Have you had a life-changing event? That’s what happened to Sharon too… this is what made her want to train to help others. She is now a qualified therapeutic counsellor or psychotherapist working, mainly from a person-centred viewpoint with various additional tools. Read on for her story….
In 2005, Sharon had a life-changing medical trauma - a stroke, 10 days after her second child was born. The emotional and physical fallout this caused was naturally tremendous.
Her family and friends tried to pick up the pieces by looking after her children, while her husband supported her in the hospital for the next 3 months. Everything in her life changed, she even had to learn to walk and talk again. The impact this had on their lives eventually led her and her husband to separate and finally divorce. Their love for each other has kept them rebounding back and forth ever since, even remarrying at one point.
Before her stroke, she was a partner in a successful, thriving hair and beauty business. The business proudly trained young people to move forwards in their journeys too. Then through her ill health (and personal reasons for her business partner), the business folded and ceased trading. She couldn’t walk or talk, let alone work. She had various personal challenges to deal with, and those of being a mother too.
Having been through this life-changing event, she has seen how it affected, not only herself, but her family too (some members have had to battle with various mental health problems of their own as a result). She has developed a passion for wanting to help and reaching out to those people who find themselves in similar situations.
Through her therapy, she provides a safe, supportive environment where her clients can feel completely at ease. She gives her clients the space to be themselves, listening empathically, without judgement so that they can explore and search deep within. Together they find a way forward.
Her speciality is those people and their family members who have been affected by medical or health trauma. Her professional background was working with and inspiring young people to achieve their dreams and she still loves working with young people.
Q&A with Sharon Horwood
What are your qualifications?
I am a therapeutic counsellor, psychotherapist, or talking therapist, and a counsellor with four years of training covering many modalities, mainly person-centred (client-led). My previous life took me down the route of training people in specific areas to enhance their careers, so I also have experience in inspiring life choices.
Additionally, I am qualified in online counselling and therapy. I have attended many courses, covering inner child work, trauma, counselling, and nutrition for mental health.
Why do people come to you?
My clients come to me to feel heard. Not to be told what to do, but to be listened to, and to be helped to look inwards, for their own inner wisdom and guidance. Some want help learning to trust themselves and their needs, others are looking to face different challenges and need someone to help them find their way.
Do you have any specialisms?
If you call day-to-day life, specialism, then, yes. Life is very stressful for most people now. Whether it be managing a job, running a home, raising children, going to school (the pressure on young people is immense), or even managing oneself, life can be tough, and so my speciality is listening.
What are the typical complaints your treatments can help with?
CMHP (common mental health problems), if such a thing exists. I talk to people about their stress and anxiety, depression, anger issues, panic, PTSD, self-harm and the list goes on. Situations that are in the past perhaps, but still being relived, bereavement, issues that don’t directly affect my clients but do indirectly because someone close to them is going through something, which is sometimes harder, and of course, there are many more.
What complaints can you help with that many people find surprising?
The thing that people find most surprising is that often when they deal with mental stresses, they can often physically heal too when they didn’t even realise the complaints were related.
Can you tell us a surprising fact about your role as a therapist?
I consider my clients to be the experts on themselves!
