Empowering Women Through Understanding
Welcome to Not Broken, a dedicated space where I hope to support women navigating the challenges of motherhood, PMDD, addiction, peri-menopause and more.
My mission is to empower every woman to realise that she is not broken, but rather, on a journey to understand herself better.
My Story
I believed that I was the only woman in the world who couldn’t cope with having a period every month. I believed that I was a bad Mother as I couldn’t deal with the stress of my children. I found it really hard to constantly run after them and keep my house tidy and do the shopping and cook healthy food and exercise and be cheerful when my husband got home.
I found all of that especially difficult in the week before my period and I hated myself for struggling so much. I was so ashamed of myself that the only thing that took the edge off and made me feel happy and relaxed for an hour was wine…or vodka…or beer…You get the picture!
Alcohol became my crutch. It was my best friend and my worst enemy. It was the only thing that could give me 2 minutes of relief from berating myself in the week before my period. Some women don’t even get PMS yet I’m over here falling apart every month and all anyone can tell me is ‘I’m a drama queen’ and I need to get a grip. It took a massive toll on my mental health and on my relationship with my husband.
Thankfully my mental health is very much back on track and so is my relationship with my husband. We’ve been together 22 years this year! For better or worse as the marriage vows say!
I’ve been alcohol free for almost 3 years now and I’ve learned a lot about myself and women’s hormonal health during that time. I’m no expert but I have a lot of lived experience in what I now know to be PMDD and what effect that can have on women’s mental health.
I also have experience in alcohol addiction and overcoming alcohol addiction. Add to the mix post natal depression, peri menopause, undiagnosed adhd and I have quite the resume of your average 42 year old woman!
I’ve learned that being born female in this world is hard! I’m not saying men get an easy ride but they don’t have periods or baby’s so at least their hormones are reasonably stable!
I created this space to share my story, the lessons I've learned, and the resources that helped me rebuild my confidence, my health and my sense of self.
For a long time
I thought I was broken.
My hope is that this becomes a place where women can feel seen, heard and understood. A place where we can have honest conversations about the realities of being a woman – the struggles, the victories, the heartbreak, the healing and everything in between.
I believe there is incredible power in women sharing their experiences. Every story has the potential to help another woman feel less alone.
Through this website, my writing, and the stories shared by women from all walks of life, I hope to create a community built on honesty, compassion, support and empowerment.
If you've ever felt dismissed, misunderstood, lost or alone, you're in the right place.
I hope that one day you'll look back and realise what I eventually did.