Hi I am a 54 year old mother of 3 adult children, Nanna to 3 beautiful grandchildren and have an 11 year old Collie Fur Baby Alfie living in Neath, West Wales and working in Caaerphilly and Cardiff. My background is primary school education where I was a Family Support Worker for many years. I took a sideways step to adult services in 2017 becoming a Health and Wellbeing Coach based in GP Surgeries.
I have a fibromyalgia diagnosis and was diagnosed with chronic stress, anxiety and depression a number of years ago following a very stressful 10 years and blacking out when I was driving. I got divorced in 2002, followed by my mother's sudden death at 62 in 2005, my father's subsequent terminal illness of end stage renal failure and his death in 2013. A large number of people who I have supported over the last few years I realised also have a history of grief and loss. I was looking for training to be able to help myself and people I work with when I discovered The Grief Recovery Method which has given me the tools and skills to not only heal my own losses but to be able to help other peope. I am currently supporting a community bereaved by suicide in my local area and also bringing Grief Recovery to staff in the Housing Association for which I am a Wellbeing Lead. Many of the staff work frontline and experience grief and loss in association with their roles as well as their own personal losses. I teach 121 and groups online and face to face locally and teach Helping Children with loss as well as The Grief Recovery Support Group.
My qualifications include BA Education (Hons), BSc Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Approaches for Mental Health (Hons), Breathworks Mindfulness Teacher, ILM Level 5 Coach.