RUNNING my own psychotherapy business has given me the choices and opportunities I wanted for myself.

I opened my first consulting room in Kennford four months ago and I have just recently launched the Mid Devon Therapeutic Centre in Tiverton with a colleague. I split my week between both practices to work with individual clients and run therapy groups.

I have discovered that the unforeseen conflicts and problems of running my own business are giving me a fresh perspective of myself and what my work means to me.

I started training as a transactional analysis psychotherapist five years ago at Exeter's Iron Mill Institute. After completing my initial training I was delighted to be accepted to the prestigious Metanoia Institute in London to continue my clinical training.

I am using skills I had forgotten I had learnt, over the last 20 years as a charity development and project manager, to get to grips with running my own business.

Being a psychotherapist doesn't make me immune to the stresses of change. But I am very good at noticing if I'm feeling overwhelmed and am constantly re-evaluating what is happening to make sure I don't do too much in one day.

The nature of the work means I have to make sure I take very good care of myself and this is part of the challenge when there is so much to do.

Often people come to work with me when they are feeling at their most vulnerable and I am repeatedly inspired by their courage to learn about themselves in such an in-depth and honest way. It is part of my job to work with them to re-evaluate their own lives and how this affects them and their relationships with others.

My advice to any woman setting up her own business would be to find the time and resources you need to take good care of yourself while you are working.

Women can be very adept at looking after others, but it's really important to take good care of you too.