Qualified Counsellor and Certified Trauma Informed Coach (currently working on Narcissistic abuse course)

My experience with trauma has been a long and challenging journey. I am in long term recovery from drugs and alcohol (heroin 20 years and alcohol over 5 years). I got in with the wrong crowd, was a mum at 21 and experienced domestic violence, sexual assault, people pleasing and being taken advantage of and the death of my son's father over an 8 year period of madness.

Then I got clean via a horrendous detox (after the shame of relapsing the first time)

All the trauma that goes with abusing drugs and alcohol (chaos, bad relationships, bereavement and that deep rooted shame) led me to wanting to turn my life around. I didn't want to not be able to look people in the eyes. I deserved to be happy and treated right surely? My son deserved a great mum and my family deserved a healthy Zoe.

After working with a therapist who just sat and nodded at me with a sad look on her face, leading to me feeling judged, I decided I could do better. So I took a leap of faith and trained. I had my son who and autistic and has ADHD, which lead me to realising I had ADHD, so I was diagnosed 2 years ago. This answered a lot of questions for me and validated me.

My trauma has gone from living in a squat with strangers and my eldest son missing out on having a good mum to now being married, a good mum, helping other women and sharing my experience and learnings with other women. After 1.5 years in Private Practice Counselling from my own therapy room as well as working for Better Help and Health Assured I have accrued over 1500 hours working with clients who want more solution focused help. Trauma affects everyone differently and I want to help women leave trauma in the past.