Empowering You to Find Courage
For anybody reading this, I truly hope that I can help you, a member of your family, friend or colleague.
My journey with mental health started when I was very young, from my early teenage years. On the outside everything seemed perfect; maybe even more than ideal. I struggled at school, that’s for sure! I experienced marijuana and what I remember most was thinking, ‘Yes, it felt like it took my problems away.’ My grandmother had just died, and I was tied up in knots.
Overall, I was a good kid. Nobody knew that I had such a severe weight problem, going from starving myself to look just right, to being bulimic with periods of over-eating. It was no good for my self-esteem. The shame I felt as a teenager was massive. Then I experienced a life-threatening sexual assault that left me broken. But still on the outside things looked okay; I was not okay.
I remember phoning a confidential helpline back then and it had a huge impact on my life. They put me in touch with services that could help me. Eventually, I attended an NHS treatment facility to try and figure out what was wrong and how to get help. When I attended the facility, it was a truly abusive environment, physically and mentally. I won’t go into any more detail, but I left that place knowing that I would never allow anybody in my care to experience what I did.
I have attended 14 clinics and hospitals and have been sectioned twice under the Mental Health Act. That experience, along with everything else, led me to become deeply involved in the mental health and addiction field. I’ve been on a long-life journey of self-discovery. For the last 35 years I have carried out clinical assessments.
How I Can Help You
It's so difficult embarking on how to access the correct help you need immediately. There are so many options online; however, it's hard to fathom what will work for you on your own... I know this, as this was me for many years; some people talk a good talk, but what we want is to get help straight away.
I can help you, and I can clinically assess you very quickly, as I trained some 40 years ago at the Priory Hospital Roehampton.
I can assess you or your family member’s needs---remember this is a family illness, as it's extremely worrying when you or your family member just struggles to get the correct help and access care and support.
I cut straight to the fantastic clinicians I work with globally. Immediate help with myself first to see what's truly going to work for you LONG TERM. NOT A QUICK FIX
I work alongside fully trained therapists, social workers, adolescent life coaches, mentors, family therapists, mental health addiction and eating disorder specialists.
I assess you, your personality, and your lifestyle. You could be suffering from conditions ranging from all that has been mentioned here plus many more... I also advise on assessments for dyslexia, ADHD, etc.
I would never just send you to anyone, as I've been in this field for too many years. Your life is paramount to me. I would only advise and send you to myself and practitioners that have earned my trust, as I'm dealing with you or your family members lives.
Reaching out can sometimes be so difficult, but I'm not here to judge you. I'm here to help you quickly and efficiently.
I can help with...
Mental health assessments including but not limited to:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Bipolar disorder
- Addiction
- Alcoholism
- Adolescence therapy
- Trauma Informed, PTSD and CPTSD
My References
About Me
At 19 I went to The Priory, and at the time I rated it highly. I later trained and worked there for many years. I became a coach, a mentor and someone with a keen sense of what helps an individual.
At 22 I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Back then it felt like a life sentence. You were shunned, laughed at, belittled and made fun of. It was difficult to stay balanced. I was on such high doses of medication that in all seriousness, I could barely walk; driving was nearly impossible.
Although I have worked my way to the top of my field, I always must remember that bipolar is with me forever.
I had to figure out what was me, what was my personality and what was the illness. There were long periods when I felt okay on medication and with the therapists that I sought out. I must admit some of them were terrible.
Because of my journey, I have made it my life’s work to ensure that anybody who reaches out to me gets real, honest support. Yes, there are terrible places and people out there, but there is also exceptional help. With me, you will get honesty, a full appraisal of what may help in any situation if you feel trapped. If needed, I will help your whole family as mental health is a family matter. You need to know that I will only guide you towards places, people, organisations etc that I know will have your best interests at heart.
The Right Support
With the right support from the right people, I know you can feel better. You can have a life and feel happier in yourself. I would never ask you to do something that you don’t want to do. You must reach out, even just a little, so that I can help you. Yes, I still have episodes, and no, I am not okay sometimes. But these periods are much fewer. At the same time, I am kind and thoughtful and just want peace of mind.
Peace of mind, that sounds so good, doesn’t it? We don’t have to change everything in one day, but I can assure you that I will find the best possible help for you or a family member so you can feel better as quickly as possible.
Guiding You Forward
I have worked with thousands of people, from young teenagers to the elderly, and I have seen them flourish over the years. I feel privileged to be able to connect with the right services straight away. It doesn’t have to be trial and error; I have already made the errors, and I aim to help you avoid the same pitfalls and steer you to the service that can help you most.
You can talk to me in confidence; I will never judge you. Instead, we will make this a productive, positive conversation where we will figure out what might work for you.
Change doesn’t have to be painful, especially when someone is cheering you on in the background.
I will never forget the day I came clean to you, my family, and finally myself. I was terrified of myself and everyone around me for such a long time due to my ever increasing drug use, I actually wanted my family to find out or catch me using drugs a long time before I actually surrendered, but I was always scared encase they disowned me.
I remember meeting you the evening I admitted to my family that I was an addict, and you reassured me that they loved me and only wanted to help me. You told me I was going into treatment, and took me to my home to pack a bag, and spoke with my wife and family and gave them the loving kindness and security they needed.
However scared I was as we approach the gates of the treatment centre that night, I was so excited of the prospect that I had faced my greatest fear and no longer had anything to hide. You asked me how I felt as we sat looking at the building in the rain, and I replied comfortably numb.
I spent 28 days in treatment with total strangers, who became my closest friend in a matter of days, I shared inner secrets, learned to laugh and did plenty of crying, an experience I will cherish all my life, as this treatment centre and the councillors gave me back my life.
You are a great family friend and confidant, and I am sure the Road to Recovery will be giving back so many lives like mine to so many families.
Spencer
*Just wanted to take a moment to express my heart felt thanks to you for enormous part you played in getting Jon into rehab. I'm really struggling to find the words which may even come close to expressing the gratitude I feel for you.
You came into our lives as an incredibly prompt answer to prayer at a time when I was absolutley deperate. After receiving no useful help from our GP, I'd tried looking into rehab' options - not really knowing where to start or what questions | should be asking. (Amazingly enough l' m smiling now as I recall looking at postcards depicting picturesque grounds! )
As you know, Jons last binge took our family to a place darker than we'd we ever known. (and there was stiff competition for that accolade!)
The fact that you were 'miraculously' available to visit us in our own home within 15 minutes of my call to you made me feel both confident that it was right course of action and yet absolutely terrified of what lay ahead and how fast it suddenly seemed to be happening. You seemingly knew that and supported me in a very 'matter of fact' manner. I had no doubt whatsoever that you knew what you (and I) were talking about and so I dared to ask for your help.
What remains particlurly clear in my mind is when you told me "I don't doubt that you'll get him into a program, but how will you know if it's the right one for him....I will be able to tell you within spending 20 minutes with your husband the place that can best treat him.....'
How absolutely right you were. The way you got inside his head within minutes of sitting with him was nothing short of shocking to me. I remember thinking ...."He wont like that...he'll go mad at that…..and... didn't tell you that!
How do you know that, don't let him think I told you you that stuff - we'd spoken for less that 10 minutes!". He didn't go mad at all. He sat quietly agreeing with you and actually seemed relieved that somebody 'really got him'.
Anyway Sam, you did way more than it said on tin! I don't want to sound flippant in any way at all, I'm just still struggling for the words.
I feel so absoultely blessed and incredibly grateful that you came into our lives that day. You are the most generous and wonderful woman and I will be eternally grateful to you. Really, I will. Thank you so very very much.
My name is Joanna, I'm an alcoholic/addict. On the 19* December I tried to take my life, I was in a terrible state mentally and physically and didn't see a future or even want a future.
My life revolved around drink. On the 21" December I woke up in my mum's bed and saw a lady sitting at the end of the bed, her name is Sam. My initial thought was oh my god she is some nurse and is going to take me to a mental hospital and I will be locked up. I was very scared. Sam was very understanding and kind and we spoke for a while. I told her how unhappy I was and just wanted to get back to a normal, happy life, she told me she would and could help me. We went into my parent's lounge where my brother, mum, auntie and cousin were sitting. As soon as I heard the word rehab I felt like I was going to prison and didn't want to go. My family read a letter to me from each of them, just telling me how much they love and want me to get better, I knew I had to give PCP a chance as my thinking brought me to my knees and this was my last hope. Off I went with Sam to PCP Chelmsford, Sam explained to me about the house and counsellors and just to give it a try and I can always call her if I needed to. This is when my new beginning began. I met all the other clients and was taken to my new home for the next 12 weeks. I hated being there and was so sad and actually thought about jumping out of the window and running, but I would hear all the other girls laughing and being positive. In my heart I had reached rock bottom and new I had no where else to go but back to the bottle.
I began my life story and proceeded with the steps. The first few steps were really emotional and painful to read but by me writing it all down, made it clearer to me how bad my life had become and how many people I had hurt. My counsellor is Dennis, I will be grateful to him ever and in my eyes PCP is the best rehab in the world because of Dennis. After doing my 4-9's I realised that all my resentments I had a part in. I am so pleased I woke up and Sam was sitting there because I don't know where I would be today if Sam hadn't of brought me to PCP. The house I live in is lovely and even sleep well in my single bed. We have a lovely lunch everyday and our timetable is good and I learn everyday from the steps and group therapy. The two counsellors, Dennis and Susan, have taught me so much and I look at them and want the same recovery they have which is happy, positive, peaceful and real.
I know I will have this if I follow the simple programme that PCP have offered me. I have a future ahead of me and even though I thought I can't stay here for three months I have to say now it's the best thing ! have ever done and will be grateful to PCP forever and ever. They have the best counsellors.
I write to you in connection to the work you recently undertook and carried out with my son.
At the time that we asked you to become involved and intervene in the problems that my son had been experiencing, we had absolutely no idea how serious and complicated the various problems and issues connected would turn out to be. The fact that you were able to get to the bottom of those issues so quickly, no doubt was the reason that we were able to achieve such a remarkable solution so quickly.
You managed to get to the route cause of the issues that we had suspected to be creating the problems very quickly, and without your assistance and guidance, together with the benefit of your experience, I doubt that the matter could have been stabilised at the speed that it was, and I dread to think what the outcome would have been without the extraordinary amount of work that you put in to this case.
When you recommended that he would benefit from joining a program at Cottonwood in the USA, we had many reservations. Although we did eventually follow your recommendation, during the time that he was there, and for a short time after his return, we still had many doubts as to whether we had accepted the right course of action.
I have to say that even after a short time has passed; we have absolutely no doubt that it clearly was the right course, and to see the remarkable turnaround in all aspects of his life in such a short period of time, is testimony to all your hard work and effort.
Of course we all realise that there is still a long way to go, but everyday we see changes taking place in his life which clearly indicate that he has turned a massive corner, and I for one believe that with his new found attitude and commitment to life, he will never take a step backwards. All of this could not have been achieved without you, and for that we will be eternally grateful.
Thank you onse again for all your hard work, and for being there when we needed you.