The drive: What challenges have you overcome?
I gave birth to my second child in June 2020, at the height of Covid. Being my second child, I vaguely knew what I was doing but it was very tough being in hospital alone. The labour was pretty smooth and my husband was allowed in for that period, however my daughter ended up with strep B so we had to go to NICU for a night and then had 14 days in hospital with no visitors. The hardest part was not seeing my son for 14 days. Since this experience, I have been keen to help more women with postnatal depression and anxiety.
For better or worse: What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
Being self-employed, pros definitely outweigh the cons: the ability to not answer to a boss other than yourself; the adaptability that means I can decrease and increase my hours whenever I want; and being available to watch sports days, school plays, etc. However, the cons can be that if I don’t work, I don’t get paid, as I don’t get sick pay or holiday pay. But honestly, I would not go back to working for anyone else. I love the creativity you can have in your own business and how each day is different.
Hopes and dreams: What next?
I have so many hopes and dreams. I want to expand my group programmes, webinars and workshops. My aim is to build up my Facebook groups so that I can reach more people and help people overcome the vicious circle of anxiety and depression. I would love in the future to set up a membership and ultimately have a subscription box for mums to receive self-care treats and tips on mental health each month.
Contact Julia via Facebook to find out more about the services she offers and visit her website . You can also join one of her groups on Facebook:
Finished CBT: What next? Relapse prevention work
Mums worried about the effect of technology on their children
Postnatal depression and anxiety
Or access her free resource here: julianeesam.com/relapsepreventionsteps.
