My passion for CBT was first sparked while attending a two-day training course on CBT run by Martin Davies, whilst I was working as a Young Persons Drug and Alcohol Worker for a charitable organisation.  I immediately wanted to know more and spent a few years unsuccessfully applying for my employer at the time, to fund my CBT training as part of my career and personal development.  Eventually I made the big decision to self-fund my training after reading a book by Paul McKenna, Instant Confidence: The power to go for anything that you want, which basically said, if you wait until you feel ready to do something, you’ll never do it.  So, my mind was made up, I was going to invest in myself and enrol on a CBT training course.  Fast forward to today, and I have been working within NHS Talking Therapies for over 10 years and during this time, my repertoire of therapeutic approaches has expanded to include mindfulness-based approaches, Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT). 

​

I took 12 months out of my clinical practice to have my daughter in 2019 and these 12 months was a mixture of the most amazing times and the most challenging.  I feel grateful that I conceived without any difficulties and my pregnancy was smooth sailing, but looking back, I naively thought that I was well prepared for the birth. I had attended the NCT course, read up on hypnobirthing, I had my birthing plan and had it in my mind that I have a high pain threshold so I would be able to manage any physical pain that was to come, no problem.  Well, my birthing plan went out of the window once the pain kicked in.  It was nothing like I had ever experienced before and I have never forgotten this, even though I was told I would.  In the end I accepted every drug that was offered to me and eventually I was taken into theatre, had a spinal block (they could not give this to me fast enough and it was a huge relief when it kicked in), an episiotomy and an assisted birth.  My daughter had arrived and straight away she latched on and from the moment onwards, was not for getting off my boobs for years to come!

​

I don’t know what I expected having a new-born to be like.  I was 36 when I had my daughter and most of my friends had children already, so I had spent time around newborns and little ones.  But it was a shock.  Every part of my being was in shock.  I was experiencing a whole new level of tiredness.  My emotions were all over the place.  My body didn’t know if it was coming or going.   I was leaking A LOT! I absolutely adored my new baby girl, but I felt like a mess.  I remember being so distressed one day, I think it was in the first 2-3 weeks, I was so drained and felt like I could not function properly.  My mum came round, and I could see the concern on her face.  I didn’t understand what was happening to me.  I reached out to my health visitor who came round, and she was great as I sat there, head down, crying uncontrollably.  She told me this was normal as this point and I remember thinking, why did no one tell me this? Why did no one tell me that blood clots would just be falling out of me after having my baby? Why did no one tell me I was literally lose control of my bladder and being pissing myself? Why did no one tell me that I would be an emotional wreck? Just why? Because it would have been really helpful to have known these things.  I eventually got into the swing of things, I started finding a bit of a routine, started getting out to groups and making mum friends.  I was 6 months into my maternity leave when Covid hit and then everything changed.  It’s a very weird time but looking back, somehow, I just adjusted to this change but I know for a fact that having my two new mum friends that I’d made attending groups, made all the difference.  The support that I had from them both helped me to feel less alone in managing life as a new mum.

​

Returning to work after over 12 months away, was another major challenge.  I was a first-time mum.  Covid had hit.  I had a delayed house move due to Covid and I moved house the week before returning to work.  And when I say I returned to work, I resumed my role, working from home.  The service I returned to was not the service I had left in 2019.  I was working out of my spare room, with a not so great set up, a makeshift desk, a dining chair and a surface pro to work off.  The way was delivering therapy had completely changed and I found it very hard returning to work, adjusting to the changes, and working in isolation without the support of my colleagues.   

​

Fast forward to 2025, I remain working at the same Talking Therapies Service, and I continue to love the work that I do.  This is not a job to me, it is my purpose in life, my ikigai.  I feel privileged to be able to do what I do.  In addition to working as CBT Therapist, I am also the Perinatal Mental Health Champion for my service.  A role which has afforded me the opportunity to further develop my knowledge, awareness, and skills in supporting women in the perinatal period.  I see myself always working for the NHS, however due to life changes, I feel the time is now right, to venture into the world of private practice and so Therapy with Ziggi was conceived.  I’m passionate about sharing my knowledge, skills, and experience, to help women in the perinatal period who are struggling with their emotional wellbeing and mental health.  And if you have read this far, well done!  Thank you for taking the time to read my story.  I hope that this has given you some insight into who I am as a therapist and a mother.