Don't let a health crisis become a life crisis.
"Thistle's support has been life-changing. Thanks to the support I got from my practitioner, I'm able to look more towards my future. I feel really optimistic."
Jackie
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Over 6 months, your monthly gift of £5 could help 3 people access a Mindfulness course to help manage stress and anxiety.
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Every single month, your gift of £20 could give someone their first Thistle wellbeing consultation, setting them on the path to self-manage their condition and take back control of their life.
Jackie's story
For years, anxiety had been ruling Jackie's life. She would often be too scared to leave the house, even to just go down the road to the shop.
Having left an abusive relationship, Jackie lived in fear of running into her ex-husband. She attended a psychology group to try and get help, but through that she discovered triggers that she didn’t realise she had, which took a greater toll on her mental health.
That’s when she was referred to Thistle by a mental health nurse and put in touch with Claire, a Health and Wellbeing Practitioner. “The first time I spoke to Claire I was scared – I don’t always do well with meeting people in person and I wasn’t sure what to expect,” says Jackie. “I was really anxious, but after the first five or ten minutes I felt much better.”
“Claire’s support has been life-changing. We talk about how I want to manage my anxiety and then we see how I get on, and then make a plan for the next couple of weeks. Life is a lot easier now because I’m not as scared as I used to be. If I hadn’t come to Thistle, I’d still be scared to go out."
“I feel really optimistic. I’m able to look more towards my future, to look at starting my business and spending more time with my kids and my new granddaughter, which has made me feel so much better. I’m also doing my driving test soon, something I wouldn’t have been able to do without the support that Thistle have given me.”
“I still struggle with my mental health, but I’m in a much better place to manage the anxiety now. I’ve realised that I don’t need to be as scared as I have been. Thistle have given me the tools to help myself and I want to be able to help other people. The work Thistle does is just amazing.”
You can read Jackie's full story here.