Who We Are

Gilly Callen

Hello my name is Gilly and I am a Qi Gong teacher - delivering Qi Gong as part of  A Positive Starts Reconnect & Regulate Program.

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Veronica Svaasand

My name is Veronica Svaasand. I am a director, a volunteer with Positive Start, and a second-year student therapist in training. I also provide support & assistance during the Reconnect & Regulate workshops.

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Kate Wilson

Born in Edinburgh, Kate left home at 18 and spent a brief time working in Teesside before moving to Brussels’s,

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Avril Kindo-Jermieson

My name is Avril Kindo-Jermieson

I am a student on placement at A Positive Start. I have an MA honours degree in Psychology and currently doing a postgraduate course in Psychotherapy.

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Sebastian Etienne

I am Seb. I volunteer at A Positive Start.

My approach is that of Lived Experience

I will be working with Debbie and the team

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Neo Crozier

Coco's brother from another mother, Neo takes up the important and prestigious role of therapet at A Positive Start, under Coco's watchful leadership of-course.


Vanessa Westermann - MA Couns Psych

Vanessa is a Psychotherapist at A Positive Start supporting the community.  Vanessa started out with us as a student and now, fully qualified

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Evie Logan

I’m Evie, a qualified trauma psychotherapist working part-time at A Positive Start CIC. I work integratively to adapt each approach to the need of every client, whilst interconnecting trauma-informed skills into my practice.

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Alex Cameron

I am Alex Cameron , I am a Director and a Volunteer at A Positive Start, initially volunteering in the Community Thrift Shop since
July 2023. I have lived in Hawick for the past five years after relocating from Edinburgh

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Lorna Peddie

My name is Lorna Peddie. I am a Director, and a lived experience practitioner (LEP) at A Positive Start CIC - I also co-facilitate in the Reconnect & Regulate workshops.
I have experience across substance use services of around 20 years.
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