“I Just Wanted to Feel Like Myself Again”

Before starting this work, my mental health had begun to take the enjoyment out of parts of life I used to love. I’d always been a good sleeper, and then gradually I wasn’t. I’d always thought of myself as confident, but over time anxiety crept in and I realised that confidence had quietly disappeared.

I had just started an intense job — something I’d worked towards for six years — and a few months in it became clear I wasn’t enjoying it. Not because the job was wrong, but because I wasn’t in the state to handle it. I was sleep-deprived, my confidence was low, and I found myself constantly measuring my progress and abilities against other people’s opinions of me.

I just wanted to feel like myself again. I couldn’t even properly name what felt wrong — only that there was a weight there and I couldn’t lift it on my own anymore. Alongside all of this, I also suffer from extreme migraines and take strong medication for them, so I was hoping to explore a more holistic way of managing those too.

At first, I thought I was dealing with leftover upset from a specific event in my life. Through the work, I began to unpack much more than that. I came to understand anxieties and patterns I’d been living with for a long time and had simply normalised without realising how much they were affecting me.

The sessions feel amazing. There’s space to talk as much or as little as you want, which makes it feel very safe. The acupuncture itself isn’t painful — it feels more like a way of tuning back into my body. I don’t usually notice immediate changes after a session, unless I’m dealing with a migraine, which is always lifted. What I do notice is the difference in the weeks between sessions — I feel steadier and more able to cope.

One of the biggest shifts has been how I handle stress. I’m able to stay centred during difficult situations at work. I don’t get as upset during confrontations, and I can leave conversations without taking them home with me in my head and overthinking them. That alone has been a huge relief.

Over time, my migraines have improved significantly, and my emotions feel much more regulated. My sleep, my habits, and my overall way of moving through life have all changed for the better. My relationship with myself — and with the people around me — feels healthier and more grounded.

I honestly feel that this work could help anyone, whatever they’re going through.