As Helen Almond grew up she found life wasn't easy. Living with dyslexia in a tough area of Liverpool she found herself struggling.
Toxic relationships and addiction saw the 47-year-old hit rock bottom. She eventually hit so low she had a breakdown, reports NorthWalesLive.
But as she found herself in the pits of dispair she found a lifeline in the form of a Latvian monk cousin. His advice saw her finally being able to rebuild her life.
Helen told how she had enjoyed a successful career in retail. But it was when she was hit by a series of incidents, toxic relationships, addiction and an eventual breakdown which left her life in tatters.
But as she hit her lowest ebb Helen, now living in Prestatyn, visited her cousin, a Latvian monk, and began to rebuild her life, seeking advice and finding mindfulness. And now she is hoping to do the same for others as she launches her own business to pass on the healing he helped her achieve.
She has used her own experiences as the inspiration for a new business that will launch in Rhyl next week. Becoming the Great specialises in holistic therapies and breakthrough coaching, while also selling crystals and self-care items.
Helen has trained and become a practitioner in NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming), Reiki, CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), and EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) Tapping and EFT Matrix. She plans to help veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, is working alongside local community organisations and charities and wants to heal those in need of support due to panic attacks, anxiety, depression, and negative beliefs, as well as hosting workshops and one-to-one sessions.
“I grew up in a tough area, I am dyslexic, so school was very hard for me, and my life just started to spiral from that point onwards,” said Helen, who lives with partner, Wez. “I was lost for a long time and living alone, I became as low as you can possibly go but hid myself away so nobody truly knew how bad things were.
"A turning point was when I visited my cousin, who is a Latvian monk, and he immediately identified a problem, he told me I was going to be a healer, but how could I possibly help others when I felt that way about myself?” She added: “Slowly I turned a corner, I read books on holistic therapies and educated myself throughout the pandemic, gaining strength to the point I was qualified to help others on their journey back to health and happiness.”
With a grant from the Welsh Government and Business Wales-led Town Centre Entrepreneurship Fund, Helen secured her new premises, which includes a treatment room and counselling space. And she chose the seaside town for a very specific reason.
“I could have gone anywhere, but Rhyl resonated with me, it’s a place which has so much to give but has faced its challenges and has a resilience,” she said. “I want people to reach higher, to know they have no limits and that there is always hope.
Lowri Roberts, Business Adviser at Business Wales, said: “Supporting Helen was a pleasure and as a student of innovation I was able to quickly identify her goals for changing the management of well-being through alternative therapy. I am fascinated by the science of bio resonance, which Helen is installing in her practice and will enjoy watching her business go from strength as she leads the change in self-care in North Wales and beyond.”
Supported by Business Wales and Costigan’s, Becoming the Great formally launches with events on Wednesday October 12 from 12pm-4pm, and Thursday October 13 from 4pm-8pm with presentations and guest speakers.
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