Those who try to walk in a straight line are missing out on the less walked paths that shape our journey and while those paths may lead in different directions they are no less important.

My career path has been no different. At the beginning I spent years caring for the elderly, in doing so I met some of the kindest and funniest characters you could ever meet and while that was fulfilling I wanted to follow my other passion, animals and pets. So I became a dog groomer and I still am a dog groomer. However a number of years ago I found myself at a crossroads both professionally and personally.

I was asking the usual questions:

• What do I want to do with myself?
• Is this the job I want to be doing into my 60’s?
• How can I start a new career?

I first looked at what skills I had, then I looked at my qualifications, then I looked at career opportunities. I did answer a few of my questions – I knew I wanted to work with people, to help people, to make a difference. Don’t get me wrong there are loads of careers to do those things but how do you get into those jobs? Without a degree or relevant work experience it’s next to impossible to get paid work.

Starting new a new career path at 29 isn’t easy and at first I didn’t know what that looked like, I couldn’t figure out what job I was qualified for or where to even start.

The crossroad became more of a dead end. It wasn’t until I mentioned my idea of doing a counselling certificate to someone that it resulted a small opening in that dead end. I jumped on through and little did I know 5 years later, I’ve made some lifelong friends, met amazing people and have an Honours Degree in Counselling and Psychotherapy.

It wasn’t easy and involved hundreds of hours of work, it was so stressful at times but I look back now and realise that through hard work and determination to change, great things can happen.

I’m still walking my path and what started off as a small idea on a Tuesday Morning many moons ago has now grown to the point where I have opened my own private practice from home and I’m looking forward to helping people on their own journeys.

Thanks

Helen