FROM MENTAL BREAKDOWN TO BUILDING A CALM COMMUNITY: LEEDS MUM’S MISSION TO MOVE AND RAISE MONEY FOR LEEDS MIND CHARITY

– A former special needs teacher who became housebound when experiencing a mental breakdown is running 75 miles in aid of Mind Charity this May. – Methley-based mother Abi Fenton, 37, left her job as teacher to become a holistic healer and set up The Calm Mind Community online. – The Reiki, Reflexology and Hypnotherapist Abi is also donating 10 per cent of all treatments to Leeds Mind charity. – The self-care advocate also did a 24hr challenge earlier in May called #carrytheburden for Leeds Mind Charity whereby you carry an object for 24hrs to raise awareness of mental health and then donate. – Mum-of-two Abi has gone from “struggling to manage with my own mental health to supporting others to heal.” 

“FROM HOUSEBOUND WITH ANXIETY TO RUNNING 75 MILES FOR MIND CHARITY “A LEEDS MUM’S MISSION TO IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH FOR ALL 

A former special needs teacher who became housebound when experiencing a mental breakdown is running 75 miles in aid of Mind Charity this May. 

Methley-based mother Abi Fenton, 37, left her job as teacher to become a holistic healer and set up The Calm Mind Community online. 

The Reiki, Reflexology and Hypnotherapist Abi is also donating 10 per cent of all treatments to Leeds Mind charity. 

The self-care advocate also did a 24hr challenge earlier in May called #carrytheburden. The challenge was made by Leeds mind charity whereby you carry an object for 24hrs to raise awareness of mental health and then donate. 

Mum-of-two Abi has gone from “struggling to manage with my own mental health to supporting others to heal.”A former special needs teacher turned holistic healer, who became housebound when experiencing a mental breakdown, is running 75 miles in aid of Mind Charity this May as it’s Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week and Mental Health Awareness Week. 

Leeds Mum-of-two Abi Fenton, wants to help others after her own recovery journey from â€œstruggling to manage with my own mental health to supporting others to heal.” 

The Clinical Hypnotherapist, NLP practitioner, Reflexologist and Reiki Healer chose to train in complementary therapies after being off work with suspected chronic fatigue . 

Abi, 37, said: “I was off work as a teacher for a very long time and initially I was very ill, breathless, dizzy and I couldn’t leave the house. 

“But all checks came back negative but when I questioned Anxiety, they said it could be, so I didn’t have chronic fatigue, they just gave me that title as they didn’t know what else was wrong.” 

Her condition turned out to be health anxiety, a surging mental illness across the UK as a result of the Pandemic. 

Abi said: ”I have noticed a large increase of clients coming to see me due to the pandemic and they have said they may have always had some anxiety or stress but the pandemic has heightened this that it is now effecting their life and are needing support to help them.” 

Abi, who sought therapy during her “breakdown”, was recommended a variety of natural therapies to complement her traditional treatment. 

She has since retrained as a complementary therapist and set up her own business in Methley, Leeds as well as creating The Calm Community Facebook group to support anyone online. 

Abi said: “I didn’t know how to support myself with my mental health, back in 2010 when I had my breakdown and turning point moment. 

“But through taking a holistic approach to my wellbeing and with the right support I was able to recover and use my experience to support others. 

She now wants to raise awareness, money and share her own journey to help Leeds Mind, a charity close to her heart.Abi who has a treatment and therapy room at home in West Yorkshire, said: “I wanted to challenge myself this May because more than ever we need to support everyone with their mental health and Mind do such vital work. 

“I will be completing a mammoth of events from running 75 miles to hosting a raffle where local businesses have donated prizes. 

“ I have collaborated with another small independent business to create slogan gifts on Etsy with all profits going to Mind Charity. 

“I also completed a 24 hour challenge #carrytheburden for Leeds Mind Charity whereby you carry an object for 24hrs to raise awareness of mental health and then donate.” 

But Abi who is passionate about doing anything she can to give back is also donating10 per cent of all treatments she carries out in May to Mind Charity. 

She adds: Also in my supportive Facebook group: ‘The Calm Mind Community a couple of members will also be taking part in their own personal challenges to increase self-care and get sponsored for doing so.” 

To donate, go to: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/abi-fentonrunformind 

Or for more information and to book a treatment, go to: 

https://www.reflexology-reiki-hypnotherapy-by-abi.com/

SELF-CARE TIPS FROM ABI – 

Try Box Breathing to reduce stress, take a break and meditate.Imagine drawing a square / box shape and then focusing on your breath work. There are two ways of doing this: 

1. Firstly, if you’re going across you breathe in, and then as you’re going down, you square, you could hold, and then across again, you can breathe out, and then you can hold going up. 2. Or breathe in across and down, and then breathe out across and up, or you could breathe in, across, breathe out and down. 

Did you know? 

Breathing is a fantastic way to activate the parasympathetic nervous system and the Vagus nerve, which activates the parasympathetic nervous system. 

Breathing takes your mind away from your thoughts, and it brings that attention to your body. 

“When I do breathing I try to get people to really think about what is happening in their body. “Taking note of the sensation of the breath as it comes into your body and also out, but also how your body is changing with those sensations, even how your body is moving as you’re breathing. 

“Breathing is such a useful technique, I teach it a lot. I do it in most of my hypnotherapy sessions as well.” 

@reflexreikihypnotherapybyabi 

PLEASE CREDIT: https://www.reflexology-reiki-hypnotherapy-by-abi.com/