I remember the very first panic attack I ever had, I actually thought that I was dying, I thought I was having a heart attack and this was the end. I couldn’t breathe, my throat felt like it was closing, I had pains in my chest, and the adrenaline was unbearable, my stomach was turning. Little did I know this was the start of a 15 year battle with anxiety, depression and panic attacks. I fell into deep depression when I was 16, A few life changing events had happened in my life at the time, but I had gone from a keen equestrian, doing great at school to staying in bed for a month only to get up to throw up every day from the constant turning in my stomach. I lost all motivation and enthusiasm for life, I felt like it had all been drained. The panic attacks had now taken over and seemed to rule my life, I couldn’t even walk to the mail box without the fear of something terrible about to happen. I gave up everything. My mum finally got me to the doctors who diagnosed me with depression put me on antidepressants and sent me to counselling. Things got better slowly; I was no longer fleeing the supermarket in full blown panic, struggling to breathe, or speeding home so I could hide from the outside world. The depression stated to lift but the anxiety was still there and still strong. At this point I couldn’t go to school or even leave my mum’s side. Over the years my anxiety went up and down, I had given up driving alone as my panic attacks were bad when I was driving. At the age of 20 I became a mum of twins and things got better again, I had to stay home and I think that the constant distraction of looking after two babies helped me so much. When the kids were 5 my anxiety became severe again, I was in full time employment which was a constant stress and the panic attacks got so bad I could no longer stay alone by myself, I felt like my life had been robbed by this illness, I tried everything, psychiatrist, counselling, upping my medication, It all seemed to ease the symptoms, but I was still so afraid of when my next attack would knock me to my knees and have me begging for it to all just go away. I then changed jobs and a lot of the stress lifted even though I could now be comfortable at work and function from day to day, that big black cloud was still lurking over my shoulder. I have missed out on so much because of mental illness, I couldn’t have fun with my friends or go do stuff by myself. So it was last year I ended up on the doorstep of lyf4u life coach Maree Mcmanaway. This is when my life really changed. I was taught new life skills; new tools that helped me face my fears. I learnt to not fight with life and to just let things fall into place with the power of being positive.  I changed my thinking and became this amazing positive person, who now loves her life. The demons of anxiety and depression are now being beaten and there once powerful hold is now so weak that I now have my life back. I can now be alone, drive myself, have fun with my friends and family, My partner is amazed by the transition and thanks Maree so much for all her great work. So in the last eight months beside all the independency, I am now manager of my department at my work, I am getting Married early next year and have the most amazing family and friends to enjoy all this with. There really is hope and we need to hang on to that. We really have no idea how strong we really are, but if I look back I have accomplished many great things even though I suffered a mental illness, I don’t even see it as a bad thing anymore mental illness taught me so much, I probably wouldn’t be the person I am today if I hadn’t gone through the storm... Angela

Thank you so much for the sessions we had re "getting my life back on track"..

I was going through a busy hectic ,could be called caotic time, personally, professionally and emotionally,I felt I was losing my grip, and was allowing the negative back into my life. Through your sessions (and yes a couple of them were a tad uncomfortable, never easy to face your demons), you helped me learn to accept who I was as a person and once you assisted me on establishing the values that I was happy to live by, I was able to identify what I will and will not accept, and only allow those to speak into my life who had my interest at heart and not allow every word, person or action to affect me,you would get me through the wilderness,I was able to trust you and know that path for me moving forward,you would guide me through and I could set a better life for myself,my marriage and my career. On reflection it was a roller coaster ride to find out why I react to certain things.
The homework was always a personnal challenge for me, as it wasnt as easy as just ticking the boxes, I really had to get myself to a space that allowed me the time and the focus to be able to journal the path going forward, with honesty and courage., there was always a sense of satisfaction with completeing each task. Maree you were very patient and listened to it all,and I thank you, I would, and have recommended you to any career woman who is trying to find their work home life balance. Going through this is certainly not for sissies, however it is for those who know that they deserve a better life.. Thank you for my better life....