I have hope for myself
“St. Joseph’s helped me save my life. The care team held my hand and led me to where it was too scary to go by myself.”
Jodie Gregory has been battling an eating disorder since the age of 13 and living with dissociative disorder as a result of abuse and severe trauma as a young child. She has spent most of her young life in hospital. In the past year, Jodie’s life has changed significantly and she credits the successful changes to the incredible care team at St. Joseph’s Regional Mental Health Care London (RMHC) – and a lot of hard work.
Soft spoken, delicate and determined – Jodie’s resilience and strength, envelopes her diminutive frame like a positive aura as she reflects on her experience and speaks about her future.
“I feel as though I have been on a challenging, but hope filled successful journey and my illness doesn’t define me anymore,” she says.
Jodie’s journey with St. Joseph’s began seven years ago. She arrived after “crashing and burning” following what she describes as a pretty good year of treatment in New Orleans. Reentry back to her life following the treatment was difficult. She became depressed and really felt as though she may as well die.
It took some time, but Jodie reached a point where she really wanted to get better. “For a long time, I had people who had to hang on to hope for me, but in the past year, I have gotten to a place where I have hope for myself.”
Jodie worked with the Mood Disorder and Anxiety Team, who included goal setting as part of her recovery. “They let me make my goals and then chase after them. ” They didn’t focus only on Jodie’s eating disorder, placing more emphasis on what she wanted out of life. “There was no pressure around the eating disorder. Even though it was a problem, they focused on me as a person which in turn gave me the confidence to say I don’t really need this illness so much anymore.”
Jodie also took advantage of the many therapy programs that are offered to patients at RMHC. She participated in the community reintegration program that helped her in her ability to begin to relate to the outside world again. She also participated in the social skills group, a vocational program and goal setting groups. And to distract her from the hard work of recovery – she took part in the recreational programs.
She didn’t stop there.
She joined the patient council – a committee comprised of current and past patients who serve as the voice of the patient on a variety of hospital committees, and joined a peer support group training and internship program.
It was during this internship, where she had a chance to support other patients, that Jodie developed a passion for helping others. As a result she has started the psychosocial rehabilitation program at Mohawk College.
“I love it,” says Jodie of the program. “It’s challenging but it makes me look at things in a different light.”
Jodie’s family, who has always been supportive, continues to play an important role in her life – with one small change. “Now when I am with my family, it’s not about my illness, it’s about fun, quality time.”
Now Jodie is planning her own family and her wedding.
“Eight years ago, I was told that I wasn’t going to live, and now I am moving on with life,” says Jodie. “I moved from a sick person to somebody who has potential and somebody who can do something with their life. All of this really speaks to recovery.”
St. Joseph’s plays a key care delivery role for people in the region living with severe and persistent mental illness and St. Joseph’s Health Care Foundation has a strong commitment to meeting the needs of all its patients. In the past year, nearly $70,000 in grants were approved to support patient care at RMHC London and St. Thomas. Exercise equipment, mattresses and beds used by patients like Jodie, have all been purchased as a result of your support. A major annual investment in research for Mood Disorders and Anxiety was also made.
This year, the Season of Celebration campaign will raise funds in support additional exercise equipment needs so critical to the overall health of people receiving care in our mental health programs. Your will help to make a difference in someone’s recovery journey.
