongoing provision of excellent clinical supervision and development support- To conduct and manage service evaluation

• Lead Interviewer - Clinicians on Placement

  • Sep 2019 - Aug 2020

  Place2Be requires in excess of 1000 Counsellors on Placement annually to meet service agreements in schools and around half of these are required in London and the South East. The Lead Interviewer is a key role in the recruitment and selection of Place2Be Counsellors on Placement in the London and the South East. This includes shortlisting applications, interviewing candidates and providing feedback to unsuccessful applicants.



Anglia Ruskin University

• United Kingdom
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Visiting Lecturer

  • Apr 2017 - Apr 2019

  This role entailed delivering academic/professional presentations to first year Dramatherapy students, on the following topics:- Addiction- Sexuality in the LGBTQI+ community This role entailed delivering academic/professional presentations to first year Dramatherapy students, on the following topics:- Addiction- Sexuality in the LGBTQI+ community



Role Models - Nurturing Character

• Programme Facilitator

  • Sep 2017 - Jan 2019

  I co-facilitate several of the organisation's Life Skills Courses, both during term-time in after school clubs, and during school holidays, in 4-5 day programmes. Our overall course programme is based around The Partnership for 21st Century Learning. This framework has been developed over many years with input from teachers, education experts and business leaders to define and illustrate the skills and knowledge that children need to thrive in the 21st century. We’d encourage all parents to click here to take a closer look at their work.All of our courses focus on the importance of developing what are defined as ‘life and career skills’ and ‘learning and innovation skills’. Our ‘Learning to Fly’ courses are broadly designed to help children develop the 4Cs - creative problem solving, critical thinking, communication and collaboration. Alongside this, we also concentrate on giving children strategies and tools to help them persevere and develop what’s called a Growth Mindset. All of our content is delivered through separate courses in Leadership, Resilience, Collaboration and Creativity.Our courses comprise of a 4-5 day programme for children in Years 3-7 (ages 8-12) in school holidays. These courses can be completed in any order, on their own or as a complete programme. The 5th ‘Mastery’ module is designed as our ‘graduation’ course for children who have completed all four courses.



Turning Point

• United Kingdom
• Non-profit Organizations
• 700 & Above Employee

• HIV & Mental Health Consultant

  • Feb 2017 - Jul 2017

  I acted as a consultant for Turning Point's new sexual health service in partnership with several organisations in London, to provide guidance on setting up new mental health support services to people affected by HIV.

• Dramatherapist

  • Sep 2015 - Jul 2017

  The focus moved to work solely with groups, conducting 5 different weekly group sessions, with a particular focus on:- Detox & Rehabilitation Preparation (2 groups)- Abstinence (3 groups)

• Creative Arts Practitioner

  • Jun 2014 - Sep 2015

  Expansion of therapeutic work, using arts to promote wellbeing and reflection, to more groups and individuals within the service, conducting individual sessions with 3 individual clients, and with 3 different weekly groups, at different stages of recovery.

• Trainee Dramatherapist

  • Oct 2013 - Jun 2014

  Clinical placement, as part of MA Dramatherapy training.I conducted individual Dramatherapy with 2 clients, and group Dramatherapy with the abstinence-based group, on a weekly basis.



Living Well CIC

• Dramatherapist

  • Sep 2015 - Jul 2017

  I managed the provision of Dramatherapy services, conducting individual and group therapy sessions, as well as acting as a consultant to promote the use of arts and creativity in psychotherapy in the treatment of clients affected by HIV.

• Trainee Dramatherapist

  • Sep 2014 - Sep 2015

  Clinical placement, delivering 4 different sets of weekly group Dramatherapy sessions, with gay men living with HIV.



Nuffield Health

• United Kingdom
• Wellness and Fitness Services
• 700 & Above Employee

• Senior Client Services Administrator

  • Nov 2013 - Jul 2014

  - Managing external and internal queries in an efficient and timely manner - Supervise front of house and administrative functions - Diary management - Office management - Update and maintain rotas for clinical and non-clinical staff - Streamline administrative and operational protocols - Senior management team assistant - Internal systems auditor - Client Satisfaction Committee Leader

• Client Services Administrator

  • Dec 2011 - Nov 2013

  - Input client data and complete the patient registration process in an accurate and timely manner to agreed formats and standards- Maintain the office and reception areas to a high standard- Ensure clients' confidentiality is maintained at all times- Provide administrative support to clinical team- Diary management and bookings coordination of 17 corporate sites- Clinical referral management

• Client Services Advisor

  • Feb 2011 - Dec 2011

  - Provide an efficient and professional reception service, and greet and communicate effectively with all visitors, clients and staff- Debt collection- Ad hoc administrative duties- Take bookings for studio classes, and clinical appointments



LGBT Youth Scotland

• United Kingdom
• Non-profit Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Project Assistant/ Theatre Worker

  • Jul 2007 - Jul 2010

  - Devised plan for International Day Against Homophobia in Scotland in 2007/08- Co-managed conference in Edinburgh for approximately 100 national and international delegates- Used Forum Theatre methods to facilitate young people’s empowerment and exploration of issues, such as substance abuse, through workshops, seminars and performances- Represented LGBT Youth Scotland in national and international conferences, engaging with mainstream organisations across Scotland, in London and in Slovenia describing and presenting its use of theatre in youth work



University of Glasgow

• United Kingdom
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Student Ambassador/ Administrative & Research Assistant

  • Feb 2007 - Jul 2010

  As a Student Ambassador, I worked closely with prospective students and their families in guided tours through the different services and departments at the University of Glasgow, both in smaller groups (10-15 people) throughtout the academic year and larger groups (above 25 people) during Open Days. As an Administrative & Research Assistant, I worked with the Admissions Department and Learning & Teaching Centre, respectively, and:- Undertook filing, scanning and copying of documents and application forms, and provided secretarial and typing support as required- Input student data and completed registration processes in an accurate and timely manner- - Represented Social Sciences department in university-wide project, by conducting interviews with students and staff during a 3-month period and co-developing a best-practice guide on enhancement of graduate attributes for staff and students



The Fresh Air Fund

• United States
• Civic and Social Organizations
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Child Care Camp Counsellor

  • Jun 2009 - Sep 2009

  - Implemented health & safety policies to safeguard children and staff at waterfront and around the campsite, through active supervision and daily training drills- Created and provided a safe, respectful and learning environment for children in which they could learn or further develop swimming abilities; - Maintained supervision for the wellbeing of ten specific children throughout the summer - Implemented health & safety policies to safeguard children and staff at waterfront and around the campsite, through active supervision and daily training drills- Created and provided a safe, respectful and learning environment for children in which they could learn or further develop swimming abilities; - Maintained supervision for the wellbeing of ten specific children throughout the summer