I’m so grateful to God, the Universe, and All That Is that I came across OCD Recovery when I did. I’ve been having weekly sessions with Gemma for nearly ten months now, and although this is still considered early in recovery, my life has improved greatly.

Ten months ago, I was struggling significantly. I didn’t want to be here, could barely go shopping or leave the house, and was stuck in a very isolated routine. I was also using substances heavily at the time and spending most of my days watching self-help videos on YouTube, trying to find answers. I nearly dropped out of my Open University degree twice. I wore my glasses everywhere to try and hide my face from people because of intense guilt and shame related to intrusive thoughts and past experiences.

Now, ten months on, things are very different. I swim four times a week, cycle regularly, and belong to two book groups and a writing group. I’ve stayed in university and am getting high grades. I want to continue living, and I am now drug-free.

What’s changed most is not just my routine, but my relationship with discomfort. I’m now more willing to engage with exposures and face things I used to avoid. Even recently, I’ve started thinking more about how I can continue building on this progress in real-life situations and upcoming challenges.

I also want to be honest that I didn’t think I could be helped at one point, especially as I also live with a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder. But I’ve been supported enormously by Gemma, and also by what the coaches and others share in the WhatsApp groups and webinars.

I’m very grateful to Gemma, the coaches, and Phil. I genuinely appreciate the support I’ve received and feel hopeful about what’s ahead.