“I felt like I was living a double life. I felt like I was the only woman in the world who came in from work and drank a bottle of wine every evening.”

When I walked into your classroom, I was utterly terrified. I felt like I was the only woman in the world who came in from work and drank wine every evening. I was exhausted. I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. I’d kept up front for years. I felt that I was living almost a double life.”

On the outside, you’re allegedly functioning. You’re running a family, you’re dropping kids to football practice, you’re clocking in at work, you’re clocking out, you’re travelling, you’re making decisions. But the truth is, you’re coming home and you’re overwhelmed with stress. I wanted the world to stop, but it didn’t – so I used to drink at it instead.

When you put down the wine glass, you’re basically naked standing in your kitchen. And there is this overwhelming sense of emotion – emotion that I had blocked out for years. But here’s the thing. Thanks to your course, I wasn’t actually alone.

I suddenly had a classroom of women, in which for those six weeks, I could dip into and dip out of. So I didn’t feel alone in my kitchen. I didn’t feel alone when I was under stress at work. I didn’t feel alone when my kids were acting up. I didn’t feel alone when bad things happened. I had an army with me who were exactly like me.

When I put down the wine glass, my family very quickly realised: she’s here. She’s fully here. She’s cooking the dinner, whilst engaging and listening. Really listening. That’s new ground.