When people say that talking helps, that a problem shared is a problem halved, I finally got to understand that. To talk to someone neutral other than family and friends really helps, because they don't judge you.

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When I first started talking to Noreen, I realised something I had done my whole life. That if anything affected me, I put it away, like storing it all in a cupboard. hen one day that cupboard couldn't hold anymore. During my sessions, Noreen helped me sort out that cupboard. 

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I looked at depression as a weakness. It is an illness and it affected my whole life and how I behaved. My therapy with Noreen helped change my behaviours and thinking patterns. She helped me concentrate on my personal wellbeing, to take one step at a time in solving issues that I had and face my problems in my own time.

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I learned that the person I am is based on the life I've had. I needed strength and assurance to cope with daily life and Noreen provided me with the hope and faith that I would be well again.

 

I found out that creating interests created energy. Even though I felt too low to do anything, I had to make personal goals for my road to recovery.

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I needed to control my anxiety and not let it control me. Setting tasks did make me feel anxious and even planning ahead made me nervous, but learning to focus on one particular task each time made life seem easier. 

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Noreen explained that the way I think effects the way I feel, not just in one single situation but how I viewed other life situations. What happened in my life may be history, but it influenced me and gave me a perception of who I am.

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Life treats people in many different ways and Noreen saw "who" I was and "how" I was to help myself cope with my feelings, thoughts, situations and my behaviour. 

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Noreen helped me to prioritise myself and to open up and talk about things that had happened to me, that I didn't talk about before. Noreen helped me work on my self-esteem and confidence.

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So when people say "talking helps " and "a problem shared is a problem halved"I can tell you its true!

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