Fi’s story

“I had very low self-esteem and struggled with concentration due to everything that had been happening in my life. My main concern was to reduce the stress and anxiety and to help me sleep. Some nights I was getting less than 4 hours and I have two young children and a full-time job as well as ongoing court proceedings. It was a lot for me to take onboard and process at the same time as trying to be balanced and positive.

I was very anxious. Most days I felt like I could have been bipolar - although I know I am not - but it was because there was no level to my emotions. I was either really ecstatic as something had gone my way or depressed and upset that another attack had come at me from my partner. It was hard to disengage and be myself and this concerned me as I always wanted to be the best mum and on top form with my children plus I had a managerial full-time job to do at the same time.

Claire was wonderful. She was always available when I needed her. The techniques she taught me I still use often to keep me calm and focused. By the end of the course I knew I was healing. I was a different person even friends and family commented on how I had changed. Everything was taken at my pace and Claire always focused the sessions on what I needed help with the most. Everything was always focused on me to make sure I got the most out of each session to help me move forwards and achieve.

I worried a lot about everything and anything. I didn’t really feel good about myself at the start and my favourite exercise was rewiring my brain to be positive. It took a few weeks and a lot of post its but now myself and the children still write post its to confirm how we are going to feel or be on that day. I still have ‘smile’ stuck on every mirror around the house. It was a small thing that made such a huge difference.

The other big realisation for me was the breathing techniques to help with sleep along with controlling the controllables. Those separate or combined worked wonders. My sleep changed after a number of days and by the end of the course I was sleeping a whole night which hadn’t happened in well over a year due to me running over scenarios or generally worrying constantly at night.

I used to get this sick anxious feeling in my stomach whenever the next email or text would arrive from my ex-partner. I don’t feel that anymore. I know that I am in control of my actions and my responses and that’s all that I can do and that in itself is enough.

I feel happy, confident, am sleeping and know that I am healing.

Claire is amazing. She is warm, kind, and easy to talk to. She would check in on me at random times, normally without knowing when I needed her the most as another panic had hit. We covered so many things, things we were not due to talk about but that she knew I needed more help with and would cater my time to benefit me the most. Nothing was too much or too little and the door is always open. This course was invaluable to me. I honestly do not know how I would have made it through without Claire.

I would without hesitation recommend Claire to others. I was so anxious about court and the process and how I was feeling. It was all consuming. I was a lost soul and Claire helped me find myself again. I am more than twice the person I was when I started. I can even see it in myself. We took many small steps together that took us where I needed to go. It wasn’t uncomfortable or pressured even when I would break down over what was going on, Claire would just listen, take everything in and then help me to break it down and work it out, to work out what was best for me and my situation.”