Where the programme ends, our growth does not.

After struggling with burnout symptoms for a year and a half, I came to Mark through my supportive employer. I had previously sought help from the GP’s practice nurse, a mental healthcare programme, occupational therapy, several occupational physicians and an occupational psychologist. Although these therapies initially brought some improvement, they were often superficial and offered no prospect for the future.

After a while, I felt I was on my own again, with a girlfriend who was also at risk of becoming overstressed because I still couldn’t do enough to help. The services overseeing my recovery kept saying, ‘do not push yourself’ and ‘it takes time’, but no one could say exactly how much time.

As a care professional, I was very sceptical about alternative care. Without my employer’s trust, I probably would never have started the programme with Mark. But I am so glad I did take that step. On his advice, I followed the programme together with my girlfriend. We have got to know ourselves better, now communicate more effectively with each other and understand the difficulties each of us has developed because of what we’ve been through.

After years of doing more than I can handle, I discovered that I was not nearly as positive as I thought. It was a revelation to me that by becoming aware of my negativity, I could also consciously turn it around. Every evening, we discuss only the positive things from our day. Every working day, we take a 10-to-15-minute walk before leaving.

I notice that I can think more clearly, rarely forget things now and have noticeably more energy to get through the day. The best thing is that Mark has given us the tools to keep working independently on our shared future for the long term. Where his programme ends, our growth does not stop. We are very grateful to him for that.