Julie de Waroquier

From today (ensuring I passed today's exam) I officially have completed my post-graduate in Psychology.
Which means, I am not able to work clinically and apply now for my Clinical Psychology PhD.
I cannot tell you how thrilled I am.
It means I am qualified enough to not *have* to do my clinical training, but that is something I am pretty much convinced I want to.
I think I am going to apply to Oxford University, Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds University.
My dream is to go to Oxford. Not because it is Oxford, but because it is so beautiful around there.
The girl and I have discussed living there and the course sounds amazing.
Not just that, they have a pretty long standing reputation within eating disorders so, I am thinking, that might be best.
Either way, getting accepted would be amazing, for any of them.

There is a high possibility I will be rejected, BUT I am hoping that with the graduate course and a mass of volunteer experience, those lovely people will let me come and live my dream out.

This marks the end of one chapter and the whole opening of a brand new one.
I actually cannot believe I got this far.

Little me, who was told I would never recover.
Who was told I would never live out all the dreams I had.
Who was told I couldn't ever get through university (let alone grad school too).

I can't believe, here I am.
Qualified.
And about to begin the next step.
I am so excited :)

I need to sort my CV out this week and try to find some work.
There are so few jobs available and rather than worry about that now, I am going to enjoy some time for myself.

So much love  ♥

Thursday-20/10/11-Thankful Thursday-Rachel- Co-morbidity - Anxiety and OCD

siajanewords@blogspot.com

I am so sorry about the quality! My webcam hates me!

This week we are again looking at eating disorders and co-morbidity.
This weeks focus is on OCD - obsessive compulsive disorder and anxiety.
I believe that the prevalence of these disorders is very common with those who suffer from eating disorders.
I also think that very often, such symptoms will go into remission when the eating disorder is not active.
However, this of course is not always the case and many still struggle with either issues, or both, when recovered from an eating disorder.
Again, I believe both can also be treated as successfully as an eating disorder can :)

Thursday-13/10/11-Thankful Thursday-Rachel-Eating Disorders, Psychosis a...

siajanewords.blogspot.com

This week is week two of our rotation on co-morbidity and eating disorders.
This wee we specifically look at psychosis and schizophrenia.
I try to express my thoughts on symptoms of these two issues and reassure viewers that eating disorders can manifest themselves in numerous ways, including the symptoms of both these illnesses.
I also discuss schizo-affective disorder which is more commonly diagnosed, alone, or in conjunction with an eating disorder.

Thursday-06/10/10-Thankful Thursday-Rachel-The Cycle of ED's, Depression...

siajanewords.blogspot.com

This week is the start of a new rotation looking at eating disorders and co-morbidity.
Eating disorders rarely occur in isolation and this week we look at self-harm and depression.
I have dealt with and recovered from all three and truly believe it is possible to fully recover from them all.

The Blind Side

"Courage is a hard thing to figure, you can have courage based on a dumb idea or a mistake, but you’re not supposed to question adults or your coach or your teacher because they make the rules. Maybe they know best, but maybe they don’t. It all depends on who you are and where you come from. Didn’t at least some of the 600 guys think about giving up and joining the other side?  I mean valley of death, that’s pretty salty stuff. That’s why courage is tricky, should you always do what others tell you to do? Sometimes you might not even know why you are doing something. I mean, any fool can have courage, but honour, that’s the real reason you either do something or you don’t.  It’s who you are and maybe who you want to be. If you die, trying for something important, then you have both honour and courage, and that’s pretty good. I think that is what the writer is saying, that you should hope for courage and try for honour. And maybe even pray that the people telling you what to do have some too."

Saturday-01/10/11- Spirited Saturday- Rachel - Living with Other People ...

siajanewords.blogspot.com
holdontopower.blogspot.com

Sorry for the late upload!!

This week concerns the difficulties we can have when struggling/in recovery whilst either living at home, living with a room mate, living with family, living with a partner...
Some of which can be unhelpful environments for some, and helpful for others.
I discuss a spectrum of circumstances and include environments that are helpful but there is still conflict, and those in which the conflict is so severe it actually makes recovery more difficult.