Julia trained as an occupational therapist, has a post graduate Certificate in Dementia Studies and diploma in person-centred counselling. She is the UK’s first certified Validation Trainer in Dementia Care, completing her training in the USA. Her decision to specialise in dementia care was influenced by her work in the former National Care Standards Commission, where she identified training needs for staff caring for people experiencing dementia. Her specialist interest and passion is in person-centred communication and validation skills having recently made a training film called ‘Conversations that Matter: breaking through dementia’. Julia delivers dementia coaching workshops in person-centred validation skills creating the first ‘Dementia ValidationUK Champions’. These communication skills, once gained are never lost, and transfer into many other areas, such as, supervision, support and mentoring. Julia lives in a beautiful corner of rural Shropshire with chickens, dogs, alpacas and wifi.
