I had an extremely turbulent childhood. My Dad left when I was 9 and brought up someone else’s child; my relationship broke down with my mum when I was 15 (since been repaired); and by the time I was 17 I was living in a homeless shelter for adolescents. Since then my life has got back on track and I’ve done well at college and obtained a university degree. However, being able to function has been extremely difficult at times. I tried drinking and drugs, which worked for some time but after a couple of years things caught up with me and I became so anxious that I was agoraphobic. I tried counselling and CBT as provided by the NHS, and saw school and uni therapists, but these only served as a short-term fix to get me back on track. Almost like sticking a plaster on what had happened. I spend most of my childhood years and all of my teenage years with erratic moods, an inability to cope emotionally and feeling extremely lost. By the time I was in my mid twenties I knew something had to change. I found myself a local psychotherapist and for the past year have been paying £200 a month (£50 an hour) working through the trauma building on my emotional intelligence. This has been a difficult yet life changing experience and I am a much more grounded and emotionally stable person now. I still have a long way to go, but for the first time since I can remember I feel emotionally strong and understand how my past has impacted me. I am able to make rational decisions rather than emotionally driven decisions and projecting my trauma onto my surroundings. I feel like I am getting to know myself and am better equipped for working out my life’s purpose. Seeing a psychotherapist is probably the best decision I have ever made and the best investment of my limited income. I cannot recommend strongly enough to anyone struggling with their mental health or understanding who they are and what they want to go and see a psychotherapist.
