Before therapy, I felt like the walls were closing in like no one knew or cared who I was or how I was. Everyone was watching me – waiting for me to fail. I wanted to hide away, but I couldn’t, people depended on me. My personality disappeared a day at a time. Then one day it happened. I crumbled, I failed, I started to cry, to panic and I couldn’t stop. My doctor recommended therapy. I thought it was a stupid idea if I am honest, but I agreed – because you have to don’t you? I was so wrong about it.

It wasn’t like talking to a doctor – it was like talking to a friend. He knew how I felt, he listened without judgement, he was there for me. I felt understood, he was interested in my feelings – for the first time in a long time, I could talk about my worries, my failings and not feel useless.

He was interested in what I wanted – not what I thought I should do. He was understanding and knew when to talk and when to listen. It was about me…. and it gave me confidence.

I started to realise that I shouldn’t hideaway, I am a good person and I deserve to be cared for, and I am cared for. It helped me to be stronger and make better decisions, to think about how something will affect me before agreeing blindly because it seems like the right thing to do for someone else.

Now, I have moved into a new job, a new home, a new life. I am more confident in myself and on the few times that I find myself questioning who I am I think about when I was in therapy, and I practice what he taught me, and I start to feel whole again. Therapy brought “me” back.

B