"I was so used to being in hospital" - Kirsty's Story

Kirsty's History

Kirsty is a young woman with diagnoses of Psychotic Disorder, Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD), and Depression. Prior to joining Aspire, she had experienced frequent inpatient hospital admissions over several years, often following emotional distress and self-harming behaviours. During this time, Kirsty described feeling safest when in hospital settings and found it difficult to manage her mental health in the community.

She also faced significant emotional challenges linked to past trauma, which had a lasting impact on her self-esteem and trust in others. At times, Kirsty struggled with thoughts that were distressing and intrusive, as well as voices that made her feel overwhelmed. Despite these difficulties, she showed strong self-awareness and expressed a clear wish to get the right support to better manage her mental health and build a more stable future.

Kirsty's Admission

Kirsty joined Aspire in 2016, following a period of repeated hospital stays. She was new to the area and unsure about what to expect.

“I felt really nervous when I first came, as I was so used to being in hospital and had moved to a different area I wasn’t familiar with.”

At the time of her admission, Kirsty’s primary goal was to access therapy and work on her mental health in a safe, supportive environment. Her longer-term hope was to achieve enough stability to live independently in the community.

“My main goal was to get therapy to make my mental health better, as when I was on my own my mental health seriously deteriorated.”

Kirsty’s Care

Over the years, Kirsty engaged consistently with Aspire’s therapeutic and support teams. She began regular therapy sessions with the service psychiatrist to explore some of the root causes of her mental health difficulties, including past trauma.

“The hardest thing was going through childhood in therapy to address my PTSD, but I did get a lot of support from the staff alongside this.”

Kirsty made steady progress and gradually built trust in staff, who supported her with daily routines, emotional regulation, and developing coping strategies to manage distress and the voices she sometimes heard.

“Staff helped me build my confidence by going out with me and showing me the area.”

She also made strong progress in managing her medication and understanding her diagnosis. She frequently attended her reviews, participated in one-to-one sessions, and took ownership of her care.

“Finally getting the right diagnosis of Autism. The psychiatrist was amazing, and staff support around that was great.”

As she became more independent, Kirsty moved into Supported Living, where she had her own flat and more autonomy over her day-to-day life. Outside of therapy, Kirsty found purpose and happiness through her love of animals — especially her horses. She began volunteering at a stable, caring for her own horses three times a week. Even after relocating to Jubilee House in Chesterfield, she continued to travel back to Nottingham regularly to visit them.

Kirsty Today

After nearly nine years of support, growth, and dedication, Kirsty has now stepped down into community living, where she is thriving with the right level of independence and support. She lives close to the horses she loves and continues her volunteer work, which remains an important part of her routine and wellbeing.

“I feel ready, and I know it’s time to move on.”

When asked what advice she’d give to others starting their journey with Aspire, Kirsty said:

“Use one-to-ones and engage so you can progress.”

We are incredibly proud of Kirsty and everything she has achieved. Her journey has shown true resilience, and we wish her all the very best as she continues building a happy and independent life in the community.