Hello, Welcome! And Why?

Hi Everyone!

I'm Laura! Creator and Director of Found North East! Our BRAND NEW organisation in the North

East of England. As part of Found North East I wanted to create spaces, like this one, to share

tips, stories and ideas all about parenting where complex issues can come up. If you've been

following along for this journey you may have seen my why, so I'll do a quick refresh, and if

you're new here let me just do a quick toe dip into it, rather than a deep dive!

There's plenty time for deep dives later!

I'll take you back to around 2019, I was juggling solo parenting, with finishing a masters

degree in psychology and working in settings where sadly, trauma was part of everyday. Unfortunately, around this time, my eldest, a young teenager at the time, was starting to

struggle with his mental health and my youngest was starting to show signs of struggling in

school. Over the years, as I progressed my career and became an assistant psychologist,

my children and I came across more and more complex challenges. I'm a millennial parent who's

faced many, many, challenges in parenting since I was 16. (I mean, which economic crisis are we

into now, 2nd?, 3rd? )

But never before had I felt this broken or beaten down by parenting and what life kept

simultaneously throwing at me. Manging complex challenges in people had become the norm

in my professional life. I've spent years working with trauma survivors, complex needs, self harm

and suicidality; all things head, heart and nervous system. But honestly, no one can prepare you

for the emotional brick to the face and dagger to the heart that cleaning up self harm on your

own child brings. Or trying to regulate an extremely distressed, overwhelmed meltdown in an undiagnosed autistic child. And often in the same day, after working all day.

I remember one particular day where we were in lockdown at the time, and just sliding down on

to my kitchen floor, literally on my knees, head in my hands, as I sobbed- maybe you know the

kind of heart shattering wail that you try to contain- where your shoulders shake and you can

barely breathe, as I then had to just dust myself off, stand up and cook tea, (dinner if you're southern!) "I cant do this anymore, I'm so lost".

Unfortunately days, and nights, like that became more common as we came out of lock down and

issues continued to emerge for us as a family. Both of my children sat on long waiting lists. After

that, I noticed support for parents was lacking or non existent, often sent links for

online support or a digital flyer at best.

I remember thinking, why is this so hard?! And what about other parents?! Surely I'm not the

only one here! I knew I wasn't! I was hearing of others who spoke about it.

I'd spent years learning and applying within my psychology career, and then learning about

myself and how I could positively impact my family. I remember thinking, this could be useful!

After one of our more challenging days, I met my sister for coffee, and after I finished

my vent, she just looked at me and said- "WOW- that's a lot, how are you?" She

stopped me in my tracks. I'd never thought about me in this, I was just trying to survive, and to

be honest, no one else had asked. Broken, I felt broken; as a mother, as a human being.

For the first time as a parent I felt completely lost and alone, with no idea how to move forward.

Something needed to change.

Fast forward to 2025 and I'm happy to report my family is okay! (Sometimes we have a loose

definition of what okay is!)We still have our challenges of course, who doesn't?!

(And no I don't think that will ever change!) But we're all wayyyy better equipped in handling

them.

And here I am about to launch Found North East, and I am EXCITED!

Okay- that was more of an ankle deep splash, than a toe dip, but here we are! That's who I am,

and my why! And if you can relate to those feelings of being lost, alone or broken as a parent,

then this might just be the space for you too.

I personally want to thank you, whether you've been following along from the beginning, or

just joining me now;

Thank you!! :)

It isn't easy setting up a business, or parenting, or believing in yourself in any of it!

But every now and again, I get a good reminder of why I am doing this. And its because I believe

that no parent or child should struggle when it comes to challenges involving mental

and emotional health and wellbeing. And that includes so many of the battles we have to

face and fight for when we just happen to have a neurodiverse brain too!

I've got lots of big plans, and lots to come, I am honoured to have you along for this journey.

Found North East, launching Autumn 2025....

Subscribe to our newsletter to get updates and news straight to your inbox!

...Welcome to the tribe!

Laura x

#foundnortheast #forthelostparent #togetherwearefound #welcometothetribe