THREE Bolton women have turned their mental health struggles into a series of workshops for others facing mental health challenges.

During lockdown in 2021, friends Emma Limtek, Kim Waites, and Lisa Swiatek, came together to offer workshops, sessions and retreats to help others deal with their own mental health and well-being.

Well-being coach Lisa found lockdown challenging after taking maternity leave, and as a mum of two young children.

She added: “It was a different maternity leave than what I expected, as well as having post natal depression and just feeling burnt out.

“As friends, we wanted to come together and support each other during the pandemic.

“When people are really busy there’s usually no time to stop and put yourself first, so these workshops help ground you and bring you back to the present moment, which puts your well-being first.

“It is also about what wellbeing means to those we help, because there are lots of different things people can do.”

This is alongside their day jobs to provide everyone with a chance to meet up with like minded people, take a break from their day to day lives, and experience something different.

Lisa previously worked in a chartered learning and development post for 18 years, and she wanted to bring those skills across to her Solis Coaching workshops.

The workshops main focus are to help bring people into the present moment through mindfulness.

There are a range of different classes ran by the friends, including cold water therapy led by Emma, and mindfulness art sessions ran by Kim.

The three have come together as InToto Living and are offering a spring season day retreat in Lancaster on March 13.

The event will include an introduction, a nature walk, breath-work, cold water immersion, and seasonal living and journalling workshops, as well as a botanic watercolour art session. It also includes a two-course nutritional lunch.

For more details and booking information visit www.intoto living.wordpress.com or email intotoliving@hotmail.com