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For World Mental Health Day, we're sharing a story about Olivia (pseudonym), who has experienced mental ill health following a difficult and traumatic childhood causing her panic, anxiety and frequent fluctuations in her mood. With the support from the Trust's Individual Placement Support service (Future's Positive), Olivia is now using her lived experience to support others with their recovery.

Olivia's story:

Olivia came into mental health services following a breakdown in her mental health that had made her very vulnerable in ensuring her own safety. She had a difficult and traumatic childhood with significant history of both emotional and sexual abuse. She also had history of domestic violence from an ex-partner.

Olivia's past traumas and adverse childhood experiences caused her panic, anxiety with frequent fluctuations in her mood. She lacked confidence and had low self-esteem and found attending school very challenging, leaving without achieving any qualifications.

To cope with her emotions and difficulties arising from her traumatic childhood experiences, Olivia took to alcohol and illicit substances and struggled with this for several years, which led to her children being taken into care.

Olivia said:

This caused me a significant amount of distress, and at this point in my life I decided to make some positive changes and reach out to mental health services and other agencies to seek support.I started my recovery journey by accessing a trauma informed women only rehab unit for detox. With continued support around my mental health and past traumas, I started building my life again and went on to complete a college course in admin and customer service and complementary therapies.

Olivia started thinking about using her lived experience to good use for others who have had a difficult upbringing. She became more future focused and requested support to fulfil her vocational aspirations.She was then referred to Future's Positive Individual Placement Support (Severe Mental Illness) service, for employment support.

At the time of being referred, Olivia had successfully completed her own recovery programme and was actively involved as a volunteer in raising awareness of mental health and substance misuse within members of the public via a local charity.

Olivia added:

As a single parent who has gone through my own recovery, I also felt very passionate about supporting other parents in similar situation and helping them to overcome their challenges and barriers.

For a short period of time, I also set up a Parent in Recovery group for those who were overcoming challenges posed by substance misuse and needed support to continue with their recovery journey. Unfortunately, due to lack of funding the group had to come to an end but with support from my employment specialist, I continued my journey towards employment in an area that was close to my heart:supporting people in recovery to move forward.

Through work incentive planning, Olivia was also given detailed information on her benefits entitlement and how many hours she could work without worrying about financial repercussions.

Considering Olivia's preference and passion for job roles that required lived experience of mental health and substance misuse, Olivia's employment specialist put her in touch with a charity and successfully secured the role of a public engagement co-ordinator. This role required Olivia to raise awareness of substance misuse and its impact on mental health by holding public engagement events.Olivia's contribution was recognised in this voluntary role, and she was awarded for the work carried out in the local community.Using the experience and skills gained in this volunteer role. Olivia was supported to secure a paid job as a recovery peer mentor with the same charity.

Olivia said:

I am excited about this opportunity and looking forward to starting this role. I am optimistic about my future and want to continue with learning and education alongside my part-time role.

Her employer said about Olivia, Olivia is one of those people who naturally brings empathy into everything she does. Her lived experience gives her a real understanding of others, and she uses that to lift people up. She's incredibly motivated, already one of the hardest-working people we've had on a micro job. She doesn't just get the work done. she genuinely cares about doing it well.

Her natural ability to connect with people makes her a real asset to any recovery-focused setting. I can see her having a bright future ahead she has the heart and the drive for it.

Olivia added, My long-term goal is to be working as a Peer Support Worker where I can use my lived experience to support others with their recovery journey. My other dream is to become self-employed as a beauty therapist and I am already registered on a level 3 beauty course.

Olivia remains actively involved in working towards her goals and looking forward to starting her first ever paid work. 

Future's Positive works within secondary mental health services and is integrated within Local Mental Health Teams (LMHT) across Nottinghamshire. This includes Nottingham City, Gedling, Rushcliffe, Broxtowe, Hucknall, Mansfield, Ashfield, Newark and Sherwood.

Employment specialists support people who wish to find paid employment, or progress to alternative employment which may be more beneficial to their needs. You can find out more about our Individual Placement Support service on the Trust's website. 

Whether you're experiencing anxiety, stress, depression, or another mental illness, there is a range of services that can support you to manage your condition. You can find out more about these here.