therapist milton keynes anxiety

My childhood dream was to have a positive impact on the world
As a 'Thunderbirds kid', my idea was to build a space-ship, kidnap world leaders and force them to stop all wars. Nice idea but totally impractical and unlikely to work even if such a craft were created - some people want war.

Studied engineering and graduated with a 2.1 degree but left wanting to be a writer and had just outlined my first novel. Turned down a job at the London Stock Exchange and took a summer job on a farm - to make enough money to buy a computer to write on. This was during 1991 and the fall of the Soviet Union, with lots of Eastern Europeans on the farm and the start of my links to that part of the world. The photo above was recently taken in Poland, in the border town where I lived for six years. The town's name literally translates as 'happy'.

In 1993, wrote a Terry-Pratchet style comedy and a computer guide - the first to gain the Plain English Campaign's Crystal Mark. Book industry competitors squashed it so had to get a 'normal job' - as an in-house writer at Saga Holidays. Two years later became a very well-paid freelancer in London, and then left it all to live in Poland, for love.

By 1998 was not just an English teacher at the University of Silesia, was also writing feature-length film scripts and making them into ultra-low budget films. The New Horizons film festival came to the town and had a great night getting hammered with the patron himself: Roman Gutek. The films and teaching continued until 2003, then returned to England with my partner, expecting our first child.

We had two children but separated in 2013 due to domestic abuse, from her. By 2014, the children and I had moved to Milton Keynes, following multi-agency advice to escape - having been deemed at HIGH RISK, of serious harm or death.

It meant becoming a single parent, living in hiding under a new name, with no help or support. My psychology went to a very low place and was not getting better. Crying every night and deeply damaged, I took myself to therapy. Then began college evening classes, studying to become a therapist myself.

And here I am. Maybe not helping the world but definitely helping clients - perhaps that is how it was always supposed to be.

In my 20's, completed Reiki I and II.
The move to London ended my links for achieving Reiki Master. Now significantly older, after a spiritual re-awakening I became a practising Christian. Have the keys to two churches and am on both councils but do not consider myself religious. To me what is most important is what in someone's heart, not how many times they perform rituals.
Clients come from multiple faiths and no faiths. While happy to discuss spirituality, it is not part of the sessions unless a client asks for it to be so.

Yoga
Started practising two years ago and absolutely love it.

As with all would be writers
My previous job experiences are broad. They help give a good understanding of client realities and day to day needs, including the need for shift worker and single parent session flexibility.
In no particular order: horse-rider, paper-round, shelf-stacker, farm worker, chauffeur, van driver, lorry driver, investigative journalist, undercover journalist, senior researcher, film maker, documentary maker, editor, teacher, presenter, developer of teaching materials, warehouse worker, aerial photography seller (door to door), writer, parent and single parent.