CASE STUDY: SURVIVOR JMC

When I first met JMC, she was very unsure and lacked confidence in herself. She felt very alone and isolated since her marriage ended and her children moved away. She stopped leaving the house as she felt people were looking at her, she felt disconnected and unable to live a normal life as she didn’t feel anyone understood her.

 

As we began to speak more, JMC instantly connected with me as she felt I was able to understand her. She also felt more connected with Thriving Survivors when she realised the people involved had experienced similar situations and feelings as her. She started to gain her confidence back and it helped her remember why she had studied to become a paramedic which was to help people and by engaging with me and seeing the work done by Thriving Survivors it sparked that want to help people again.

 

At first JMC was nervous to join the groups as she wasn’t confident using Zoom but once she got the hang of it, she instantly connected with everyone in the group and found the voice she thought she had lost. She had been one version of herself for so long and when that part of her life ended, she felt lost but is now realising the strong, caring and open minded person she has always been on her own.

 

During the Discovering Me program JMC participated in every group session and was engaging and supportive of all the other members. Now that she has completed it, she has shown interest in moving on to the peer groups which I believe she would do great in as she is enthusiastic and big hearted. She has also praised the work done by Thriving Survivors and is now in training to become a Mentor.

 

JMC has said that her perception of the world has changed and is able to see the world in a new light. She no longer feels the need to hide behind a face of happiness when meeting people and can now just be herself and express her genuine feelings.