From a young a age I always suffered with Anxiety. I always felt disconnected from myself and the world around me. My head would always constantly be full of thought's, I was always overthinking and fearful of everything. My mind was a negative place but it felt normal, this was all I had ever known, everybody overthinks right? everybody feels this way? But it wasn't normal. Unaware at the time my poor mental health had resulted from the abuse I suffered in childhood and the bullying in my teenage years.

Anxiety and dissociation continued to be part of my life into my younger adult years but by now I had developed a OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). Although, in a low place in my life I was unaware that anything was wrong till my mental health took a turn for the worse during my degree. As I was educating myself with the knowledge of mental health and participating in my own counselling I completely burnt out. My anxiety was at a all time high and I felt completely disconnected from the world around me, but this phase of my life passed and I began to heal. Looking back I had to fall apart to peace myself back together the way I should have always been. With my new understanding of mental health, tools I had learnt and implemented in my to life and my own counselling journey I was now on the right path.

Now living a more mindful life I was definitely in a place where I felt more content in myself and the world around me till my mental health took another turn for the worse. I came off a contraceptive pill I had been on for 10 years. My hormones were thrown right out of balance. This was one of the most scariest times of my life. My anxiety again was at a all time high but this time I was having panic attacks daily and suffering with intrusive thoughts. I looked after myself as much as I could during this time, I pulled in my support system, had the help of doctors, went on anti-depressants for a short period of time and used the many tools to help me get back on track, but nothing worked. But what did work was educating myself in hormone imbalance. I went back on a contraceptive pill specifically for PMDD (Premenstrual dysphoric disorder). It took some time for my hormones to settle but after serval months I felt my mental health was in a good place again.

It's been six years now since my last episode where my mental health took a turn for the worse and I can honestly say for the last few years my mental health has been great. I am now in a place in my life where I feel content again. My head is quiet and my heart is warm. I feel present in my own life, I'm in complete control of my own feelings and thoughts. I have my days of course and moments where I feel sad but I'm only human. I also have days where my anxiety peaks but it doesn't control me anymore. Sadly, I lost my mother four years ago due to complications from her addiction to alcohol. If it wasn't for the better head space I was in I wouldn't of manged it well. Grief is a difficult process to go through regardless but I'm sure if my mental health was the way it had been I don't now how I would of managed. I was able to work through and process my feelings and get too a place of acceptance easier. Plus I feel I have become quite a resilient person over the years.

In my life I have been through difficult times and overcome many obstacles that life has thrown at me, but I wouldn't change anything. My experiences have made me the person and counsellor I am today. Everything I have learnt through my education and personal growth I use with within my practice to help others. I do what I do, as I know what it's like to be in those dark places where you feel there is no way out, but there is and I'm here to help you and show you that there is a way.