The drive: What challenges have you overcome?
The biggest challenges have definitely been around completing a demanding university course whilst working and raising my family. Beyond that, having to develop and create my own therapy centre was definitely a labour of love. I am incredibly fortunate in that I have the most supportive partner, friends and family. I recognise this as the privilege it is; without them, I would absolutely not have been able to be where I am. My children, too, have been wonderfully supportive and I’m glad to have been able to role model how to navigate challenging situations. What is life without challenges though? Approaching a challenge, although it can be difficult, can also be really motivating. I guess this comes through in the work I do – I feel passionately that trauma need not define us and that we can all learn to deal with difficult experiences and find our own sense of purpose and meaning. I travel this journey with each of my clients, in the way that makes the most sense for them.
For better or worse: What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
There are pros and cons to everything. If we look at life through an existential lens (which I am prone to doing!), every choice comes with letting something else go.
I love the freedom of being able to do things my own way, knowing that I am giving back in the way that is needed. But with this freedom comes massive responsibility – it’s all on me. I take the responsibility of my job very seriously. Working ethically and compassionately with what I believe to be the most important people – those who are raising our future generations – is central in every therapeutic interaction I have. So, yes, it can sometimes feel like a responsibility, but mostly…it is the most wonderful privilege.
Hopes and dreams: What next?
I’m definitely an ideas person – so I can’t say I haven’t got any plans or thoughts around my next ‘steps’, but honestly, life isn’t linear in this way. I’d love to widen my scope and offer support groups, and there’s a possible webinar and online course that’s floating around my brain, but I’ve had to learn, sometimes in the more difficult parts of life, that you can only do what you can do – sometimes this will be more, sometimes it will be less. I do already offer small, therapeutic workshops, and I’d be thrilled to be able to offer more of those if time allows. I’m probably going to leave it as ‘watch this space’.
Visit the Insightful Life website to find out more about the supportive services Lyndsey offers. You can also connect with her on Facebook.
