Ella shares her story and thanks TALKWORKS

Ella contacted TALKWORKS after noticing she was withdrawing from the things she would normally enjoy. Through working with one of our therapists and employment support team, she able to feel more like herself again and get back into her favourite hobbies.

"Having graduated university in 2023, and moving straight into a full-time public sector role, I began to experience symptoms of anxiety, burnout, and a sense of feeling lost, not knowing what was coming next, and how to get there.

"After trying to persevere through these feelings, I finally made the decision to reach out to TALKWORKS in October of 2024, after experiencing a breakdown in communication with those around me, caused by me struggling to comprehend my feelings - leading to an emotional outburst with those closest to me. 

"Initially, I felt embarrassed about the fact that I had to reach out for help. I felt weak. But, I knew at this moment I couldn’t do this alone anymore. I couldn’t explain how I was feeling to those around me because I couldn’t understand the feelings myself.

"In the period of time leading up to reaching out to TALKWORKS, I had suffered two separate periods of grief, and guilt. I who once was an active person, who loved going to the gym, loved going walking and hiking, and spending time with friends, was now somebody who feared going to the gym because of the social interaction, and instead, spent their weekends in bed, not leaving the house, and drinking alcohol to navigate their way through difficult social situations.

"Upon reaching out to TALKWORKS, I completed an online form, detailing my struggles, and I was contacted within 5 days, and offered an initial appointment. In my appointment (which was only a week later) I talked about how I was feeling and what difficulties I was having. We discussed the emotions I was feeling, and the impact this was having on my day to day life. But most importantly, I was listened to. I felt like I was in a safe space, where I could talk openly, and try to make send of the feelings I was encountering. 

"I had 2-3 bi-weekly sessions of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), where we discussed my feelings in further detail, and addressed the root cause of this spiral in my mental health. For once, I was putting myself and my mental health first, and somebody was there to listen and support me, to help me through my darkest days when I most needed it, without feeling like a burden to those closest to me, who unfortunately had to suffer the hardest from my mental health spiral. 

"During my initial sessions, it became clear that my current employment was having a huge impact on my mental health, so I was offered employment support. This was where my whole outlook on my life changed.

"I am beyond grateful for the time I spent talking to Sue. As somebody who felt lost, like a child in the big corporate world of adults, Sue helped me gain the confidence I needed to get over my imposter syndrome. Not only did this make a huge change, but Sue also helped to guide me through my feelings, making me step into reality, and realise that I am already 10 steps ahead of the vision I had of my career from a very young age. As somebody who has always wanted to succeed and achieve, TALKWORKS helped me realise that I can do this, but I don’t have to burn myself out, and damage my mental health to do so. Not only did TALKWORKS help me re-gain my confidence, but they supported me by directing me to relevant resources, including CV help and interview prep. 

"I cannot thank Sue enough. I felt like I was talking to a friend, a friend who truly understood the emotions I was going through as somebody new to the working world. As somebody who was embarrassed about reaching out for help, and talking about how I felt, I used to look forward to my sessions with Sue. I almost felt a sense of ‘is this really it’ when I was discharged, as my sessions with Sue had become something that I would enjoy, where I’d go to each session excited to talk about the progress I’d made in the weeks before each session.

"I’m still not where I want to be but I am in a completely different place to where I was last October. When I initially started with TALKWORKS, I felt like a shell of a person, who burdened those around them, took out my internal struggles on those around me, and isolated myself from those I loved the most. I had even considered leaving my job that I had dreamed of being in for years. 

"Thanks to TALKWORKS, I finally feel like myself again. I finally feel secure in social situations, I feel comfortable in my job role, and I have learnt how to open up to those around me without burdening them, and taking my emotions out on those I love the most. I now go to CrossFit classes, socialising with like-minded people, 3 times a week, and I go to the gym 5 times a week. I am still in the same job role, but I am in the process of putting an application together to gain promotion. My time with TALKWORKS changed my whole perspective on my life. I am grateful for every single good day, and I celebrate the small wins in each day, rather than focussing on the big wins in the future. Thank you so much, I am so grateful for my time with TALKWORKS, I am the best version of myself because of the help and support I was given during my time. Thank you for supporting me and giving me the help I needed to bring my spark back - to make me realise that the same girl I was 10 years ago, would be more than proud of the woman I am today."

If you are experiencing anxiety, burnout or have noticed yourself withdrawing from your usual day-to-day activities, help is available. TALKWORKS is a free NHS talking therapies, open to adults across Devon (outside Plymouth which is covered by Plymouth Options). Our TALKWORKS therapists and counsellors can work with you to help you to feel better. Self-refer to our service by completing the online self-referral form on our website, or by calling the team on 0300 555 3344.