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First step forward

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Ocean

Member since
September 2023

766 posts

Posted Mon November 6, 2023 10:13pmReport post

Today I have taken my first step forward in using my experience to help others. An opportunity arose at work and I embraced it before I had time to talk myself out of it.

During a conversation with the organisational lead for health and well-being (someone I had never met before) I decided to tell her my story of supporting a family member, from arrest to sentencing for a sexual offence and offered myself forward as a peer support for anyone else that should find themselves in a similar situation.

I explained that due to the size of the organisation I was sure there would be others struggling either with a porn/chat/sex addiction or people who had through no fault of their own found them on the worst jouney of their lives. I explained how lonely the journey is and how there seems to be a lack of face to face support for people in my local area. I gave her the details of LFF and to cut a long story short she is going to look into what my workplace can do to support people with porn/chat/sex addictions and families and friends of offenders.

Edited Mon November 6, 2023 10:30pm

BaffledB

Member since
July 2021

876 posts

Posted Mon November 6, 2023 10:17pmReport post

Ocean,

That's brilliant well done! I often wonder how many people I know are secretly going through the same as what I went through. There must be a lot x

SummerSun23

Member since
September 2023

21 posts

Posted Mon November 6, 2023 10:28pmReport post

Aw that's so courageous of you to open up & be vulnerable at work. I bet it will be so rewarding too, what a fantastic project! I hope it's received well & is the start of something great. It saddens me that so many are affected by this by no fault of their own.. good luck with everything x

Caggie164

Member since
October 2023

274 posts

Posted Mon November 6, 2023 10:28pmReport post

Ocean

That's amazing :)

Baffled

I often wonder the same. We don't know what people are going through as we walk by them.

Smile through tears

Member since
September 2021

2550 posts

Posted Tue November 7, 2023 3:57amReport post

Ocean - I'm very proud of you well done. I'm sure most people are unaware of how this 'crime' is quickly increasing. So many people suffering out there in silence. And you've put forward to help, how brave is that! Fantastic x

K4

Member since
October 2022

611 posts

Posted Tue November 7, 2023 6:12amReport post

Ocean!!! That's so wonderful! It will make such a difference to others. Well done.



big congratulations hug to you



xx

Upset mum

Member since
June 2020

2402 posts

Posted Tue November 7, 2023 6:21amReport post

Ocean x

So incredibly amazing of you to open up well done and you should be so proud of yourself xx

rainyday52

Member since
April 2023

447 posts

Posted Tue November 7, 2023 8:47amReport post

Well done - and an inspiration for some of us to follow one day.

I remember when our son was first with us and we were at a park supervising him - I looked at all the families there and especially the dads and grandads who if I'm honest I was jealous of for having such easy uncomlicated lives, but suddenly thought that with the figures so high it would be almost a given that at least one of those men/families would be on the same journey as us.

All the best with your generosity and kindness both at work and generally, it shines out of your posts, Ocean x

Just want an end to it

Member since
October 2023

212 posts

Posted Tue November 7, 2023 10:50amReport post

Well done ocean, This is an amazing step. I'm a therapist but I really feel that lived experience counts for so much.



I do the same, on dog walks I think, how many people in ths street are going through the same as Me. I keep getting told is more common then I think.

Edited Tue November 7, 2023 10:52am

Ocean

Member since
September 2023

766 posts

Posted Tue November 7, 2023 6:51pmReport post

Thank you all so much for your wonderful messages of support. As I read through them I could actually feel the love radiating out of each of them. Your words have really lifted my spirits today.

Louise74

Member since
June 2023

45 posts

Posted Wed November 8, 2023 11:30amReport post

Well done Ocean, it takes a brave person to put themselves out there. I was the same, had a deep need to help others in the same situation and trained in a therapy specifically to do this, and you know, not only does it help others but it gives me deep healing as well, just to know that there was a reason this had happened to me and that some real good could come out of it.I'm sure there will be many others on this forum who will follow our paths and isn't that fantastic? If one person breathes easier because of us helping then in some way it would have been worth it xx

Louise74

Member since
June 2023

45 posts

Posted Wed November 8, 2023 11:30amReport post

Post deleted by user


Edited Wed November 8, 2023 9:56pm