Client Testimonials
I had a revision hip replacement in the middle of January 2023. After 2 weeks in hospital and a further 4 weeks in a rehabilitation unit, I finally came home. The NHS physio came to see me and gave me some exercises to strengthen my hip, but I felt that it was not enough. I googled and found Sophie Ruffer at The Good Therapy Group. I arranged for her to do an assessment and it turned out to be the best thing I could ever have done. I continued having Sophie alongside the NHS physio and what a difference it made! She came here weekly for 2 months. I came on in leaps and bounds, building up my confidence and strength. I cannot thank Sophie enough.
The Good Therapy Group have proved to be an amazing support for my elderly mum, who is 88 and has Alzheimers. Georgia, has attended mum every week for a few months, and mum really looks forward to the sessions and enjoys the rapport that has built up. The long term gain has been enormous, and we have all seen a noticeable difference to the physical strength in her back and overall comfort levels. As an added benefit, mum has massage as part of the session which is great for boosting her mood. As a family, we are so grateful to The Good Therapy Group for everything they have done, always with a friendly, approachable and professional manner and on hand to report back regularly. We can recommend them wholeheartedly. Thank you The Good Therapy Group !
Matt was recommended to me by a friend for rehabilitation physiotherapy following my knee replacement. From the first session a few days after leaving hospital he has been amazing. Matt is a very caring practitioner and extremely knowledgeable in post op rehabilitation which has given me confidence and reassurance. I wouldn’t be where I am now without him. The exercise regime he tailored for me together with the massage and ultrasound treatment has been a great benefit. I would not hesitate to recommend Matt and Sophie at The Good Therapy Group to anyone.
After several infections affecting my already limited mobility, I am now in a nursing home, having been told by an NHS rehab unit that I would no longer be able to walk. While Sophie confirmed that she felt it was unlikely that I would be able to walk again, she has been helping me to utilise and build up the strengths I still have, in both a weekly group exercise class and in 1:1 sessions. Participants in the group sessions range from people in their 70s to an over 100 year old and Sophie's happy personality and skill encourages us all to breathe well and exercise all parts of the body as much as our personal abilities allow without strain. I also have 1:1 sessions with Sophie, a combination of exercise and massage. She is very knowledgeable and has suggested exercises which allow for my existing limitations while developing my muscles as much as possible. Her massages are bliss! They release any "knots" and smooth away any tension - heavenly! I recommend Sophie and The Good Therapy Group without hesitation
Sophie and Matt at the Good Therapy Group have been providing physiotherapy for my father in his nursing home for more than a year now. Dad was in quite a poor way when he left hospital and has benefited tremendously from the help they have provided. Working with him twice a week, they have helped him to regain his strength and his confidence. Exercise sessions and therapy are varied each time to suit his immediate needs and energy levels. Dad really looks forward to his sessions.
Sophie really engages with her patients and their families. She is brilliant at communicating with us regularly using text, email and telephone calls as appropriate. When Dad had a minor stroke and ended up in hospital, she went in to see him in her own time. Back at the nursing home she is now helping him to recover, and his physical and mental health have improved enormously.
We have absolutely no reservation in recommending Sophie and Matt to anyone needing physiotherapy and we are so grateful for their support.
Sophie was introduced to my 95Y old mum after a fall. She was in a lot of pain, had difficulty walking & had lost her confidence. Sophie's professionalism - combined with her exceptionally warm, interested & caring personality - helped my mum to complete exercises & movement that she thought she would never achieve again. And - with Sophie's encouragement & skills - my mum is getting better each week. I would have no hesitation in recommending Sophie to my family & friends if they ever required physiotherapy
Matt came out at short notice to do physiotherapy on my mother's wrist and to show her exercises to rehabilitate it. He also emailed me a lot of different exercises that she can do to strengthen her wrist. Mum said she felt very relaxed from the start and would be happy to have Matt in again, if needed.
Matt is friendly and helpful. He immediately gives out a sense of being able to really help.
On returning home after Knee surgery, I had an incident on my stairs. They are steeper than the ones I used before leaving hospital. After this incident, I had no confidence to continue using them. I was recommended to The Good Therapy Group who quickly arranged for Matt to come and see me.
After giving me a good check, he took me to the stairs and after just a few minutes, he had me growing in confidence. I was then able to get outside and progress with my walking. He also gave me some exercises.
Matt came two further times, increasing my mobility each time. The icing on the cake was an ankle and leg massage.
I have continued to make progress and can now look back and see how far I have come with my rehabilitation.
I live a two-hour drive from my parents in West Sussex. My father is 86 and has mobility issues. The NHS originally provided some physiotherapy for him, but this was a limited course and came to an end. I wanted to find him a private physio, who would undertake home visits and was lucky enough to find Sophie at the Good Therapy Group. I initially had a good chat with Sophie who then went to meet my parents. She has since worked with Dad and has really helped him. Not only has his mobility improved, but his confidence and general well-being has too. Both my parents enjoy Sophie’s visits and Dad is obviously benefiting. Sophie keeps in touch with me (with my parents’ permission) and was able to suggest a referral to the GP which I would never have spotted. In subsequent conversations with the GP, they suggested another thing that Sophie could do to help, which now means that we are all working together as a team in support of Dad. It is such a comfort to me that Sophie is there, twice a week helping Dad and monitoring his progress. She is a genuinely caring person and goes beyond her pure physio role to make other suggestions to him – even which novels to read!
I have had Sophie visiting me for nearly 2 years and I am always met with a lovely smile. My treatment has helped me tremendously and has really boosted my confidence as well as helping to improve my balance and strength. I felt that old age was catching up with me but feel so much better since the sessions started. Sophie is very kind and caring and is very devoted to her job. We always have a little chat and a laugh and I always feel much better after the session. I can definitely recommend her.
I have to say a big thank you to Sophie who has been giving my husband weekly physio for eighteen months. I can see a vast difference in him. He has gained a lot of confidence in his physical ability and also his mood. He so looks forward to Sophie's visits on a Thursday. She is just amazing and he is very much at ease with her. I would recommend her to anyone needing physiotherapy.
I first met Sophie when I enlisted her help for my client who I am Attorney for. My client had been living at home, with support, prior to her admission to hospital. The hospital soon advised that they could do no more to mobilise her and, despite her long-stated desire to remain living in her own home, they determined that she should be admitted to a nursing home.
I was concerned because she was worried and a little depressed at her situation and there were limited resources and opportunities available to her in the nursing home. I hoped that with the support and encouragement of personalised rehabilitation there could be the prospect of returning home.
I was delighted to be recommended Sophie at The Good Therapy Group. She worked intensively with my client and, within a couple of months of the personalised and consistent regular support, our client was able to walk independently with a frame and even managed to go back to living in her own home
Since then, my specialist Later Life Planning and Support Team at Bennett Griffin have continued to use The Good Therapy Group for a number of our clients, often around assessing care needs after a crisis of health. We and, most importantly, our Clients have always reported how much they value the personalised and expert advice and support that helps them feel empowered to progress and achieve all that they possibly could with their rehabilitation.
Sophie is currently supporting my father-in-law with his mobilisation after a tough time in hospital. Whilst, for him, it was in his best interests to move into a caring home, my family and I are so pleased to see the pride he has with the progress he has made with improving his mobility, even within that caring home environment. His sense of achievement and greater independence from when he was initially discharged is noticeable.
I am therefore delighted to endorse and recommend Sophie and her team at The Good Therapy Group.
Sophie and her team have been providing services to residents in our home for several years. We are delighted to have this opportunity to inform others of the excellent job they do, and our residents thoroughly enjoy the visits. The service is truly holistic and the whole team are caring and motivational in their approach. We have observed some exceptional progress following physiotherapy led by Sophie and cannot imagine a more professional and kinder team.
I wouldn't hesitate in recommending Sophie and her team to anyone needing a physiotherapy service. In short, I would say she is an absolute star!
Sophie has been totally fantastic in the way she has approached helping and treating my mother who is wheelchair bound since suffering a severe stroke. Over the past three years Sophie has provided an extremely reliable and comprehensive service to assist my mother in coping with her disability. Sophie always seems to go that extra mile and will go out of her way to investigate ways of making mum more comfortable, or to educate others involved in my mother's care. She always arrives with a smile on her face and most importantly to me, manages to put a huge smile on my mum's face, even on days when mum has been feeling a little down.
Sophie has managed to build a team of colleagues who also have a very pleasant manner about them. When mum has a physiotherapy session with them, it is done in a very thorough but relaxed and friendly way.
I know mum thinks of Sophie and her colleagues more as friends than just her "physiotherapy team".
Sophie has worked at Westholme EMI Clinic for several years now in her capacity as a physiotherapist and is known throughout our service for her high standards of care and expertise.
Sophie has a qualification in massage for those with dementia and this is especially valued by our Home.
Nothing is ever too much trouble for Sophie and she is always demonstrating loving and compassionate care within her treatments. She brightens the day of all her patients. Her smile is infectious, and her kindness is never-ending. All her treatments are holistic, and individually tailored to specific needs. Anyone who receives her help automatically feels better emotionally even if their condition is chronic in nature. I have no hesitation in recommending Sophie and her services.
My mother's quality of life has certainly improved though the work Sophie has done with her, she really enjoys her therapy sessions and it has increased her core strength so she can move herself so she can sit and feel more comfortable. There is also a great psychological benefit for my mother in Sophie's work in that my mother doesn't feel as though she has been "given up on", just because her improvement is too slow for the NHS criteria for ongoing treatment.
I can't recommend Sophie and her team highly enough if you are looking for someone who can improve a family members physical and emotional wellbeing with an empathetic but determined approach.
I first met Sophie when she was giving a massage to a lady suffering from MS, the lady relaxed within minutes. I decided to ask Sophie if she would give me a massage which she did. It felt like heaven on earth.
As Sophie is a qualified physiotherapist, I asked her to design an exercise regime for me and with her expertise and knowledge I was able to participate in a 5k charity run with just two months of training. Before this I could not walk for a long distance without becoming breathless. She also taught me a balance routine and now at the age of 67 I can balance on one leg for one minute. I couldn't even balance for 5 seconds.
This lady is a true inspiration. Her ultimate aim is to provide care, help and guidance for people who need help to get back their strength.
Having suffered for a long time with severe arthritis of my knees, I turned to The Good Therapy Group for some physiotherapy and advice. The treatment I received from Scott has been extremely beneficial.
I had my first experience of massage about 3 years ago when my wife bought me a voucher for my birthday. Although I was well into my 60's, after the massage I felt like I was 16 again! I am now 70 and have a regular monthly session with Sophie. The relaxing massage takes away all life's stresses and aches and I can honestly say I feel absolutely terrific after the massage. Sophie is particularly brilliant and skilled at finding those muscles that have tied up and really knows how to release the knots so that I feel so much better again.
Apart from the massage sessions, Sophie also designed a Cardio fitness training program for me that is suitable for older people.
Sophie is one of the most motivated and upbeat people that I have ever met and really gives me great support and encouragement to reach my goals. I would highly recommend Sophie to anyone at whatever level they are and to what goals they wish to achieve.
My uncle John, at the age of 83, suffered a severe stroke which left him paralysed down his left side complicated more by suffering vascular dementia. After initial hospital treatments he was discharged to a nursing home. John was very frustrated at his immobility as he had always been a very active man with employment until the time of his stroke. It was diagnosed that John would never regain full or even partial mobility in his legs. Despite hospital and private physiotherapy, with very minor improvements being made, it was obvious some 2 years later that very little progress was ever to be made. The psychological effect to John and the constant frustration left him in a very poor and deteriorating mental state.
It was at this point in time Sophie became his therapist. From the outset it was a boost for John's mental well-being having a regular and consistent approach to his treatments. Sophie began with exercise and massage and although nobody was under any illusion that this would result in John being able to walk again, the physical improvement was obvious and the improvement to his mental well-being was enormous.
Over the following months he made great efforts in responding to his treatment and at one point was managing to walk about 30 metres with a gutter frame and assistance. This was a high point for him and mentally was more of a boost to his overall well-being than we could have expected. The entire approach from Sophie and her team gave my uncle a purpose and an aim in his years of suffering. Sophie's impact to John's welfare was immeasurable and we as a family cannot thank her enough for the time and effort spent helping John. We are certain that her approach and treatments eased John's suffering and gave him purpose in his final years.
Sophie has been a very important addition to my mother's care over the past three years. Sophie has lots of empathy and understanding working with cognitive impairment, alongside the mobility and positioning needs, and is happy to advise carers looking after mother on how to keep her comfortable and positioned between her weekly visits.
Although my mother can no longer communicate verbally, she really enjoys Sophie's visits and looks extremely relaxed after her therapy. As I am quite an anxious daughter, wanting the best for my mother, I know Sophie has been a wonderful positive influence on her week.
Sophie has been helping our Mum for a few years now. After Mum broke her hip she was unable to walk again so having a couple of one on one massage and exercise sessions a week has been invaluable.
Mum benefits from the close contact of Sophie chatting to her whilst massaging to help her circulation and overall wellbeing. Although our Mum's Alzheimer's has deteriorated, Sophie still gets lots of smiles and also a form of chatter from her! This kind and sensitive holistic approach has definitely improved our Mum's overall wellbeing.
After all who doesn't love a massage so why should dementia patients be any different?
As we live a distance away from Mum, it has been a huge relief to know that she is getting some extra loving care from someone so sensitive and who genuinely cares for her patients. Remembering how our Mum was before Alzheimer's we know she would have loved Sophie's calm and gentle ways and would definitely have been friends if their paths had crossed.
When our Mum suffered what was described as a ‘small’ stroke this summer, her balance was greatly affected and, as a result, her mobility became very compromised. She suffered several falls as a result and we were told by the hospital that they weren’t going to provide any followup physio because things were probably ‘as good as they will get’. Encouraged by the head of care at Mum’s residential home to look into private physio services, I contacted Sophie. I was immediately impressed by her positive reaction and belief that she would be able to help Mum, if not regain her full balance & mobility, then significantly improve matters for her. And so it proved to be. Over a course of a couple of months, Sophie worked with Mum during their sessions and also provided her with exercises to keep on with between times. Mum greatly enjoyed their one-on-one sessions, and Sophie’s bubbly personality and encouraging positivity really motivated her to put in the work to improve her balance and mobility. As well as the physical work, as far as I can gather they had great fun together and I think it was a great boost to Mum’s mental wellbeing as much as anything else. Mum’s balance has much improved and her sessions with Sophie have given her the confidence to happily whizz around with her three-wheeler trolley again, which is a great gain for us all. At all times, Sophie kept me informed of what and why she was doing with Mum, and I came to look forward to her cheery calls with updates as much as Mum did to her visits. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the Good Therapy Group to others in need of fantastic, professional, highly effective physiotherapy services –
Sophie has been coming to treat Dad for over a year now, she lights up the room with her smile and soon manages to motivate dad to exercise; where possible getting him outside, walking in the fresh air. Sophie is so patient and kind with dad, she is excellent at her job and we have seen such a change in dad with Sophie’s hard work. Matt fills in for Sophie when she isn’t able to come and always manages to get Dad going. Matt is clearly very good at his job too. Thank you so much.
I contacted Sophie to see if she could help Mary, my 84 year old mother in law who had just moved in with us after her husband passed away. Mary has Parkinson’s disease and severe curvature of the spine following several fractures. She had grown very weak as a result of the Parkinson’s and being incapacitated due to the fractures. Sophie could not have been more pleasant and helpful when I rang her. She arranged for one of her physios, Matt, to come round to assess Mary’s needs. Since that day Matt has been visiting once a week to put Mary through her paces! Mary has gone from strength to strength, making huge progress. She loves Matt’s physio sessions - he gives her a variety of exercises, with new ones mixed in each time to challenge her strength and balance, all carried out with good humour and in a manner which builds Mary’s confidence. It’s a pleasure to have Matt visit Mary, not only is he friendly and upbeat, he’s extremely knowledgeable and professional and it gives us such peace of mind to know Mary is in safe hands. So although Mary isn’t going to be an octogenarian Olympiad overnight, she’s come on leaps and bounds and we would thoroughly recommend physio with The Good Therapy Group to anyone!
I am delighted to have this opportunity to provide testimony to the care, compassion and expertise of Sophie and Matt in the support of my father, and indeed our family over the past few months. Following 2 hospital admissions impacted by the Covid restrictions my 88 year old father was really struggling with his physical strength and mental health. We were desperate to find support to help him recover and from the moment I first reached out to Sophie I knew I had found the right person. My intuition was sound as Sophie, with Matt's support, has proven to be 'good therapy' not just for my father, but to my mother, me and our family too! We have not been without setbacks with further hospitalisation and respite required, but Sophie's positive energy, engaging personality and good humour has helped us all and particularly my Mother, through the ongoing challenges we are facing. Her pragmatic, open, honest and kind approach has instilled much needed trust and confidence in my father and we have seen enormous improvements in his strength and mobility as a result. He has also found a confidante and someone who will not judge him, but who will hold him gently to account. As a family we are confident that by engaging Sophie and her team we are doing the absolute best we can to ensure my father regains his health to the extent that he can now be at home and enjoy his quality of life. We couldn't ask for more than that and look forward to the continued support of a wonderful team. Thank you Sophie and Matt.
I was recommended to use Sophie because I was housebound and unable to get to a physio because I couldn’t drive. Sophie was a godsend to me as I’d been given an exercise sheet at the hospital but I was worried that maybe I wasn’t doing them the right way. Sophie was very patient, kind and understanding, she suggested other exercises which added to the ones I was already doing. I am now fully mobile and back to driving, mostly thanks to the help and advice I got from Sophie.