"Their support throughout has been fantastic"

I realised I needed help around November 22 and went to my GP who was incredibly supportive and referred me straight to FV eating disorders at Livilands. I went for my first appointment in March 23 and started treatment with Emma and Lorna. I seen them once a week to start with and then gradually moved to once every 2/3 weeks. Their support throughout has been fantastic and I felt really cared for. 

Emma was able to (very gently) encourage me to eat and was brilliant at advising me on moving forward in terms of my relationship with food both physically and emotionally. She provided lots of information and was really careful not to push me too quickly. As well as Nutrition advice she was also just very easy to talk to in general and provided a safe and comfortable environment where I started to feel able to open up and be honest about things.

I found it hard to open up at the start of my sessions with Lorna as I didn’t know how to open up and answer the questions, I found these sessions were extremely draining emotionally. However with Lorna’s encouragement I was able to start identifying areas where I needed help and how I could work through different issues.

I now have a much better understanding of who I am and why I react the way I do to different situations. I am now much more willing to talk to my close friends and family about how I’m feeling and seeking help when things aren’t going so well. Lorna was so good at getting me to talk and open up, I never felt judged or unable to express my true self. 

This has not been an easy journey but I am so grateful to Emma and Lorna for their continued support and I know that there is no way I’d be where I am today without them.