Lived Experience Blog
What if?......Why not?...
It's all too easy to let our trauma consume us. It's not something we automatically want to do but for some.....many.... there is seemingly nothing else to focus on to keep us motivated. In my own experience, it was the positive feedback i got from outsiders, teachers, bosses, colleagues,…
A Lesson in Respect
I grew up in the 80s in a mining community in Yorkshire. I played the cornet in the local colliery band. I marched with the Miners when they returned to work defeated, exhausted and broken. I remember the horrors of the miners strike; seeing grown men who I knew, from our village being…
What is a Toxic Relationship.
When we talk about toxic relationships, it is important to understand that it isn't always necessarily the persons involved that are toxic. Quite often it can be the situation itself that becomes toxic because the characters of the people involved clash to a point of making the relationship a…
Daddy's Girl?
From as young as I can remember I was always a Daddy's girl. He was always so gentle and soft spoken and never in my life did he ever raise a hand to me. He barely even raised his voice. I recall the day he lost the custody case against my Mum for us. We had been with my auntie and he had come to…
Toxic Relationships
There's a common phrase that goes “keep your friends close and your enemies closer”, but the sad truth is…..betrayal rarely - if at all - comes from an enemy. It's the people who say they love you who are more capable of hurting and betraying you than any enemy you may have, in my experience. My…
The things I Ponder
I spend a lot of time pondering! I'd have to say its one of my favourite pastimes. Pondering only becomes an issue, when I attempt to engage others in it. Whether that's because they disagree with my view point, they believe they know better (which is not to suggest they don't), or as seems to be…
Are White Lies, Just Lies made to Fit?
True story! About 25 years ago, a close friend was really excited to tell me all about the new love interest in their life. The friend had not been very lucky in love up to this point, and so it was wonderful to see her so radiant and happy. Keen to learn more, I asked how they’d met and she…
What's the difference?
My first job, many, many years ago, when I was still a naïve teenager, I was a YTS trainee Medical Receptionist in a local medical practice. Usually, at lunchtimes I'd nip across to the local bakery to buy a sandwich for my lunch as did a number of my colleagues. I recall a particular occasion…