Hello ,

You may have noticed that you haven't heard from me for a while. Or perhaps you haven't of course.

This is my final email to you. I'm no longer working as a therapist.

That's the short version and for some of you that's all you'll want. In which case thank you for subscribing and allowing me to share my thoughts with you.

If you want to find out a little more then read on.

Over the last year or so I've been reflecting on what I want to do next and whether working as a therapist is how I want to continue. It's not that I don't like or enjoy therapy because I do, but I appreciated that I'm a better therapist than a business person and I wasn't prepared to do what was necessary to make the business a success. I didn't enjoy that aspect of the work and so I didn't do it.

As so often it was something else that gave me clarity.

Earlier this year, I realised that something was happening with my right eye and that 'something' didn't feel right. I went to have my eyes tested. The optometrist was concerned and said that it looked like I'd had an occlusion in my right eye. I was referred to hospital.

It turned out that I had an incident - a central retinal vein occlusion. Essentially, my right eye vision is blurry. I have diminished sight.

This cannot be rectified. It might improve, but it is what it is. So I have to minimise the possibility of it happening again and then do what I can to improve it.

As I don't drink, smoke or take drugs I can't give them up. So I was told to lose weight. So I'm currently about 10kg lighter than I was.

But this impact on my vision has given me insight (sorry) and offered clarity. I've decided to stop being a therapist in a formal sense.

I don't know what's next. I'm excited by that though.

I want to thank all of you who I've worked with, chatted to, shared stories with, exchanged opinions with, disagreed with and who've supported me in many ways. It has been a privilege to hear your stories, to be able to help in whatever way I could and to hopefully make a positive difference. There's nothing finer.

I've met amazing people, made some great connections, and I've learned as much from you as I hope you have from me and for that I thank you.

You're more than welcome to keep in touch via brooke@brookehender.com.

I won't be maintaining this list and this will be my final email.

Thank you again.

Warm regards,

Brooke

Cycling!