Helping others has helped me too
A peer support worker is using her experiences to create positive change for other people and support her own healing from trauma.
In the past, Kitty O’Brien left an abusive relationship and faced further stress and trauma as a result of legal proceedings that subsequently took place.
She was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, and has also recently been diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), a rare inherited condition that affects connective tissue.
In response to these challenges, Kitty has learned techniques to manage her mental and physical health, studied counselling and holistic health approaches, campaigns for women’s and children’s rights, and written one book and co-authored another to inspire people to overcome challenges in their lives.
Last year she spoke to government ministers to share her experiences of the legal system, data protection, and how police investigate domestic abuse and communicate with victims, and called for greater support for domestic abuse survivors.
Kitty joined Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust’s Inpatient Peer Support Team in September last year. As a peer support worker, Kitty works alongside clinical staff to support patients through their care and recovery on our mental health wards.
She said: “My passion for helping others has always been a driving force in my life.
“Becoming a peer support worker is a natural extension of my life experiences. I am dedicated to using my knowledge, empathy, and resilience to create a safe and supportive space for others facing their own challenges.
“As someone recently diagnosed with EDS, I understand the challenges of living with chronic illness. This experience, along with my son’s journey with autism and sensory difficulties, fuels my desire to support others facing similar struggles.
“Acceptance, self-love, and faith are the cornerstones of my approach, both in managing my own conditions and in empowering others.”
Kitty shares coping techniques that can help people manage their thoughts and feelings and overall wellbeing. She talks to patients in one-to-one and group conversations, helps to run activities, and is currently helping to teach patients about financial wellbeing and money management skills as part of the national Multiply programme.
Her work is also helping her own healing from trauma.
She said: “I thought I would never work with men but I’m working on the men’s ward so I’m really proud of how far I have come with my healing.
“It’s really changed my relationship with men. It’s so rewarding to just go and brighten up someone’s day.
“Now when I see people becoming agitated or upset, I’m very good at jumping in and helping to de-escalate things.
“Instead of being reminded of what’s happened to me in the past, I see people for who they are.”
Kitty has also met patients on the wards who have been in abusive relationships or a perpetrator of domestic abuse.
“It’s reassuring for me I can be in that situation and not be triggered by talking about their experiences,” she said.
- We are always looking for people who would like to help support our patients who use our health services, or get involved in shaping our services. You can find out more about on our Get Involved webpage and Volunteering Opportunities page.