NANCY HINE

Professional Counsellor

When I wrote this book I was a qualified counsellor working with clients in my private practice in Wokingham, Berkshire. I trained at The Gestalt Centre in London and  am now a member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy. I worked with many clients suffering from depression and other problems such as stress, anxiety and relationship issues.

When I first qualified as a counsellor I found the internet and other sources were full of claims and counter-claims about cures for depression. I found it extremely confusing and it occurred to me how much more confusing it must be for someone who is actually diagnosed with depression. I started to look into some of these claims for my own peace of mind, and the more I read the more convinced I became that depression was not as straightforward as I had been led to believe. It now seems to me that depression is a complex condition with multiple causes and triggers and that each individual’s experience is unique. It may even be that what we call depression is not actually one disease, but a cluster of symptoms that can have many different causes

My research eventually turned into this book, in which I aim to share with you some of the many alternative approaches that are available to help you cope with depression. I do not seek to promote one approach as the best, as I think that different approaches work for different people. I have tried to present what evidence is available for each treatment in an unbiased way, but I have also added my own thoughts at the end of each chapter.

I no longer practice as a counsellor, but I retain an interest in depression, our struggle with our moods and our search for meaning in life.

 Other Careers      

I originally qualified as a chartered accountant with a medium sized company in London and worked there for seven years, progressing through the grades to manager. Here I worked with sole traders, partnerships and small businesses as an auditor and business advisor. I then moved to become an audit manager at
Ernst & Young in their Entrepreneurial Services department in London, where I continued to work as an auditor and business advisor to a wide range of clients. I stayed at Ernst & Young for just over seven years, progressing to senior manager and gradually changing the focus of my work.  

From the beginning at Ernst & Young  one of my roles was as a counsellor working with the graduate trainees to help them make the most of their time at the company and to make choices about future career moves. Although the focus was on work-related issues, I inevitably ended up talking to people about more personal issues as they arose. I found that I was enjoying this part of my work more than the auditing and eventually decided to train to become a counsellor. During the last few years at Ernst & Young I moved away from client-facing work to concentrate more on helping employees.

Since closing my private counselling practice I have worked as an accountant again, carried out voluntary work and am currently studying for a second degree with the Open University.

Personal Development

Following the end of a relationship some years ago I started a process of self exploration that led to me making some major changes in my life. I found a more positive way of thinking that helped me to be a happier person. I read self help books, attended courses and workshops, learned meditation techniques, discovered
reiki and began a journey of self discovery through my counselling course. As a result of this I changed my career, moved house and found a new, more satisfying relationship.

Some years later I discovered that I couldn’t have children and so began another struggle with my emotions. Anger, frustration, dispair, a search for some sort of meaning in my life. Without my counselling training I believe I would have ended up clinically depressed.

I have discovered many things about myself and taken many steps forward, however I continue to learn and sometimes it feels as though I am going backwards. I am interesed in how we manage to find meaning in our lives, how we cope with loss and mortality.