Sophie's Story

Sophie was referred to the counselling service through the pastoral team at her school. She had started to self-harm in lockdown and those around her had noticed a change in her behaviour – she was becoming withdrawn and nervous. Sophie explained to her counsellor that her mum was vulnerable, and she was scared about catching COVID when she was at school and bringing it home. Sophie felt a lot of pressure to keep her mum safe which was affecting her own wellbeing; she had stopped seeing her friends and was becoming isolated. The counsellor helped Sophie identify activities that would allow her to see her friends and keep her mum safe, and through her sessions, Sophie was able to talk more about her feelings with friends and family. Sophie gained more confidence as restrictions were eased, she adopted alternative coping strategies and practiced better self-care, and her self-harming has now completely stopped. Sophie can now prioritise her own needs and recognise when she needs support from others.