My Journey

My health journey started at just one day old when I was born covered in eczema. My poor Mum had to wrap me up in glad wrap and spent years looking for the perfect cream, formula and doctor to help with the eczema.

I then went on to suffer with the worst period pain from the age of 14. I would need 2 days off school or work every month. When I birthed my daughter I realised that every time I bled it was similar to labour pains. The doctors prescribed birth control and pain killers as that was their only treatment options. In the end it was advised that I take the pill continuously to avoid bleeding and all that came with that. I could choose once or twice a year when it was convenient for me to take time off, load up with pain killers and let my body do what it was designed to do. I was also told having children would be nearly impossible for me.

So you can imagine my surprise when at 23 years old finding out I was pregnant was the biggest blessing - however I had been up until this stage very unlucky in love. I remember from a very young age just craving love and a husband, but this was not to be. My relationship with my daughters birth father was not aligned, in hindsight I had ignored my intuition so I became a single Mumma to my beautiful baby girl at 6 months pregnant. When I look back now we did a lot of healing my baby girl and I. My period symptoms became less after her birth. I called her my healing angel. I discovered for the first time how unconditional love for someone felt.

Then at 27 years old I was diagnosed with Graves disease (who named it that!!!!) which is an auto immune dis-ease. My thyroid was over active and I was in full overdrive. Wearing singlets in winter and working all hours trying to prove my worth to the world, surviving on 4 hours sleep. While being both a mother and a father to my daughter. My eyes were literally popping out of my head. So a few months on heart meds to slow down my racing heart before I could be treated by the endocrinologist at the hospital. My treatment was medication and when that wasn’t working as well as it should have been, the recommendation was to have my thyroid radiated. This time I trusted my intuition and declined this as a treatment option (no judgement or offence if you have had to have this as a treatment option, just for me it was a no. I already felt so much pressure to be all that I needed to be as a single mum, I didn’t know how I would cope if something was to happen to me).

Fast forward a few years and I was still taking medication for my thyroid. (Again, no offence if you are taking medication. I always say to my clients it saved my life, and I used it until I didn’t need to use it anymore) It made me feel like shit. I remember this day so vividly. I was seeing the doctor and they had a locum doctor in. I was telling him how the side effects of the meds was really messing with me, and I was in tears. He kindly suggested it was time that I start anti depressants as that would make it better. I knew in that moment that I had to take my health into my own hands and make a change and find support to navigate my way out of this. I still had to care for my 7 year old daughter, I required 10 - 12 hours sleep a night and worked full time. Thank goodness for my parents!!!!! I had also amazingly met the love of my life (finally) and so needed to have something left within me to nurture that relationship.

So here is where I started fully participating in my healing journey and started building my support team. I had already found yoga, but started working with a lovely naturopath, the most amazing acupuncturist, an incredible helikunst homeopath. Then I added in a very knowledgable hormone specialist, the best reiki practitioner, a wonderful kinesologist and sprinkled in yoga, coaches and meditation teachers. I started working on my physical symptoms and used food as medicine. I went on to study Integrative nutrition. I worked on my lifestyle and detoxed the shit out of my house, body and life. It was working. I went into remission and came off medication.
But the healing kept on going. I had a few on my knees moments and knew in my heart that I needed to keep understanding the connection of body, mind and spirit. I went on to learn reiki and spiritual life coaching. I had to learn to love myself, not in a bubble bath and face mask kind of way, but a true deep and painful meeting myself kind of way. One that had me cry out in the middle of a group meditation. One that feels like I cannot look away any longer. That required looking at my shame, my beliefs, my stories, my values, my true honest authentic self. She is in there and she wants to come out.

I went on to have miracle baby number 2 - this time a beautiful son who would continue to teach me about unconditional love. I am still healing and still learning. I think we all are. However - I feel better at 47 year old than I have ever felt in my life, I am still so sensitive and have accepted this is who I am. I now understand that the sensitivities I feel, and the journey I have been on allow me to step into my healing work for which I will forever be eternally grateful.

With Love
Leanne x