2018 London Marathon

[p]I have been inspired to run The 2018 Virgin Money London Marathon for a local counselling charity who have helped me overcome anxiety and challenging times in the past few years.[/p][p]I discovered The Counselling Foundation charity after researching local counselling services. I recognised I was struggling with my own low mood and self-esteem as a result of using my reserves to help others with emotional support. It was at that point that I realised it was my own emotional fitness that I needed support with.[/p][p]The benefits of receiving weekly counselling had a profound and long-lasting impact and have now inspired me to run on behalf of the charity who helped me gain a greater understanding of myself. It was a scheduled time in my week when I would stop, breathe and just sit still to reflect on how I was feeling. Whenever I would leave a session it felt like a weight had been lifted from me and I felt much more balanced in my mood. I have always had a very critical inner voice and powerful feelings of never being good enough, counselling helped me change these and give me true perspective in my life.[/p][p]Having benefitted so much from the services at The Counselling Foundation I want to be able to help those who can’t afford the services to get access to the same help that I received.[/p][p]I aim to raise £4,000 for The Counselling Foundation which would help cover the costs of weekly counselling sessions for up to four people for a year who can't afford to pay for sessions themselves, making an enormous difference to those who may be struggling with a range of concerns including abuse, depression, life changes, work issues, anxiety and depression.[/p][p]Most people are curious about counselling and it’s getting more common and accepted, thankfully, that we all need some extra support sometimes. To explain it to someone who has never tried it I say it’s like someone asking me for help improving their physical fitness, but counselling is your emotional fitness. We get so far on our own but a helping hand and a connection to someone else can make a massive difference. Now in my 10th year of the fitness industry I realised I started because I was looking to make myself feel better. So with your support we can help more people feel good about themselves.[/p][p]For me, exercising is critical in keeping me feeling good emotionally as well as the obvious physical fitness benefits. The challenge for me and others is that when you aren’t in a good place emotionally, finding the motivation to exercise can be incredibly difficult. I find that exercise first thing in the morning helps as it gets it done so you don’t have to worry about it for the rest of the day. Also, the fact you’ve done something positive first thing lifts your mood, as well as the boost of happy chemicals your brain gets from the exercise.[/p][p]I hope I can inspire some people to ask for help and maybe start a little running themselves.[/p][p]Thank you so much for your support, it means a lot. Together we can help improve a few people's lives.[/p][p]Barrie x[/p][p]The Counselling Foundation is passionate about promoting positive mental health and also runs a counselling training centre that provides accredited programmes for those wanting to become a counsellor, including part time courses and one–day workshops on a wide range of topics.[/p][p]For further information on counselling or training please contact the Foundation on 01727 868585 or visit counsellingfoundation.org[/p] [url=https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/charity-web/charity/finalCharityHomepage.action?charityId=1002192]https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/charity-web/charity/finalCharityHomepage.action?charityId=1002192[/url][p][br][/p][p]?[/p]