There is nothing like a cancer diagnosis to sharpen the focus in your life. It certainly sharpened the focus in mine. But only once my inner world had crumbled and collapsed. The first couple of weeks left me numb. Cancer had anaesthetised me. I’d fooled myself into thinking that because I was a therapist and was coming at it with 25 years experience of working on myself, I’d somehow glide through the brutal chemotherapy regime and a Stem Cell Transplant. I had a very loving family and a community who wrapped tight around us. Holding us firm, no matter what we were about to face.

Mostly when we fool ourselves, we at some point, trip up. I tripped up. Treatment was savage. I felt it in my body. My head. My heart. Despite the enormous blanket of love, I entered into one of the most challenging times of descent that I’ve endured.

I was stumbling through a liminal terrain; strange, vast and uncharted. I was betwixt and between. No longer living my old familiar life and yet not reaching any point of newness.

Following many months of treatment, I arrived at the milestone of remission. Ejector seated from my platform of critical care; the hit squad left and I found myself wandering through a desolate and annihilated landscape. What now? Who am I? Who am I becoming? What about my old life? What if I relapse? And all these side effects, what about those? And this body of mine; like a discarded rag doll.

And through all of this….still holding that story, ‘but you’re a therapist, you should be able to cope.’ Well, mostly, I couldn’t. I longed for a community that understood me. A place where I didn’t need to tell my story again and again. The kin I was with, would just know.

Both Kelly and I felt a duty to midwife something that would bring this community to those living with cancer. A place where they could bring all of themselves. Somewhere to start to disentangle from the old stories and begin to author new ones. A resting place. Solace. And somewhere to lay down our grief.

In September, we are running a FREE 10-week programme for people who are in remission from cancer, or are no longer in active treatment, where the sessions will be held weekly in nature in the Corsham/Box area of Wiltshire.

We know that people often feel lost and unsupported after finishing treatment and this programme is an opportunity to reconnect with nature and yourself!

If you are interested in learning more and applying please visit https://thewillowtreefoundation.com and apply before the 18th August.