About - Breakthrough

The Charity

Trauma Breakthrough, which also works under the name Breakthrough, was founded in 2013. We are a charity based in Bath and operating across the south-west of England. We provide specialist mental health services and support for adult survivors of abuse and all forms of trauma. We also offer training and consultancy to organisations and individuals who want to learn to support survivors more effectively.

The Team

Giles Lascelle – CEO & Clinical Director
Giles has over 30yrs experience as a psychotherapist and trainer. He’s worked in the NHS, social services, foster homes, and with a number of voluntary agencies in the fields of mental health, addiction and homelessness. He worked with the first ever NHS Staff Support Service, providing therapy and training for NHS and Emergency Services staff. Giles is a full clinical member of the UKCP and is part of the executive committee for the British Psychodrama Association (BPA).
He specialises in helping adult survivors of childhood abuse and trauma. He also has a passion for seeing communities and organisations trained and equipped to support to survivors and develop a greater understanding of mental health needs – because ‘it takes a village’!
Giles lives in Bath with his wife Ally and an insanely overindulged cat, Marmite.

Miriam Beck – Therapist
Miriam has worked for a number of charitable organisations as a psychotherapist and can’t see herself doing any other kind of work! She’s particularly interested in how we relate to one another and ourselves based on our early relationships, and how therapy can help us live a fulfilling life.
Miriam loves to cook – particularly Mexican and Chinese – and loves a good rummage in a charity shop whenever she gets the chance!

Sue Topalian – Therapist
Sue joined the Breakthrough team as a part-time therapist in Sept 2019 after completing our 1 year intensive training course from 2018-2019.
She’s an incredibly creative therapist with an interest in trauma and attachment. Sue specialises in Dance Movement Therapy but brings a whole mix of skills and creative approaches to her work with clients.
She’s also a big fan of gardening!

Holly – Services Manager
Holly heads up the operational side of Breakthrough, from client support and staff training, through to making sure there’s always enough coffee (because coffee is everything)!
She is usually your first point of contact when getting in touch with us, and will talk you through the process of starting therapy or training, and answer any questions you have (big or small!).
Should you ever need post-therapy chocolate and a natter, she always has some chocolate in her desk drawer for those who need it. And has an unnecessary number of photos of pretty looking meals on her phone that one day she may remember to put on Instagram!

Ella L – Placement Student
Ella is doing a placement year with Breakthrough until June 2021 as part of her psychology degree at Bath University, and will be working with the Breakthrough team and helping out in all areas. She’s really interested in meeting new people, understanding their experiences, and gaining the skills to hopefully one day work in the field of mental health. More than anything, whilst away at University she is missing her dog and two cats, and would smuggle them with her if she could!

Jessica Barber – Trainee Therapist
Jess is in her fourth year of an MA in Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy and has her own private practice – she is very interested in working with a charity when she qualifies.
Jess is on a placement with us supporting our weekly Therapy Group, Drop-In nights and the charity as a whole.
Jess has been a riding instructor and a teaching assistant. She has a large family and too many pets!

Louise Turner – Art Therapist
Louise has worked in many mental health charities and services over the years and currently works for the NHS in Bristol. She loves yoga, making pottery and slowly turning her home into an indoor jungle.
Louise is one of the support team for our weekly Therapy Group and is interested in using creative activities to help people to work through their difficult experiences.

We also have a wider team who help us do what we do: from Amanda who cleans our Support Centre, through to Befrienders who support our Service Users, and volunteers who help at events, with our projects, with decorating, or with serving tea & coffee at training courses.
Breakthrough has always been and will always be something that’s built on community, done together, and for anyone who needs us.