I have tinnitus
At the end of 1999 I developed tinnitus which was a deeply traumatic and life changing experience and one which I feared would end my career as a musician
I spent the following 6 months looking for cures, trying everything available at the time, including therapy, sound therapy, changing my bite, massage, a 6 week yoga retreat, etc – to no avail. I was told to accept, but I couldn’t! How could I, when there was the sound of a bus breaking inside my head?
At this stage I was very depressed and sheer exhaustion led me to stop the pursuit to find a cure and get on with my life the best I could.
This turned out to be a defining moment, as it allowed the habituation process to start. Gradually, without realising it, the perception of my tinnitus began to fade – I was beginning to enjoy life again. As I had no one to talk to who understood tinnitus, it was a slow process, but things kept on improving.
One morning I woke up realising I felt just the same about myself as I did before developing tinnitus. The sound was still there, but it didn’t matter: I had habituated! That was a pivotal moment – I felt as if I had got my life back!
Helping others with tinnitus
This process had taken almost 3 years, and I realised that with proper help habituation could have been much faster. This experience fired my desire to help others and I completed a course in Cognitive Psychotherapy at the University of Lund, which was a very uplifting experience as it demonstrated that the help I wanted to offer people with tinnitus was in great demand.
There is no established route for support with tinnitus management, but it is something I feel very strongly that I can offer.
At this time my musical career and the birth of my two sons meant there was little space for further development, but I spent many years supporting people in the music profession who suffered from tinnitus. The pandemic offered an opportunity to take stock and reconsider my situation, and it became apparent that it was time to pursue my desire to help people with tinnitus in a broader sense.
In 2020, I completed a BPS approved certificate in Third Wave CBT, comprising ACT, mindfulness, CFT and DBT and ever since, I have been developing strategies and thought processes focussing on a positive and hopeful approach to tinnitus management.
Now
I am a volunteer with Tinnitus UK (formerly British Tinnitus Association), who do excellent work supporting those with tinnitus. I also have my own practice where I am able to work in more depth with people, offering individuals a bespoke approach to their situation and time and space to see a satisfying outcome.
I offer my services online, which enables me to reach out to people all over UK.
first talk is free
I can help
Contact me how to explore how I can help you