Shelley's Thoughts on 15 Years with the Centre

My journey at CLC started 15 years ago

I started on a placement from college as I was doing a two-year NVQ 3 in health and social care and a counselling course.

I have through my life looked after and cared for family members and friends who was diagnosed with having mental illness including myself, ranging from depression, bi-polar and schizophrenia.

I have experienced first hand what effects of having a mental illness is, I feel this gives me insight to relate and understand what and how mental illness is and coming from a personal experience the University of Life not just text book scenarios.

I have always been interested in the mind and how it works, realising just how powerful the mind can be by our thoughts alone and what we think has a massive effect on our life.

My aim was to utilise my own lived experience combined with my qualifications to enable me to support others to realise there own self worth in helping others to gain self-confidence and to empower them to reach their own true potential.

I loved the CLC as soon as I walked through those doors, there was an ENERGY that draws you in.

I love the holistic approach, seeing the whole person recognising we may be similar; However, we are all unique.

I love that the CLC work with our own body's healing mechanism and that the starting point is to share our humanity and compassion with each person that walks through the door and recognise people need time to be listen to and heard to go at there own pace to be encouraged and gently guided on their own journey to managing their own mental health in a more positive way.

It is the light not the darkness that most frightens us.
Remind yourself every day to be kind and gentle with you.

Shelley