I had a successful career, a privileged lifestyle and a history of good health – but over time I began to experience a range of mental, emotional and physical symptoms; became increasingly disengaged in my work; and found myself feeling empty or unfulfilled despite my achievements.

My work inbox piled higher and I found myself wincing when new work messages came in. My health was falling apart, I felt overwhelmed and unable to cope, and I began to fear having some kind of breakdown. Worries of failing in my career, and being unable to support myself and loved ones clouded my mind. I couldn’t think straight, felt emotionally exhausted yet struggled to get to sleep at night. I also developed chronic pain, a less recognised stress & anxiety related symptom.

Despite it all, I remained only partly conscious and accepting that I had a problem. I took treatments like medication and rest as recommended by doctors, but they were only band-aid solutions and I continued to worsen. Nobody could explain a root cause for my problems. I pushed on in the same way I always had, without really having a plan. 

It was only when I reached breaking point that I fully accepted I had a problem and searched far and wide for help. Through perseverance and good luck I found incredible therapists that helped me understand anxiety, stress, burnout and related problems are created inside of us – and the solution is also inside of us. 

Life circumstances are often the trigger for these health difficulties, but in fact it’s our mind and body which perceive those outside circumstances, then generate the emotion and stress that affects us. Escalating anxiety, burnout and breakdown tend to happen because our mind is exacerbating or amplifying stress internally, outside of our conscious awareness. 

That therapy changed how my mind and body responded to my circumstances, permanently reducing my symptoms and increasing my resilience and ability to function again. 

There were ups and downs along the way, and different therapists helped me in different ways. I continued to improve and gradually left behind my old problems, instead stepping into becoming the best version of myself. I qualified in Quest Cognitive Hypnotherapy as it had helped me massively, and over the following years switched careers, became a therapist and coach, and these days I continue to follow the latest cutting-edge approaches and hone my practice to be the best therapist and coach I can be.