At eighteen, Julie started to have panic attacks, and at that point, had no idea she had Bipolar. The cloudy lows and anxiety had accompanied her throughout her childhood and teens. It was just a part of life. Ten years later, her moods swings were so severe, she was diagnosed in a police station, after ordering a pizza and paying for it with monopoly money.

Reading was always a favourite past time for Julie. Through books she studied Eastern philosophies, meditation and spiritual healing, and believes that these practices helped her to qualify as a Holistic Therapist and Tutor in adult education. More importantly, with some support from her brother and sister in law, it helped her keep her family together.

She went on to teach in adult education for seven years, running employability workshop for the unemployed. This also included delivering confidence workshops in prisons, around the east Midlands, which she thoroughly enjoyed.

Today she has three grown up sons and works part time as an administrator. Drawing on techniques that she has used to help herself, she is currently working on a self-help book. She aspires to write in the field of Mind, body and spirit, to assist people who want to solve personal problems, improve their confidence and get the best from their life.