Following this period, I began blogging about my personal journey through the criminal justice system as a victim, single motherhood, the Child Maintenance Service, the injustices of financial constraints on victims, and my own mental health challenges. Several women reached out to me, and through the power of conversation, I was able to assist and counsel others who were on the cusp of making the choice to flee. This remains one of the pinnacle moments in my recovery: the peer support of others and the positive impact this can have on the individual. I found a sense of peace in my writings; it was a cathartic process which ultimately assisted others but was also an outlet for my own personal feelings.

I later secured a job with Victim Support Scotland, supporting others involved in the criminal justice system, where I found a sense of belonging. Utilising skills I had learned during my years as a Police Control Room Operator, along with my own lived experiences, I found my work therapeutic. However, my own personal journey through the justice system continued, and unfortunately, this led to further issues with my mental health.

After a period of two years, I was discharged from the mental health service following a full recovery. Sadly, as I was unmedicated, I experienced a second episode. On this occasion, the psychosis was brought on by stress, and I found myself hospitalised again while they stabilised me once more.

On my release from the unit, my parents rallied round, and a phased return to normality was organised with military precision. I was entitled to spend time with the children, building up hour by hour until I was ready to return to full-time motherhood. We took walks together, completed cooking tasks and crafts until it was felt the time was right for me to take the reins again and begin living at home, just as before. I could not have been more grateful for the love and support both myself and my children received from my family during what was a very uncertain time in my life. I consider myself extremely lucky to have received such unconditional support, the like of which others may not have the privilege to experience.

Filled with unwavering determination, I applied for a job with Police Scotland and remained part of the team for four years. I was grateful; I had regained all that was lost to me. Life had returned to a sense of normality, and I found myself in a new relationship. Feeling like I needed to challenge myself further, I applied to work for Penumbra in the summer of 2024, providing short-term tenancy and supported living advocacy for others.

It was during this period that I found out my large family and I were about to be made homeless—our rental property had been put up for sale after 10 years. Devastated, I did not cope well with this news, and sadly, my mental health once again took a downward dive, but this was short-lived. We now find ourselves living in temporary accommodation provided by the Council, giving me an ideal outlook on the homelessness process, having personally experienced it myself.

I began working for Penumbra in November 2024, able to transfer the skills I had gained from working for Victim Support Scotland and the two police forces I had worked alongside, as well as my own experiences regarding issues surrounding homelessness.

Proud of how far I’ve journeyed personally, I carry this experience into my support of others, able to provide knowledge coupled with hope of recovery. I am always in awe of those I support, watching as positive work is completed and seeing the benefits that support can provide during what is often a terrifying period in an individual’s journey with mental health challenges. I am passionate about recovery. I am positive that there is always hope, and I am proud to have walked my journey—ultimately reaching out a hand so that others may walk beside me.