\n Suzanne Wright came to counselling after 25 years working in pressurised senior leadership roles within media and finance.\n<\/p>\n
\n “This honed my skills for mentoring, coaching and, above all, listening to people,” she said.\n<\/p>\n
\n “It also taught me to hide when I was overwhelmed and anxious from those around me, wearing a mask of calm when I felt anything but.”\n<\/p>\n
\n Recommended reading:\n<\/p>\n
\n In her forties she was hit with a leukemia diagnosis and the added complication presented by undergoing treatment at the height of the Covid pandemic.\n<\/p>\n
\n “With my job I was used to fixing problems, but this was something I just couldn’t fix.\n<\/p>\n
\n “I wanted to pretend that everything was OK for my family and friends,” she said.\n<\/p>\n
\n “Going for treatment during the pandemic was hard because my immune system was so low and the Covid jabs weren’t effective. I was trying so hard to hold everything together; I was still working and that was when I started seeing a counsellor myself.\n<\/p>\n
\n “It helped that they had no expectations of me and were extremely good at their job.\n<\/p>\n
\n “It was about telling someone who did it for a living not just friends and family, who were incredibly supportive, but speaking to a stranger who was qualified was totally different.\n<\/p>\n
\n “This planted a seed that I would like in my later years to pursue counselling.”\n<\/p>\n
\n York businesswoman Suzanne Wright has started her own counselling service (Image: Suzanne Wright)\n<\/p>\n