"There is no exaggeration when I say Gracie has saved us, literally saved our family

She had suffered for many years with an acute phase in the previous two years leading to a complete mental breakdown. She was unable to leave the house, she had taken to sleeping in my bed, was afraid of literally everything from the dark to agoraphobia, couldn’t eat and complained constantly of non-specific illness.

We had tried the CAMHS route, which caused more difficulties constantly dragging over her feelings and an intense preoccupation with discussing her problems. We tried alternative therapies like hypnotherapy, CBT, tapping, private psychotherapy and meditation. All with a varying degree of disappointing results.

As parents we felt we were at the end of all possible hope of recovery except for medication and with her being under 16, that was only a possibility if we stayed with CAMHS and had a psychiatrist prescribe them. We felt like we were in a never ending cycle of despair. And then came Gracie.

What we didn’t realise is that having an anxious child had made us an anxious family. Gracie helped us to recognise that fact and assess how we had unconsciously changed our parenting style to make life simpler and avoid the blow-outs and that the ‘its just easier if …’ approach we had adopted was actually enabling and protracting the anxiety. She worked with us as parents before we even started our daughter on the program, to adjust our parenting, to recognise why we were parenting in the ways that we were and how to change the environment in which the anxiety disorder was thriving. She explained what anxiety disorders are (which was enormously helpful especially for my husband who really had no concept and therefore little patience or understanding). Never once did she make us feel guilty, culpable or blamed.

This is the one of the vital differences between this program and many of the other platforms. Gracie has treated us as a unit and not just the individual. We have learned that anxiety disorders in children can really only be addressed in the family unit and that expecting your child to recover without making changes yourself is impossible. She really works hard to engage the dads (no shade, its just that mums do tend to do the emotional stuff), which is hugely important.

When our daughter started the program, she would not engage with other people at all. At the beginning, video calls between Gracie and our daughter were without pressure, camera off and about building a relationship and trust. The education that our daughter received helped her to understand how this had happened and why it had got so out of control. Gracie made this fun and informative and didn’t require participation until our daughter was ready.

Now they chat like old friends, we truly feel that Gracie is the big sister figure our only child never had and their relationship is very special to us all. Having that impartial person outside your family and friends is so important especially for those struggling to make connections. She pushes our daughter within very close parameters to be the best she can be and now she goes to school, socialises outside the home, takes public transport by herself and is facing her GCSEs with very little worry and appropriate levels of anxiety.

The very best thing about Gracie is her professionalism. She built this incredible relationship with our daughter without ever becoming her ‘friend’. She remains dedicated to her recovery and is not willing to let things slide just because they get along so well. She keeps us up to date with regular meetings but we leave their relationship to them and interfere very little in it. We trust Gracie implicitly and so have no need to control any aspect of our daughters therapy.

What sets this program apart is its whole family approach. We loved the hands on education and forums in which to gain confidence and control of your parenting, for reassurance and to learn from people in similar situations. It makes you feel much less alone and less likely to blame yourself when you see other people making the same mistakes all in a non-pressure, non-judgmental place. We appreciate the fact that sometimes there are hard truths that need to be addressed and that this is done sympathetically but firmly. We love the safety net of being able to ask for advice generally and in specific situations at any time. We are so grateful for the extra benefits to this program too. Treating an anxiety disorder may control the anxiety but on its own it doesn’t build self-confidence, self-esteem and self-worth. This program has so many tools to help not only control your anxiety disorder but to rebuild you as a whole person. These are definitely aspects you don’t get with CAMHS, private therapy or other peer mentoring platforms. Believe us, we’ve tried them all!!!

We all feel empowered by this program and the love and support Gracie has shown us. Our lives are so vastly different now, we all feel so much more in control and our lives are fuller as a result. My husband has made drastic changes in his work/life balance, I have learned to be a better parent and wife and we all have our lives back. This is a long road, it is painful and difficult at times but its so worth it.

Thanks Gracie, we adore you xx”