My own experience of therapy began in 2010 after I broke my leg. At the time, I had a two-year-old and a six-month-old, and what initially seemed like a physical injury became an emotionally challenging period. Therapy gave me a safe place to talk, reflect and make sense of what I was experiencing. It also helped me understand why I found it so difficult to accept help from others. Experiencing the benefits of therapy first-hand gave me a deep appreciation of the difference a supportive therapeutic relationship can make.

Several years later, I returned to therapy because I was experiencing anxiety that didn't seem to have an obvious cause. Through that process, I began to recognise that I wanted something different from my working life. Although I didn't know exactly what that would look like at first, therapy helped me reconnect with what mattered most to me.

Then, in 2022, my best friend died from cancer at the age of 49. His death was a profound reminder that life is precious and that waiting for the 'right time' can mean missing the opportunity to pursue what truly matters. It gave me the courage to take the next step and begin my four-year psychotherapy training in 2023.

In 2025 as part of my training I began two clinical placements and I continue to work as a volunteer counsellor at Stockport Women’s Centre one day a week. I feel incredibly grateful to have found work that feels both meaningful and fulfilling. I know from my own experience that asking for help can feel daunting, but I also know how transformative it can be to have someone alongside you who listens with care, curiosity and without judgement.