Client Journeys
These stories are composite case examples based on the real work I do with clients. Each one reflects common themes and struggles, but they do not represent any individual. All identities have been changed to protect privacy.
“I thought I was just sensitive.”
A South Asian woman in her 30s came to therapy with chronic burnout, emotional overwhelm, and a relentless inner critic. She had spent her life striving to be successful and to meet cultural and family expectations, often at the cost of her wellbeing. On the surface she was coping, but underneath she felt disconnected, exhausted, and unsure of who she really was.
In therapy, we explored how her patterns of perfectionism and people-pleasing had developed as protective strategies. We used EMDR and inner child work to process the early experiences that shaped her. Over time, she was able to soften her internal demands and begin making choices from a place of self-respect rather than fear.
“I can’t relax. Even when nothing’s wrong.”
A non-binary person in their 20s described feeling constantly on edge. They had grown up with emotionally inconsistent caregiving and had never quite felt safe in their own skin. As a neurodivergent person with sensory processing difficulties, the world often felt overwhelming.
Therapy focused on helping them build a sense of internal safety. We used a combination of psychoeducation, somatic tools, and parts work to explore their trauma responses and re-establish connection with their body. Over time, they began to notice what safety felt like, and trust their own needs.
“I’m exhausted from holding it all together.”
A Black British single mother in her 40s came to therapy experiencing emotional numbness, binge eating episodes, and compassion fatigue. She worked in a caring profession and had spent decades supporting others, while her own needs remained buried.
​
Our work focused on giving space to grief, identity, and self-worth. Using EMDR and nervous system-based approaches, she began to recognise that her emotional shut-down was protective. She reconnected with her own voice and started to build a life that didn’t centre around survival or sacrifice.
“I know I’m not in danger anymore, but my body doesn’t believe it.”
​
A queer man in his late 30s sought therapy for CPTSD and OCD. He had grown up in a highly religious environment where shame and fear were used to control. Despite now being safe, his body remained stuck in hypervigilance, and intrusive thoughts left him feeling ashamed and isolated.
​
We worked on gently unpacking the spiritual and moral injury beneath the compulsions. Through EMDR, compassion-focused work and parts work, he began to separate his identity from the fear-based narratives he’d internalised, and create space for safety, authenticity, and freedom.
“I don’t even know what I feel anymore.”
​​
A woman in her 20s, recently out of an emotionally abusive relationship, described feeling numb, disconnected, and full of self-doubt. Diagnosed autistic and with a long history of masking, she had lost sight of what was hers and what was a trauma response.
​
Therapy focused on helping her reconnect with her body and emotions. We used metaphor, creative expression, and body-based grounding to gently explore dissociation and build trust in her inner signals. She began to take up space in her life again, slowly and steadily.
“I can’t eat certain textures. I’m not fussy — I’m scared.”
​​
A 15-year-old girl came to therapy with a severe fear of choking following a traumatic incident. She was diagnosed with ARFID and had a very limited range of safe foods, along with high anxiety and frequent gagging. Eating had become a daily source of dread.
​
We worked slowly and collaboratively using principles from CBT-AR, trauma-informed adaptations, and family support. Once she felt safe enough in the process, we used EMDR to target the original choking memory. Over time, she was able to add new foods, eat with more confidence, and regain a sense of control.
“Food is the only thing that calms me — and I hate that.”
​​
A woman in her 40s, recently diagnosed with ADHD, came to therapy struggling with binge eating, low energy, and constant self-criticism. Her eating felt chaotic: long periods of restriction followed by late-night binges, often while multitasking or overstimulated.
​
Therapy involved building ADHD-friendly structure around food, working with sensory regulation, and shifting away from cycles of guilt and punishment. We explored what her binges were trying to soothe. With time, she built in more support, learned to meet her needs earlier, and began to see food not as a battle, but as a relationship that could be healed.
“I’ve always been ‘picky’ — but no one ever asked why.”
A non-binary university student came for support with lifelong selective eating. Diagnosed autistic and experiencing high generalised anxiety, they found most food textures unbearable, and avoided eating in social settings due to shame.
We took a neurodivergent-affirming, non-pressuring approach. Therapy focused on understanding sensory needs, normalising differences, and gradually exploring new foods through curiosity rather than demand. They began to feel more confident in both their eating and their autonomy.
“I want to eat but my brain says I’m not allowed.”
​​
A teenage girl recovering from anorexia nervosa was referred following discharge from inpatient treatment. Despite wanting to stay well, she was caught between a deep fear of weight gain and a longing for normality. She struggled with guilt, rigidity, and the loss of identity post-hospitalisation.
​
Therapy focused on reclaiming her sense of self beyond the eating disorder. We worked with parts to explore her perfectionism, and used EMDR to process early experiences of emotional invalidation. Over time, she began to rebuild trust with food, her body, and her own voice.
“I try to stop. But every time I slip, I go all in.”
​​
A woman in her late 20s described a painful cycle of bingeing and purging. She felt constantly out of control and ashamed. Her history included a coercive relationship and early messages that her emotions were too much or not welcome.
​
In therapy, we worked on understanding the protective role of her eating behaviours and built emotional regulation skills that felt tolerable and compassionate. EMDR helped her process the trauma beneath the binges. She learned to respond to emotional intensity without turning against herself.
