Louise Jeffrey is an Acupuncturist, Speaker, Teacher & Coach. She is trained in Traditional Chinese Medicine (Portsmouth University London UK), Strategic Psychotherapy and Clinical Hypnotherapy (Institute of Applied Psychology), and Dynamic Eating Psychology (Institute for The Psychology of Eating US). She is a member of ANTA  and the Chinese Medicine Registration Board (CMRB), which means she is fully insured and upholds a strict code of ethics and accountability. Louise is covered with all health funds that offer rebates for Acupuncture. 

Here is her story…

I spent most of my twenties focused on my marketing career – working 14 hour days, drinking coffee & getting very little sleep. I relished in being able to juggle a million balls but my physical body suffered as a result – I struggled with sleep, I suffered with eczema, and I relied on an asthma pump daily. I was on a downward spiral to ill-health.

It wasn’t until my husband (my then boyfriend) managed to persuade me to take a year out to go travelling that I experienced a little relief from my symptoms. Moving into a lower stress, easy, simpler way of living agreed with me in every way. My sleep improved, my skin cleared up, the asthma subsided and I felt calmer and more grounded than I ever had before. I started practicing meditation and this gave me the mental space for deep personal reflection. I decided then that I wanted to do something more meaningful with my life – to give back.

I received my Bachelor of Science in Acupuncture and then went on to study Coaching, Psychotherapy & Eating Psychology. I started working with women & found my work deeply fulfilling. However, on a personal level I was still trying to live up to my own – and society’s  – unrealistic expectation of me – that of ‘super woman’. On a subconscious level I wanted be a richer, more successful, thinner version of myself but somehow it was never enough.

By my early 40’s, still stuck in my old patterns and habits, I was trying desperately to juggle the needs of my three boys, manage the house & have a relationship with my husband – all this whilst running an almost full time coaching practice. I was teaching my clients concepts like boundaries, self love & self compassion but I wasn’t giving anything back to myself. By 2016, my body couldn’t take me not listening anymore & I developed an auto-immune condition of the skin. The symptoms were extreme & intense – severe itching, redness, swelling, insomnia. It was then that I was forced to take heed of the message – slow down & re-connect with your body or suffer the consequences.

I was forced to scale my practice back to 2 days a week and in 2018, my husband got a 12 month contract in Bangalore, India. This year out of our home town in new surroundings, offered up to me the things I needed most – a dramatic shift in perspective, time (with myself & with my family) & long periods of self reflection. What I learnt during this time is that whilst we as woman are hugely capable, it is not possible (nor desirable) to be ‘super-woman’ or ‘super-mum’.  Whilst trying to be everything to everyone & remaining enslaved to my limiting beliefs, I had lost sight of what was important & meaningful to me – connection, compassion, contribution & community and it was time to take it back.

I took all the tools, tricks & life hacks I had learnt (from myself & others) over the years and implemented them in my own life. I re-ignited my yoga, pilates daily meditation practice. I wrote in my journal. I started reading again. I re-connected with nature. I went back into therapy & learned how to master my emotions & my state of being. I continued on with my meaningful work in the world, but with better boundaries. The result was a strengthening of my own spiritual journey & a deep personal understanding of what it takes to really become my best self. But indeed the greatest personal success of that year was in learning to let go of fear – and in doing so, what was holding me back and keeping me stuck. This was a real turning point for me.

I am passionate about empowering others to realise and live up to their own true potential. To face their fears & let go of their limiting beliefs, but to do so in a way that is congruent with their body, mind or spirit.

I look forward to meeting you and hearing more about your own life challenges

With love, Louise