Published on: 22nd December 2025
A Stockport mum has thanked NHS Stockport Talking Therapies for helping her achieve her dreams after experiencing severe anxiety and depression.
Kayleigh Smith, 25, noticed the symptoms as she juggled the pressures of single motherhood with finding a flexible job that would meet her childcare needs.
She spoke to her GP after anxieties about going to public places with her toddler overwhelmed her, and she became very isolated. As a parent of a two-year-old, Kayleigh was fast-tracked to the service.
Kayleigh explained: “I didn’t have any friends with young children I could speak to about struggling to cope. There was no-one to reassure me what I was feeling was totally normal.
“I was so worried about my child having tantrums in public that we barely left the house. I was consumed by the thought of people judging me as a mother and the idea that I’d be annoying others.”
The sessions with psychological wellbeing practitioner Maddison Cowell (pictured right) made an immediate difference, and being able to have them over the phone was a big help for Kayleigh.
She said: “Having phone calls instead of face-to-face appointments made it much easier for me, especially as I could fit them around my child’s nap times. It was great to stay where I was comfortable. Maddison was so helpful from the start."
"She was easy to talk to and as a mother herself, I felt truly heard and understood. She helped me see that no one was judging me and that most people with young children go through the same worries and emotions. It gave me a new perspective and helped me challenge my own negative beliefs.”
Over time, Kayleigh learned coping strategies to help in her day-to-day life.
Maddison explained: “By using cognitive behavioural therapy, Kayleigh and I recognised where her difficulties stemmed from. From there we were able to find ways she could break free. “By making small changes, such as journaling her thoughts at the end of the day, or challenging her beliefs head on, we devised a treatment plan that was tailored to Kayleigh’s life, values, and goals.”
As Kayleigh’s mental health improved, the realities of job hunting continued to take a toll.
She explained: “Getting rejections after interviews was very hard – I would spiral and go to the worst-case scenario of it all being my fault and I simply wasn’t good enough.” Maddison referred Kayleigh to the NHS Stockport Talking Therapies employment team.
They provide dedicated support to people who are receiving (or waiting for) mental health support from the service but are also facing challenges in their job search or employment due to their mental health issues. Kayleigh met with Mona, an employment adviser and talked through the barriers she faced.
She said: “They helped me realise there was nothing wrong with me – sometimes someone else is just better suited to the role. We talked through my skills and what roles would suit my needs. We did practical things like updating my CV and job website profiles. I needed that dedicated person to sit with me as I didn’t have the confidence to do it on my own.”
Encouraged by her progress, Kayleigh decided to pursue her dream of opening a bakery. Since being a child, baking had always been a passion, inspired by fond memories of her grandmother. Having coeliac disease, Kayleigh found a unique angle and now creates gluten-free goods for people to enjoy.
Kayleigh added: “After I was accepted by the landlord, Maddison said something that really stuck with me – if I could make a stranger believe in me, there was no reason why I couldn’t believe in myself. It was a lightbulb moment for me.”
Running a business comes with its own stresses and challenges, but Kayleigh feels able to tackle these using her newfound skills. After their sessions ended, Maddison visited the bakery to see Kayleigh’s achievements.
Kayleigh said: “I was so pleased Maddison took the time to come and see the bakery – it showed how much she genuinely cared, and that means the world to me. I cannot thank her and Mona from the employment service enough.”
Kayleigh’s advice to others is: “You don’t know what help you’re missing out on if you don’t try it. I’ve had help from other services in the past, but nothing has stuck with me the way this has. Remember to engage as much as you can – it’s a joint effort but it’s worth a leap of faith.”
The NHS Stockport Talking Therapies Service, including the employment team, is available for anyone 16+ registered with a GP in Stockport. You can easily and quickly self-refer or ask your GP or another health professional to refer you. Find out more at www.penninecare.nhs.uk/stockporttalk or by 0161 716 5640.