My Story
Like many of my clients, I grew up feeling like I didn’t fit in. I was highly sensitive, intense, often anxious, and easily overwhelmed. Because nothing seemed to make sense, I assumed I must be the problem. So I did everything I could to change myself - to be more acceptable, more likeable, more “normal.” From the outside, it looked as though I was coping, even thriving. Inside, I was battling perfectionism, cripplingly low self-esteem, and an inner critic that was relentless.
There were warning signs - glandular fever, depression, bouts of comfort eating when I tried to swallow my feelings, or weight loss when stress stole my appetite. I was rapidly burning out and becoming increasingly disconnected from myself.
Things started to shift when I discovered psychology. Finally, something clicked. I completed a degree, then a Master’s in Health Psychology, followed by a Foundation Course in Counselling, and later a Professional Doctorate in Counselling Psychology. Along the way, I did placements in the NHS, the voluntary sector, an eating disorders service and a trauma clinic, while also training in Compassion Focused Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, and NLP.
But despite all this, and the growth that came with it, I hadn’t fully faced the years of trauma stored in my body. Looking back, I’m not sure I would have if my body hadn’t forced me to stop. A virus became post-viral fatigue. Post-viral fatigue became chronic fatigue. And chronic fatigue brought with it even greater sensory sensitivities, debilitating digestive problems, brain fog, physical limitations, and overwhelming emotional crashes.
My recovery was neither quick nor linear. But it taught me things I would never have found in a textbook, and it has shaped the way I now view health, resilience, and the intricate connections between mind and body. One of the key things I learned was that there are no quick “fixes.” I tried more therapies and treatments than I can remember, and saw countless practitioners. Eventually I realised that constantly searching outside myself was actually a distraction from the real work - getting comfortable with who I was and creating a life that truly suited me. I couldn’t keep forcing myself into a way of living that wasn’t mine - striving to be someone I wasn’t, chasing impossibly high standards I could never sustain. Instead, I had to accept and embrace who I was, and stop labelling myself as “wrong,” “broken,” “lazy,” or “weak” simply because I didn’t function the way others seemed to.
When I returned to counselling psychology, I wanted to approach things differently. Talking therapies can be incredibly helpful, but if they’re not balanced with practical, action-oriented approaches, it’s easy to get stuck in your head. So I trained as a wellbeing coach, became an EFT and matrix reimprinting practitioner, and a belief coding facilitator. I also chose to focus on the areas that have been such a big part of my own story - being neurodivergent, living with and recovering from a fatigue-related condition, healing from trauma, and overcoming an eating disorder. These are the areas that feel closest to my heart, where my personal experience and professional training meet, and where I can bring real knowledge and creativity to the work we do together.
Today, I’m fully recovered and working with incredible clients while training for my first half-marathon - something that once felt unimaginable. I’m also still learning, about myself and others. And the more I learn, the more I realise just how many of my early experiences were shaped by being neurodivergent.
I share my story because I want you to know that there is hope, and you are not alone. I’ll walk alongside you, hold hope when you can’t, and help you reconnect with yourself so you can move towards a life that feels more authentic, more balanced, and more your own - a life built around you, not one that demands you twist yourself in order to fit.
If any part of my story resonates with you, and you'd like to explore the idea of working together, I would love to hear from you.
My Qualifications and Affiliations
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Professional Doctorate Counselling Psychology
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MSc Health Psychology
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BSc Psychology
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Chrysalis Effect Specialist Practitioner in CFS/ME, Fibromyalgia and Long Covid
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Wellbeing Coach with the Chrysalis Effect Health and the ILM
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Certificate in Stress Management, Health and Wellbeing Coaching
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Certificate in Stress and Performance Management Coaching
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Certificate in Coaching Psychology
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Master Practitioner in Neurolinguistic Programming
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Belief Coding Facilitator
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Matrix Reimprinting Practitioner
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Level 2 Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) Practitioner
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Foundation Course in Counselling
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Registrant with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
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Registered Data Controller with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)