"Without the Education Recovery Centre I wouldn't have made it to University"

Posted by JY2K (as a service user), 5 months ago

I suffered very badly with Agoraphobia, and was bored at home. I wanted to do more with my life but wasn't sure how to and wasn't sure I could do it. I was referred to Sue at the Education Recovery Centre who pushed me, in a good way! She listened to me, understood what I wanted to achieve and helped me make plans for how to do it. I told her that my goal was to go to University.

She persuaded me to take courses through the Open University, which I did for two years alongside having CBT sessions. The combination of the OU course and the CBT helped me so much, and got me to a point where I could control my agoraphobia.

I applied to University and Sue wrote down all the options for what would happen if I didn't get in or if things didn't go to plan. I'm now in my third year and will graduate next summer. I no longer use services from the trust, but am still in the system if I need any help in the future but I don't think I will. I feel 100 times better.

I honestly believe that without the help I got from Sue and the trust, I wouldn't have made it to University. I'm so grateful and now have a real future. Thank you.