September 2016

Just over a year ago I embarked on this journey with my then 12 year old daughter. I was recommended to Pete by my daughter’s chiropractor, and I’m forever in her debt for that. I’m so glad I found him, 

I had little to no expectations that this would work in anyway but to be honest I’d tried everything else and had nothing to lose. Not even any money! As I would get half back if I didn’t want to continue. It was worth a shot.

For the first time in the 12 year fight I’d had in getting my daughter some help - someone actually listened to me - that someone was Pete! 

I’ve seen them all, doctors, CAMHS, Psychologists, councillors. I’ve even been sent on parenting courses, because apparently I was the problem (I can assure you I wasn’t) I’d been labelled neurotic and told there was nothing wrong over and over. 

My daughter had recently been diagnosed with Tourette’s syndrome, which is a whole other story. But the anxiety, panic attacks, sleep problems, OCD and learning difficulties which had been present for much of her life all started to make sense now as these are co-morbid conditions of TS. These had blighted our life immensely and I watched day after day as my beautiful, bright and intelligent young lady struggled and basically just ‘got through’ life. 

I’d suffered with Hyperemesis Gravidarum whilst pregnant which saw me lose 2 1/2 stone of weight, I was suffering from starvation and dehydration and we both nearly died. I’ve always been convinced this has contributed to the health concerns I’ve had but no-one would ever hear of it. My delight when this was in fact one on the questions on the survey I answered before even seeing Pete was palpable. I think this is the first time I’d felt some sort of hope in a very long time. 

Upon meeting Pete for the initial assessment he was professional and thorough yet friendly and down to earth. He puts you at ease. He is very informative and a lot of what he said all slotted into place and fitted with what had been going on. 

We were sent away with some exercises to do each evening. It’s true to say I was sceptical, how on earth could these little exercises make any difference when nothing else had? The problems we had faced were severe, extreme and affecting our life negatively. 

But make a difference they did. 

It’s phenomenal, nothing short of a miracle - although I expect really there is an exact science behind it. 

But it WORKS

I work in Special Education Needs in a secondary school and started identifying many pupils that this would work with. Why isn’t it widely available? Why isn’t it on the NHS? Why does no-one even know about this? All questions I asked, for very different reasons at the start of this journey than why I’m asking them now.  I’m just forever grateful that Pete does this in his retirement from a lifetime in schools, testament again to his dedication to help and to make a difference. 

You’ve changed not only my daughter’s life Pete but mine too. In so many so called small and insignificant ways, in ways that the majority of people take for granted. Just 1 example was that Tamsyn was never able to not be with me, she would never stop with her Grandma overnight who she is actually incredibly close to, and only lives walking distance away. Within 4 months of treatment she had stopped overnight with her. This was huge. The panic attacks which plagued her almost daily all by stopped. The anxiety is so greatly reduced that it’s now quite hard for me to remember just how difficult life use to be for us both, It effected everything.  The sleep issues which had been present for her entire life dramatically improved, and school life became so much easier for her and one day in her words ‘something funny’ happened ’something clicked in my brain' and she was able to read with much more ease than before. 

Thank you isn’t really enough to say because this man has given Tamsyn a chance at life, a chance she never really had before. It’s incredible the change in her. Her problems held her back greatly.  My only regret is that I didn’t find you sooner. The future for her was always bright because she is a remarkable young lady as I think Pete will agree, but Pete has unlocked her full potential. 

A few words from Tamsyn herself

‘It’s really helped. I’m much calmer about a lot of things. I’m a lot more chilled out. Peter has enabled me to stay with other people, something I thought I’d never be able to do. I don’t get so worked up about stuff. I’ve even gone on the London underground. I’m not so anxious or panicky anymore. I don’t have to be worried about all of that anymore. 

Thank you Pete Thank you Open Doors Therapy. 

AB

Update - May 2019

My daughter has just celebrated her 16th birthday and is happy and confident and currently in the middle of her GCSEs.

She had, due to her many issues been on a reduced timetable for most of her secondary school journey, however in year 10 she decided she would do a full timetable and take the maximum number of option subjects, even though she didn’t have to, and here we are.

Despite a wobble with Geography at the start of year 10 she stuck with it and saw it through even though she had the choice to drop it and have additional support for her other options in that time instead. Something I was all for, but she was determined and pushed through and received a Grade 4 in her mocks. She is also currently on or exceeding her target in all other subjects. Moreover, having struggled with attendance for her entire school life, Year 11 has seen her achieve 100% attendance.

Last year, Tamsyn took her English Literature GCSE a year early and achieved a grade 5! (Old B). Above her target and above anyone’s expectations. This is a pupil who was 5 sub levels behind her peers in primary school, previously on an IEP and classed as having MLD.

She’s worked extremely hard and I’m not taking anything away from her whatsoever, however I’m sure this wouldn’t have been possible without the NDD therapy. She qualifies for exam access arrangements and one thing she’s entitled to is a reader, yet she doesn’t use this as is now able to access the written content.

Taking her to her exams each morning you would honestly think it was just any other day when she is dropped off to school for them. This is someone who used to spend the entire weekend gripped with crippling anxiety worrying about going in to school on a Monday. Yet here she is, taking one of the most stressful times in a teenager’s life in her stride! It’s beyond my wildest dreams and hopes.

Major change is ahead for this beautiful young lady and I’m so excited for her future whereas in the past I’ve been, if I’m honest scared! Never thinking she would have the independence to grow and progress into a young adult. Yet she has secured not only one college place but two so has a choice, and has even attended a taster day at one of them which again was all taken in her stride, this is someone who up until recently was unable to even attend her own schools assemblies.

She has been able to apply for the highest level of the Animal Management course which is equivalent to 3 A levels, because of her predicted GCSE grades and has in addition secured a work placement at an animal hydrotherapy centre, furthermore she has secured a work experience place throughout the summer at a wildlife conservation park and has ambitions of becoming an animal physiotherapist in the future which will mean attending uni and doing a degree. This was incomprehensible for many reasons just a few short years ago, but I truly now believe it’s achievable.

Things don’t come easy for her and her success is massively down to her own hard work but without Pete her achievements wouldn’t have been possible for her. She was being held back.

She makes me proud every single day and always has. Watching her suffer over the years has broken my heart and to finally have the chance to watch her flourish and grow, for her to not have to merely just try to get through life but to live it, in a way most of us just take for granted, makes my heart skip a beat. Because she deserves to have the same opportunities as everyone else and she’s been provided with that opportunity because of Pete.

Pete is actually never far from my mind because every little thing, every achievement, even every boring normal part of life I silently say thank you to him. I don’t dwell on where we might be had I not discovered Pete and Open Doors but I can tell you it wouldn’t be where we are now and I can’t wait to share the GCSE success with him.

Pete is an inspiration and I am one week away from completing a degree in psychology in the view of becoming an educational psychologist, but I am also toying with the idea of doing the INPP training, because I too want to make life changing differences to people’s lives. Either way there is no way I would have been able to do a full time degree whilst working, if my daughter hadn’t received this therapy - it simply would not have been impossible.

Pete changes lives and I for one with never ever forget him and what he had done for my family.

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