As I lay in my hospital bed, I knew that something had to change. I should have been at my healthiest — I was working out with a physical therapist and eating healthy meals but I was two weeks into a hospital stay and facing biologic treatment for ulcerative colitis. That was my reality in 2016. I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in my late teens, so at that point I had lived with ulcerative colitis for over 20 years. I was experiencing my worst flare ever, and the usual medication (steroids) was not working to relieve the symptoms of my flare. I was rushing to the toilet passing blood, suffering severe cramps and abdominal pain and my entire body ached. I was signed off work and facing infusions every two months to control my inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). There was a possibility that this treatment plan wouldn’t work but it was the next step. It was at this point that I realised I had to learn how to manage stress better and take care of my overall health.
At the time I was living in London and working in the fast-paced world of investment banking supporting a senior executive. While I loved my job, at times it was stressful. Partner that with a busy social life, travel and the hustle and bustle of living in a busy city, my body had reached its limit and was making me take notice.
I wasn’t sure where to start and how to make the necessary changes. I had already started reading personal development books and started to pursue this avenue further to see if there was anything that could help. I knew this was not just a physical issue; it was time to get to the root cause of the problem and explore mindset and how to adjust on a mental level. I shifted my focus to more mindset and self-help based personal development books. This led me to sign up for an in-depth life coaching course in 2017. The course involved learning about a holistic approach but also required you to do the work and exercises that you would implement with clients. This course piqued my interest and made me curious about how the body works and the impact of our environment.
Through my learnings, I discovered how everything in life was interconnected. I learned that by reviewing certain aspects of my life, I could have a positive impact on my overall health. After a year of infusions and examinations by my specialist I was taken off the biologic treatment. The outcome was amazing; my ulcerative colitis was under control and now in what is considered remission. This made me more curious. I wanted to share what I was learning with others but didn’t feel that I understood enough just yet.
So, I started to explore alternative, holistic therapies to see what worked for me. I began noticing the improvements I was experiencing, and the results have been life-changing. Over the past five years I have healed parts of my past that were negatively impacting present-day me, affecting my mindset and how I viewed myself. I have a deeper understanding of the energy around us, how the environment impacts the body and how changes can be implemented to see improvement in life. I have explored, learned and continue to educate myself on holistic modalities to gain more knowledge.
Little did I know that my hospitalisation in 2016 would see such a dramatic change in my life. It has transformed how I view the world and my overall health. I have trained as a master energy healer and soul coach and completed an intense meditation teacher program. I am working towards a master’s in holistic counselling and a career change. A complete career change is in progress as I move away from investment banking and continue to build my holistic business helping others to heal their body in a holistic way.
Health-wise I am still in remission and have been since 2017. There are no active signs of ulcerative colitis. I still take some medication to control my IBD and am working with my doctors to slowly reduce the amount. I understand and appreciate the combination of Western medicine and holistic treatments. I believe that the two can work together well when needed, but I also know that for overall health to flourish, healing needs to take place at a deep inner level. My aim is to help people achieve that on my new career path.
I have a deeper understanding of the energy around us, how the environment impacts the body and how changes can be implemented to see improvement in life.
