Hi my name is Sam (H & L's Mum) – I wanted to say thank you so much for everything you’ve done for L, H and myself. Before I contacted you we had been through nearly three years of the most difficult times of our life. Both the girls were suffering extreme anxiety and depression. They were both self harming and had made attempts to take their lives, resulting in hospital admissions. Even with all of this we had no support. I was phoning CAMHS on a daily basis begging them to help. However apparently even after H's three day stay in hospital after an overdose she was classed as low risk of harming herself. There were nights I was afraid to leave my teenage daughters in their rooms unsupervised. I was in a difficult relationship with my partner and had to deal with this on my own. This didn’t help the girls anxiety. Both girls had to leave school in their final exam years (one GCSE’s the other A level’s) up until their mental health deteriorated they had both been A grade students. However the situation was so desperate, removing them from school to stop them harming themselves was the only option. Exams suddenly were unimportant (although not to the girls unfortunately). Subsequently after two years I went private (still waiting over 6 months) and H was diagnosed with ASD, anxiety and depression. However we still had no support and no idea who to go to for help, either NHS or private, we just didn’t know what we needed. I felt totally useless, like I was failing my girls and absolutely petrified I would wake up one day and they wouldn’t be there. This has all severely affected my mental health and resulted in me also suffering with anxiety and depression. I then came across The Positive Path Foundation. But more importantly Jane. From the first time I called Jane she gave up over an hour to speak to me, I felt a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. Jane has offered immense support to all three of us. She has been there for H at all hours. Prior to meeting Jane, H refused to speak to any professionals. She got her to open up at the first meeting. I asked H why she felt she could talk to Jane and she said that she didn’t ask her the same silly questions all the others did eg. ‘ How do you feel on a scale of 1-10’ ‘if I could change one thing in your life what would it be’ She feels very comfortable with Jane, I would say from what I saw in our joint session that H feels listened to by her. Other professional counsellors I’ve taken the girls to have always made them feel uncomfortable. They have also dealt only with the girls and stated what they talk about is confidential so have had no involvement with me. Jane's approach is more cohesive. With H's permission she's involved all of us, suggesting alternative ways that we can communicate to reduce tension and conflict. We still have a long way to go, but I feel I now have someone on my side that really cares, primarily for L and H, but also for us all. I now feel there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. Jane's understanding and explanation of autism and behaviour and how we all need to make changes in order to communicate and live happier lives, is amazing. I appreciate everything you’ve done for us, but mostly for helping H, listening to her, hearing her and supporting her. Keep up the good work, there are so many children suffering when they don’t need to.