Talking Therapies - Jamie's Story
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00:00 Hi, I'm Jamie Astwood and I'm a former patient of Talking Therapies.
00:07 Perfect. So just to start with, how were you feeling before you came to Talking Therapies
00:13 to talk about...
00:14 Well, I was bad. So basically I think I'd struggled for like years with anxiety and
00:21 it got really bad to the point where I was like spending like four or five nights a week
00:24 in A&E thinking that I was going to die of sepsis basically. I'm going to get upset.
00:30 But obviously it was just a really hard time and so I was spending a lot of time in A&E
00:34 and it was taking over my life basically. So I went to my doctor and the doctor basically
00:41 put me forward to the IAPT services. I mean I thought I was losing my mind so I thought
00:46 I was going crazy but I just felt just not me and I'm a really happy, positive person
00:52 and it just sucked the life out of me basically.
00:55 You can tell you are.
00:56 Yeah.
00:57 Then you went to Talking Therapies. Tell me how that went for you.
01:02 Well it was just lovely. I mean, obviously I was really nervous and a bit apprehensive
01:06 because I've had counselling in the past that's not worked. So I was a bit apprehensive when
01:10 I first went to Lisa and she just made me feel really at ease and just got to know me
01:16 I think a bit about my past and my personal life to then help me with the stuff that I
01:22 needed, the tools I needed to move forward basically.
01:26 Absolutely. And what's life like now for you post-treatment?
01:31 It feels like she's got me my life back and I know she'll say, well, you know, you did
01:35 it all yourself with her help but I don't think she understands how much she helped
01:39 me. Like, I'm going to get upset. But the person I was like a year ago to now, I just
01:45 feel like I've got my life back and myself back. So yeah.
01:49 Yeah. And what is it especially that you picked up within your treatment that you found the
01:54 most beneficial?
01:55 It was just being kind to myself and like when I feel like I get having a bad patch
02:00 or something, I just be a bit kinder to myself instead of trying to do everything at 100
02:05 miles an hour. You know, she gave me tools and things that I feel like if you don't use
02:10 it won't work. So it's just implementing the tools that she gave me to use really. And
02:16 just making sure that I mould that into my life now. If I know I'm going through a bad
02:20 patch or I'm going through a stressful time, I just remember what Lisa said and utilise
02:27 what she gave me to use really.
02:29 Absolutely. Fantastic. And just finally from me, what would you say to anyone who is maybe
02:34 in a similar position to yourself who's thinking of self-referring to talking therapies and
02:37 they haven't yet?
02:38 Well, absolutely. Because I think people get stuck in a bit of a rut and they think they're
02:43 never going to get better and they're never going to be able to get help. But I promise
02:47 there is a like at the end of the tunnel and when you get there, it's amazing. And I'm
02:50 not saying it's all smooth and perfect. I still have my ups and downs, but it's honestly
02:56 the best thing I ever did because it's just really helped me. And I'm just really grateful
03:00 to Lisa because I wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for her.
03:03 So anything else you'd like to say?
03:07 No. Thank you, Lisa. That's it really.
03:11 [BLANK_AUDIO]