Why I Do What I Do

Every so often someone asks me, “How did you end up in reflexology and women’s holistic health?”

The truth is… I didn’t choose this path in a neat, planned-out sort of way. Life nudged (well, shoved) me onto it.

In 2012, my family and I moved from West Sussex to Devon. At the time the children were 3, 6 and 8 — full-on ages at the best of times, never mind when you’ve just uprooted your life. And then, in late 2013, everything changed again with the breakdown of my marriage. Suddenly I was a single mum in a new place, with no family round the corner and no safety net to fall back on.

I’m not special in that — lots of people go through similar — but it was a struggle. And it didn’t stop there. Over the years, two of my three children were diagnosed as autistic/ADHD. Each has faced their own challenges with school, support systems, and then jobs. My eldest became a mum at 16, right in the middle of lockdown. Life didn’t really give us a pause button.

There were days I came close to giving up. Days where the weight of trying to get it right for everyone felt impossible. I didn’t trust my instincts. I didn’t trust myself. And with no one local to turn to, I was navigating education systems, deadlines, assessments, and everyday life on my own. I desperately wanted someone to tell me what to do — someone who knew what it was like, who could give guidance without judgement.

Eventually, I reached out to a life coach who specialised in neurodivergence. Just a couple of sessions with someone who “got it” made an enormous difference. I had someone in my corner. Someone who reminded me that boundaries weren’t selfish, that my gut wasn’t broken, and that it was okay if I didn’t have all the answers yet.

That support helped me realise something I’d been missing for years:

The answers weren’t out there. They were in me. I just needed the courage and self-belief to hear them.

And slowly, bit by bit, I found my footing again.

I built a life I’m proud of.

I trained in reflexology.

I found a way to use everything I’d lived through to support other women through their own messy, beautiful, complicated lives.

Today I’m a huge advocate for self-care — not the fluffy kind, but the real kind that comes from knowing your limits, honouring your needs, and giving yourself permission to breathe. And I’m about to begin my coaching qualification. It’s scary, yes, but it also feels like “home”. Because I want to be that person for someone else — the one who has your back, who listens without judgement, who reminds you that you already have what it takes.

I didn’t get here the easy way. But if I hadn’t walked that road, I don’t think I’d be standing where I am now.

And honestly? I’m grateful for it.