Running!

Julie has taken up running!  She has been following the NHS couch-5k program, a series of podcasts to guide you gently into running.  So far she is into the fifth week of the program and is running for up to 20 minutes at a stretch.

She was only a couple of weeks into the program when she self-harmed quite badly (a few weeks ago), and was not able to run for a while.  I was really worried that that would put her off, but she was very keen to get back on the program: as soon as the stitches were out she was out again.  She really looks forward to her running sessions, the weight is coming off, and it stabilizes her mood.  In fact the running sessions are proving a reliable way to turn round a bad mood.

Julie took up running all by herself, and is not relying on anyone else to support or motivate her.  In the past, anything else that she became interested in derived from other people - people persuaded her to try out at a rowing club, a social worker took her along to a youth club, I joined the gym with her.  It never felt as if she was very engaged, and inevitably when we were busy or distracted, the momentum waned and she stopped.  But so far she has done this all by herself: puts on her shoes, puts in her headphones, opens the front door and sets off.  Symbolically, that is hugely important - not just that she is running, but that she is running on her own, literally finding her own route.  Finding her own route, and looking after herself.

I know this may not last for ever, but it is really hopeful.