"The more you know yourself, the more clarity there is. Self-knowledge has no end - you don't come to an achievement, you don't come to a conclusion. It is an endless river." ~ Jiddu Krishnamurti

The why to starting any new endeavour is usually a good place to start. So, starting this Blog is no exception. One of the main reasons I want to write about mental health is because there still seems to be a taboo around discussing, or especially, admitting that you might have mental health problems. The stigma surrounding mental health, which I’m going to cover in my next Blog post, is perhaps one of the biggest hurdles our society faces in mental health. In addition, I’m interested in regional attitudes in the UK about mental health, and whether 10 years of campaigning by Time to Change has had any effect, and what the UK Parliament has done to bring more awareness to ending mental health discrimination.

When I tell people that I’m a therapist, they are either intrigued or they go very quiet. Enter another reason why I want to write about mental health i.e. to attempt to demystify the process of connecting with a therapist that you resonate with, and revealing what the process of working with a professional therapist/counsellor looks like. In addition, many people have the misconception that therapists don’t have issues. I’m one therapist that will openly tell you that many therapists come from a difficult childhood or some sort of deep trauma in their lives. These therapists have taken what can be a very dark journey through mental health problems, and because of this, make for an empathetic therapist who has been where you are.

Now, after more than 30 years of searching, I’ve emerged with deep self-awareness, a mild impression of the trauma in my being, and a balanced emotional intelligence that requires regular maintenance and vigilance. I think it was my drive to understand what was going with myself that led to my transformation from a person with depression, low self-esteem and self-sabotaging behaviours to a mostly-functioning person. How I wish I would have found a mentor, teacher or therapist to show me the way.