Past clients celebrate their progress, Summer Edition

It is really lovely to hear of one of our old clients reclaiming their vitality and quality of life.

“Bev and Emily have both been incredible supports in helping me understand my condition and achieve my desire to return to work. I would've been lost without them.

I understand my condition and my ability to do most tasks. I also recognise the importance of listening to my body and how certain activities can help.

Return to work plan. Joining a return to work meeting. Regular sessions to help understand why things go wrong and how to improve or help prevent them in future.”

“I have benefited most from the understanding, support and excellent insight into how to use existing skills as well as learning new ones to help with my mental health during this programme.

My capacity to accept what has happened to me, my ability to process the grief, and my ability to think about the future have all improved. I have appreciated a space to talk about how I was feeling, talking through the practical impact of the changes to my life, and learning how to control anxiety.”

“In the initial stages, I was really unwell. I had chronic bronchitis and wanted to reschedule our appointment for a few weeks for recovery. Bev’s experience guided me to reschedule within 2 weeks, which was the correct decision. Throughout our sessions, Bev has been consistently knowledgeable. I have gone from feeling no one understands to feeling she does, and it’s such a help for working things through when someone else understands the complexity of having two health issues triggering each other.

I can’t thank Bev enough for her help. She’s helped me understand my triggers and resolve them. I’m more hopeful for the future, which felt impossible at the start. I worried about ending my sessions with Bev, but I will remember the most valuable lesson I have learnt is to move to a different seat or room. When I have a bad day, I always remember to move and not panic; it will pass. Listen to my body and be kind to myself. Thanks Bev”

“My programme has helped me to track exertion and symptoms over time to pinpoint the causes. This has helped me to set out the symptoms that seem to predict a crash so that I can identify small wins that reduce the energy expenditure whilst I am working.

It has provided me with meaningful guidance on suitable work arrangements for my employer and occupational health. It has helped me to identify when I'm pushing too hard, and seeing how to reset boundaries.”

Jake with ME/CFS August 25

“I have learnt ways to manage and assess my symptoms better and to learn how to balance everyday life with my symptoms. As a result, I am progressing and able to work to a better capacity, which I have struggled with for years. Being able to discuss how I feel about my symptoms and situations has helped, as I felt comfortable and confident to confide in Ruth. Plans of action have helped, as they keep me on the path to recovery and not pushing too much, which I tried to do to recover, but made me worse. Overall, understanding how to improve my symptoms incrementally has been really helpful, as it has allowed me to focus on building the foundations, which has had a massive positive impact.

I have been supported in remaining in work through increasing my confidence in being able to manage my symptoms and prioritise my health to be able to perform at work. As I have worked on my health, I have been able to improve my cardiovascular system slowly, which has helped in my long (1hr30) work commute.

I have had the pleasure of working with Ruth Cowlishaw, and I can't say enough positive things about Ruth! She has truly helped me increase my knowledge of my symptoms and manage them, and increase my confidence to get through this all and improve my well-being and life. I have been struggling with chronic fatigue for years, and now, at the age of 26, I am finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.”

“I was taught how to re phrase my personal narrative, from something based on performance, to something based on values. I was taught acceptance of my condition as chronic and something that will always need to be managed. I was taught self compassion.
My sessions provided me with numerous techniques to help me in my day to day pacing process. For example helping me identify the steps necessary for individual tasks that I had not realised where able to be broken down.
My Clinician has taken my grief for the loss of my identity, my previous life and my vulnerability, seriously with calmness and compassion.

Helping identify a sustainable work day and pace. Helping identify how to ramp up my hours. The service has been invaluable.”

“Charlie has really helped me in reframing the way I need to approach my healing. My attitude to process of getting better, my quality of life and my sleep have all improved through the programme. Charlie has introduced me to relaxation techniques and helped me to reframe how to approach everyday situations. The programme has taught me coping mechanisms as well as being a great point of contact for when things haven’t been going so well”

Jordon with a fatigue condition, August 25