Catharsis.

So, another long gap has formed in my blog posts. At least this time I have a valid excuse. I've had another crash.

I've been working up to this crash since last year, as I've been burning the candle at both ends and haven't taken enough time to rest and recover. If I were my own client, I'd be cross with me. So now I am on rest detail, and have been for several weeks now. I took a pitstop in my rest to go on holiday, but it turned out that even holiday was too much for me. So now I'm back on the sofa.

I've never been great at resting. It bores and frustrates me. I don't have the mindset for a chronic illness, and that is one of the biggest hurdles I face in my day to day life. So now I am on the hunt for cathartic activities. Blogging was supposed to achieve this, and it probably would if I could remember to do it from time to time. I've also started writing a book. Well, a couple of books really. But I used to write all the time, and I can't help thinking that being able to get the words out of my like I used to would really help. So once again, I turn to my blog for cathartic outlet.

I need to be less afraid to share what and who I am with those of you who are interested enough to read my blog. Sometimes I am worried that if I admit to the other facets of me, those of you who see me purely as a professional will suddenly think that perhaps you shouldn't be seeing me at all. But an important part of my rehabilitation process is to stop being the social chameleon, stop hiding parts of myself from other people, and just relax and not worry about what people think. No man is an island, and if I'm honest I am totally land-locked. I'm a faddy person, who likes to dabble in everything.

And you know what? I like me. So from now on, I invite you all to like me too. Not just the me who likes holistic therapy and bunnies, but the me who likes to dress up as a fairy and run round the Welsh countryside, the me who has a shameful addiction to Take Me Out, and the me who really loves the novels of Janet Evanovich.

And then, when you've decided whether you like me or not, why not decide whether you're ready to let other people like you, the whole you, and nothing but the real you.

Welcome.

For those of you who don't know me, my name is Sally, and I am a part-time holistic therapist from Kent. I got into holistic therapy when I was at University, as I found myself slowly becoming sicker and sicker and my GP was unable to do anything more to help me. I am still ill, but I can cope day to day without pain medication and am on the long hard road to recovery.

The purpose of this blog is to share some of my experiences as a chronic pain and fatigue sufferer. I started to make the transition into recovery when I found a support network and realised that I was not going through this alone. Now, whenever I have a bizarre thing happen to me I ask around the "FMily" and someone will almost immediately say "oh, yeah, I get that all the time". I cannot understate how important it is to link in with other sufferers.

I'm also not ashamed to admit that there is an element of catharsis involved. The little grey cells don't function quite like they used to, and I find that having a regular ramble can really help to focus my thoughts and help me make sense of what I'm going through.

So, in short, welcome to my blog. I hope you enjoy what you read. I hope it makes you realise you are not alone.

Sally xx