"I hope my story can be of help"

Growing up being known as a determined, optimistic and fearless person was something I felt I'd never lose, but there came a stage in my life where everything turned upside down. I was lost, afraid, isolated and I didn't know where to go or what to do.

Going to university has been the toughest challenge I've ever faced. I had so many negative thoughts which had taken over me. I constantly put myself down, lost connection with all my old friends and avoided talking to anyone, convincing myself I was fine.

It wasn't until the end of the year that I got my results and broke down. I finally came true to myself and realised that this was affecting my whole life and I hadn't realised, this wasn't right and I needed support. 

Calling for help

After seeking advice from the university's wellbeing service and my GP, I ended up at Inclusion Thurrock. My initial self-referral call was fairly straightforward and understandable and I was easily able to sign myself up. I then had my first in-person assessment with Chloe, she was very kind and listened to me attentively. 

Introductions

Then after a few weeks, I was assigned my therapist, Jade, for CBT and began my sessions. The first few were definitely the hardest as I was still settling in and had a few nerves concurrent with my anxiety, especially in learning to be quite vulnerable. However, as the weeks went by I could tell that Jade was extremely warm, empathetic and most importantly, genuine. It was so reassuring to be supported by someone who does want to help you and puts your priorities first. We worked on understanding why I was feeling the way I was and how we could tackle it and now as months went by I slowly started to feel like myself again and now I can look at myself proudly at what I've achieved since starting therapy. 

Being listened to

Involved in decisions

For anyone who is considering CBT or any type of therapy with Inclusion Thurrock, I would really recommend exploring what they can offer you. From my time I can see that there are many people who are willing to help you with whatever battle you're fighting in your life. I can't thank them enough for what they've done for me, especially Jade who was there throughout my whole journey; for any person who is lucky enough to have her as your therapist, trust me you are in good hands. 

Care staff

Please don't let things like your gender or background stop you from getting the support you need, sometimes we need to be selfish and prioritise ourselves. I recognised this myself and initially felt so many reasons to be embarrassed about therapy or feeling therapy was unnecessary, but I don't regret it at all. I hope my story can be of help to any of you going through something similar and I wish you the best in your journey forward. 

Future plans