Overcoming mental health challenges at Priory Wellbeing Centre Canterbury
Hear about Sarah, who came to Priory Wellbeing Centre Canterbury struggling with perfectionism and burnout, and is now leaving with renewed resilience and a passion for life.
At Priory Wellbeing Centre Canterbury, we are privileged to witness incredible transformations every day.
Sarah*, a client who came to us struggling with perfectionism and burnout, shares her powerful story of recovery. Guided by Katrina, her therapist, Sarah reflects on the skills she gained and the progress she made, while Katrina provides insight into the tailored approach that made this journey possible. Their words highlight the strength it takes to seek help and the hope that therapy can bring.
Sarah’s perspective
Twenty weeks ago, I was clinging to the edge of a mental precipice, with barely any strength left to hold on. My perfectionism had pushed me to the point of burnout and I knew I needed help. Luckily, I was put in contact with Katrina at Priory Wellbeing Centre Canterbury. From the very first session, Katrina listened to everything I had to say with patience, kindness and understanding. She created a safe, non-judgemental space where I felt truly heard.
Over time, she taught me skills that changed everything. Slowly but surely, the numb, empty hollowness I’d been carrying began to fade, replaced with curiosity, compassion and a desire to embrace the journey ahead. The therapy skills that Katrina taught me are priceless. They genuinely saved my life.
She helped me stop my constant rumination and worry, taught me to understand that I am not my thoughts, and showed me that even in the darkest moments, light can be found. I can now feel and enjoy life again. I’m eager to embrace life to its fullest and see where this journey takes me.
If you’re struggling, no matter how big or small your challenges might feel, I can’t recommend Katrina and her therapeutic skills enough. I am forever indebted to her for helping me so much. Once again, from the bottom of my now feeling heart, thank you.
Katrina’s perspective
When Sarah first came to Priory Wellbeing Centre Canterbury, she was experiencing intense perfectionism that had led to burnout. Her anxiety and low mood were at extremely high levels, and she needed a safe, supportive environment to begin her recovery.
We started with person-centred therapy (PCT) to allow Rhiannon to feel her emotions and build a strong therapeutic relationship. From there, I used an integrative approach, blending different modalities as needed. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) formed the foundation of her treatment, particularly the adversity, behaviour and consequences (ABC) model. This model helped Sarah identify how her thoughts and beliefs about challenging
situations influenced her behaviours and emotions. By working through these connections, she was able to challenge and change unhelpful patterns, reducing the hold perfectionism had on her life.
We also used psychodynamic therapy to examine her childhood and understand the defence mechanisms she had developed. Transactional analysis helped Sarah explore her relationship with herself and improve her communication with others using the parent-adult-child model. Towards the end of our work together, we also incorporated schema therapy, focusing on life traps and attachment theory to deepen her understanding of herself and build resilience.
This integrative approach worked well for Sarah. All of the techniques we used helped her to make significant progress emotionally and mentally, allowing her to embrace life with a renewed sense of wellbeing.
*Client’s name has been changed to protect their identity.