Laura is 16 years old and presented for counselling last year, having been a school refuser over a substantial period of time.  Laura had suffered a very traumatic past, involving prolonged abuse in different forms by both parents.  Laura had been through the judicial system and now stays with her grandparents.  Before Laura came for counselling she struggled every day with issues such as depression, anxiety, low confidence and self esteem, self harming behaviours and suicide ideation.  Laura did not feel safe anywhere or around anyone, school, in her view was an unsafe place to be.

My daughter Kitty went through a rough time when she switched schools. She is 13 years old now and to look at her you would think she did not have a care in the world, but it was not always like this.

In the weeks before she started her new school she began to not sleep at night, not eating and afraid to be left on her own, always wanting to be with someone. As any parents would be we were worried but thought that it would pass when she started school. It didn't.  During that first half of the year became gradually worse to the point that she was not sleeping at night, being sick and not wanting to do anything.

Emily was referred to New Life Counselling for Art Therapy after her mother took her own life.

Emily’s mummy had suffered from depression for many years and this had meant that Emily had had to look after her little brother and be helpful around the house. She was 8 years old when she was referred. Emily tried hard not to upset her mummy and often this meant she didn’t complain when she was upset or when she had homework to do. When Emily’s mum died she still felt that it was wrong to let anyone know that she felt sad and told everyone that she was fine. 

Someone who has influenced my life a lot recently is a man whom I have only known for two months. He has helped me with many of the problems that I face in my everyday life and he tries to help me overcome the worries that nag me, day in and day out. I am talking about Gerard, the man who I talk to.

Before I first started talking to Gerard, I was not in the best frame of mind. I was slightly depressed having no self-confidence. For about ten months, I had shut myself off from the rest of the world. I lost my friends. I didn’t go outside. Instead, I lived in a sort of bubble up in my room, where the outside world wasn’t really there because I was on my own, I locked myself in and threw away the key.