My name is Julie Maloney and I’m a qualified Counsellor, CBT Practitioner and life coach based in the UK. I’m happily married with two sons and have been running a successful practice since 2014. I like to think that my life is pretty together at the moment, but it certainly never used to be that way.

From the age of 14 I suffered from chronic abdominal pain on a daily basis. Doctors at that time didn’t really know what was going on. It was often put down to IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and stress. Many people thought I was exaggerating and didn’t understand. It affected my schooling, social life, relationships and ultimately, cost me my intended career which was nursing.

I mention this not to seek sympathy, but simply to provide context. Decades of examinations, operations and research led to a diagnosis of endometriosis. The pain could be almost paralysing and it led to me experiencing anxiety and depression.

Around 2000 I made two important decisions. I’d been working from home and although the hours were flexible, the job was demanding. I needed more control over when and how I worked. So I started a business. I also decided to seek pain management therapy and counselling.

The long and the short of it is that I discovered by getting the right type of support, taking positive action and learning how to manage my mental and emotional state, I could take charge of my life like never before.

I learned coping mechanisms to deal with my anxiety and depression. I had a hysterectomy that helped with the pain. My relationships improved. I was happier… and most importantly, I felt like I was no longer living day to day. I could be positive about the future and in control of the direction it would take.

What I learned in those first years as an entrepreneur was the beginning of my dive into the world of self-development, neuroscience, coaching and cognitive behaviour therapy.

And it was exciting… The more I learned the more possibilities I saw, for myself and for others facing challenge in their lives too.

So in 2014 I qualified as a Life Coach. I then went on to qualify as a counselling and Cognitive Behavioural Practitioner. The work I do now is transforming the lives of people I work with in a profound way. You can read more about that here.

So that’s my story. How a “girl next door” lost out on the career she first wanted because of health issues and depression, only to end up doing something she loves more than anything and is living her best life.

I know how it feels to struggle emotionally and to feel that things are never going to change. I was able to turn my life around with support and you can too.