FORMER FILM-MAKER WHO EMPOWERS WOMEN AND GIRLS
A former Script Supervisor who has worked on films and in television around the world is now
spending her time helping to change the lives of women and girls.
Ruth Sabrosa, nee Atkinson, originally from Harperley Hall, has, in the past, worked on such films as
Star Wars and James Bond and more recently on the last episode of Vera. Although she occasionally
dips her toes into this world of make-believe when the right job comes along, she spends most of
her time enlightening and empowering women and young girls.
Since returning to the north-east, almost accidently, in 2020, days before the beginning of the
Covid lockdown, she has improved on the work she was doing in London where she had lived for
some 20 years. She all but gave up her film career after the birth of the first of her three daughters
in 2010 and after realising the poor state of maternity services in the NHS, retrained as a Natal
Hypnotherapist to help other women to have the best birth experience they could.
Ruth became a member of La Leche League, a breast-feeding support group, holding meetings at
her home, attended by Naomi Stadlen, a renowned existential psychotherapist and author of many
books on motherhood. She also became a volunteer for Birth Companions, helping mothers who had
no family to give birth in the way they wanted to, including women in prison. And she was – and is – a
huge supporter of Independent Midwives after they supported her to have the home births she
wanted. She also supports the concept of Doulas after she hired one for the birth of her second baby
and consequently trained as a Doula too.
Also, while living in London, she formed and hosted groups of women – sometimes with their
young children – to meet and discuss subjects relevant to them, including the isolation some felt
being away from their own mothers.
When Ruth, her husband and family, relocated to the north east and after Covid rules allowed her
to, she began working in our communities with women and children. She also began to study herbs
and homeopathy and despite living in the countryside for all her formative years, began to really
understand how nature can help people.
She became a leader of the Wild Sea Women on Durham’s coastline, showing how the sea can
benefit health. Then there were the workshops she held – Mindful Mothering – similar to those she
founded in London. Ruth realised that women, in this day and age, need empowering and set out to
bring back the magic and power of being female, which women have long forgotten.
She set up workshops for women and for young girls, explaining the concept – ‘Supporting the rise
of the feminine from Menstruation to Menopause’, re-igniting and bringing forth the ancient
wisdom.
“It is interesting – and sometimes frightening – how little women and girls know and understand
about their own bodies,” said Ruth. “There is nothing scary in starting periods, having babies or even
the menopause. We women need to be reawakened and realise that we have the power – we have
the portal from where all human life on earth begins. We have THE POWER and we have the ancient
wisdom inside us.”
The mother-of-three, who home educates, also holds weekly sessions at The Hive in Darlington, a
unit that supports adults with learning difficulties where she teaches them simple crafts and uses
meditation for relaxation. Those who attend benefit enormously from her gentle sessions but that’s
not all she does! Ruth, with her three daughters, regularly holds craft sessions, usually based on the
seasons, at the weekly Root and Branch café held in Stanhope. And her Red Tent sessions held at the
Marina in Seaham, are eagerly awaited.
The concept of the Red Tent was founded in ancient times when women were held supreme and
were appreciated for their maternal power in communities, by the men. A Red Tent was held in
every community and was a sacred space where women and girls could go to rest and retreat during
their bleed. They would craft, share stories, recipes and healing remedies and learn from the wise
elders.
Ruth said, “The concept of the wiser older woman has been drowned in the care home system
nowadays but we need to bring her back!”
And if that isn’t enough, Ruth is also in demand as a hypnotherapist, treating everything from
phobias to mental health problems with huge success.
“My previous career in films and television could be exciting and even unique in some ways,
certainly unusual, especially when I found myself directing Storm Troopers in Star Wars but this work
fulfils me like no other job can”, mused Ruth.
“I NEED to do this, it is like a calling. I have a need to -and I take joy from – helping others to
understand what our female ancestors knew but with modern medicine and technology, we have
forgotten.
“ All the eggs a woman will ever carry form in her ovaries while she is a four-month-old foetus in the
womb of her mother,” explained Ruth. “This means our cellular life as an egg begins in the womb of
our grandmothers and we carry their wisdom in our very being. Now it is time – in this age of
Aquarius- to reawaken their knowledge.”
Ruth also writes articles for magazines around the subject of female empowerment and has
recently written a chapter of a new book, which will be on sale on March 8 th via Amazon – Gathering
Women.
Her next event, with local artist, Bethany Harrison, will be on February 13 th – the ‘Goddess
Circle’ and held in Seaham Marina. This will be followed by a Mother and Daughter Circle on
February 16 th between 3 and 4:30pm.
Ruth also holds some sessions, usually for women’s groups including the WI, at her childhood
home at Harperley Hall. Watch out for more details of forthcoming sessions there.
To discover more about Ruth, visit her website at www.ruthsabrosa.com or for any queries, email
her at OR for more information about her empowerment circles, visit
https://ruthsabrosa.com/empowerment-circles/
