"Helped me find myself again"

I came to Trent after losing my younger sister out of the blue.

It left me clearly at a lost and I'd gone into shock.

I suffer anxiety anyway and unfortunately felt really depressed as well.

I didn't know what to expect when doing the self referal and was worried re it going onto my drs notes.

But found I was safe here. After the initial phone call. As no safeguarding issues were raised.

I have had many counsellors before. But never for grief.

Thankfully, the person I spoke to was bubbly, professional, helpful, and likeable. She honestly helped me refind myself again.

I was so confused, as during around session 2 or 3 i started to feel worse.

But it was explained to me that due to the shock I had gone into, before i hadn't started greiving and what i was feeling was although not nice etc it was normal. This really took a weight off my shoulders. I'm not going to lie, at this point i was ready to go sick at work and on medication and just from that session. I felt normal, still lost, foggy etc but knew it was normal. I from there allowed myself to look at my selfcare. Started exercising again. Started supplements that help me. I normally punish myself and stop things, when in distress. So I was given really good advice to get back onto my self care routine, at my pace.

I 100% feel the sessions were beneficial, helpful and just what I needed. Obviously I was given advice on how to maybe reframe my thinking, and tools to help do this. But the hard work was only able to be done by myself and it is obviously not easy and after 1 session I felt worse, but because of were I took my emotions not due to the session. But the counsellor really helped redirect me that following week and I felt back on track.

I genuinely feel I had a cheerleader routing for me along my healing and I could hear their voice cheering me on, if I was trying not to do the things that helped me feel better.

Thank you so much.

I will be writing a thank you re the counsellor too. Just need to find out who and how I do that.

Thank you so very, very much