Founder of Empower Mental Health Training and Consultancy

MHFA England Instructor Member since 2019

I began my working life as a Registered General Nurse. I quickly realised that the hustle and bustle of life on the ward was not for me. So I returned to college to train as a social worker, later specialising in adult and older people’s mental health. Eventually I progressed into management and project/service development working on projects with health colleagues to improve information sharing and to develop services for people with dementia.

All of these very stressful career choices eventually took their toll on my mental health. After 20 years, I decided to move away from social care, but was soon drawn back! I had the fantastic experience of volunteering and then doing paid work in a mental health recovery service whose focus was therapeutic horticulture. It was whilst doing this work that I attended my first MHFA course. 

I qualified as a MHFA instructor in 2019 and have spent the last 3 years delivering training both on-line and face to face in a wide range of organisations. This has been a rewarding and enjoyable experience. Finally I feel I have found my vocation. Highlights have been delivering training to groups of people from diverse communities, some of whom have English as a second language or working with an interpreter with groups who spoke very little English. 

I have learned that I need to look after my own mental health, so in my spare time I enjoy spending as much time as possible in nature. Visits to gardens with family or friends, walking my little terrier Bella, or pottering in the garden. I am currently in the process of trying to establish a wildflower meadow! I also enjoy relaxing by listening to music, reading, or watching films. 

Like to attend contact – Trudy on trudyfs@oxin.co.uk