Finding Me: A journey of discovery that has set me free from the emotional bonds and beliefs of the past

About A W Mills

Alan was born in 1956 however due to his anxieties and low self-esteem he left school at 16 years of age with no qualifications. After several different occupations he spent time working away from home in residential child care before mental health difficulties and alcohol problems led to him return home to work in the family business. After marrying and fathering twin girls he finally admitted to his alcoholism and joined Alcoholics Anonymous. He has now been sober for over 33 years. His mental health and alcohol problems saw him hospitalised several times during his active alcoholic years and sobriety led to a journey of recovery that continues to this day which aims to improve and maintain his physical and mental health. Early on in sobriety and due to damage caused during his alcoholism Alan underwent major spinal surgery which eventually meant that he had to retrain and begin a new career. He went to college and then university and finally qualified as a Primary School Teacher. Alan had a successful career that spanned 19 years as a teacher deputy-head teacher and finally headmaster. Until finally his mental health difficulties caused him to suffer from a major nervous breakdown and hospitalisation in a secure mental health unit. This ultimately led to his retirement from the teaching profession. Following extensive support from professionals and friends Alan rebuilt his life and finally emerged as a happier and more contented individual who now works for a national mental health charity as a Peer Team Leader helping others that suffer from mental health difficulties. Alan has a First Class Honours Degree St Marys University (1999) and Diploma in Inner Child Healing Centre of Excellence (2020).