Simonne

"I use gratitude to get me through the day"

I have been a psychologist for 22 years. I love working with young people and making a difference.

I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2017. When first diagnosed I had a significant relapse and there were months where I couldn’t drive or work and I needed to make huge adjustments.

In my spare time I like to walk and swim. I am usually talkative but on a bad day I cannot do anything. I have problems with memory, which is frustrating,
so I use a lot of memory tools. Everything requires more concentration, so I spend a lot of time sitting quietly. When I’m not feeling well give me space
and a cup of tea.

On a good day I can look and function well and this can be confusing for people. I don’t often talk about what is going on with me and I do feel some frustration from people, as if to say I should be over it or I should be well by now.

Kindness and compassion can go a long way because you never know what is going on with someone.