New blog for carers

Hi, my name is Anne-Sonia King and I was a carer to my daughter, Lydia, who had special needs. She died over 10 years ago when she was 18 years old, and it would have been her 29th birthday last Wednesday. Every time her birthday, or the anniversary of her death comes around I remember her and think of the joy she brought into my life and to the lives of my other two daughters.

As a celebration of her life and as a tribute to her, I am starting a blog for carers of children with special needs and/or parents of children who have lost a beloved child. It doesn't matter how long ago one has lost a child, the pain never leaves you. Death is the most natural yet most unnatural thing about life. Losing a child cannot be described, envisaged or felt by anyone who hasn't gone through the same process.

A couple of years ago I was introduced to life coaching, and it has made such an impact on my life that I am now in the process of setting up my own life coaching business.

I first had some coaching whilst I was working as a manager of an off-campus computer training centre of a local college. It was during a period when the centre I was managing was facing closure. Coaching helped me to cope with this and the subsequent closure, as well as helping me to deal more effectively with the other members of my team. Some of us were relocated and some of us were made redundant, but overall the process was managed much better than I thought it was going to be, due to my coaching sessions. My coach helped me to recognise my skills and talents as a manager and appreciate my people skills. These are 'transferable skills' that I developed by caring for Lydia, including the patience, empathy and dedication it takes to look after a sick child over many years.

I was lucky enough to be offered a post in the main college, and I am now managing the e-learning centre which also houses their Learndirect provision, and offers training and support to adults in need of development of their literacy, numeracy and IT needs.

I feel that I have much to offer, and I feel that my life experiences that I came to value during my subsequent coaching sessions can help parents/carers who can sometimes find it hard to cope, or cannot see 'the wood for the trees'.

So if you feel you need some direction in your life, if there is an overwhelming project or task that a solutions-focused approach may help you with, if you wish to start a new business or just get on with your life, I can help.

My future posts will tell you more about Lydia, her life and how caring for her made me the person I am today. I will share with you my own experiences at home and at work and how I think life coaching may help you too.

Useful Links

During a recent training course (on blogging), I met Karen who has recently set up a website for carers which gives practical advice and help for carers - check it out: www.ukcarersonline.co.uk/