Ellie

Director of Operations

After a few years in adolescence, anxiety and depression became increasingly unmanageable for me. I took medication and tried to engage in counselling, but felt huge pressure to keep up positive appearances despite feeling down.

Early on, I found that I could not relate to the counsellors and gave up on going to the GP to ask for help. After hitting an extreme low I knew I needed to find ways of dealing with my mental health and coped for a few years but developed obsessive behaviours which inevitably made the anxiety worse. Finding a great therapist, getting support from my peers, keeping to routine and getting myself out my comfort zone has helped this over the years. I now find it easier to focus on positives, appreciating nature when taking the dogs for a walk, doing art at the weekends and exercising. 

I started working with Take Off as a peer broker and have moved onto facilitating groups, then project management and now I’m Director of Operations. I view Take Off as a support network, encouraging people to look forward to their possible futures. The unique understanding peers have with one another at Take Off is both enlightening and comforting.

I also believe Take Off will aim to educate other organisations and professionals, helping them to understand the importance and successes of peer support. We will increase awareness and support people with both physical and mental wellbeing as they go hand in hand, and are essential for everyday functioning.