"My Psychologist has invited me back - It has always been my ambition to inspire other people"

I’ve been on Rufford ward for 8 months and due to leave soon. The staff say this is one of the quickest discharges they have done. I was in prison before I came here. I was awful at first. I was getting angry at the staff, I was a nightmare. Looking back I blamed my parents for why I was here and I took it out on people and things around me.

I met the forensic psychologist who worked with me and told me that it wasn’t my parents fault. It was my own fault and I had to take some responsibilities for my actions. At first I was sceptical and didn’t agree with anything the staff said. I thought it was a cop out.

Three months after I came here, we started doing work about why I had been in prison and why I was here. Whenever I had encountered a problem, I had tried to self-harm. I tried to do that here but the staff are quite good at stopping you doing that.

I went to a safe wards conference in Northampton recently. I like hearing about people’s journey and where they came from and where they are now. The psychologist has talked to me about coming aback to St Andrew’s after I leave to do a presentation next year. It has always been my ambition to inspire other people.

I am going to be discharged in a few days and I will be living nearby. At the moment I do 6 days home and 1 day here. II never thought that would be possible. I have always had bad news in the past. I really want to do this.