Why You Don’t Have to Hit Rock Bottom to Start Healing

Nancy Williams-Foley • 15 April 2025

There’s a common belief - quiet but persistent - that you have to be completely overwhelmed, exhausted, or at breaking point before you’re “allowed” to seek help.

That you need to hit rock bottom to justify therapy. Or that holistic treatments like acupuncture or EFT are only for when you’ve tried everything else.


But the truth is:


You don’t have to be in crisis to deserve support.


You don’t have to wait until everything feels unmanageable.


And you’re allowed to start healing just because things feel a bit off.


“It’s not that bad, so I should just get on with it...”


How often have you told yourself something like this?


We learn to downplay our discomfort. To keep going, even when we’re running on empty. To cope in silence, because what we’re feeling isn’t “bad enough.”


But healing doesn’t have to be reserved for the moments we’re barely holding it together.


In fact, starting the process before things unravel is one of the kindest things you can do for yourself.


What does “early” support look like?

Sometimes it’s noticing you’re more irritable than usual.


Or realising that sleep isn’t as restful, even though you’re tired.


It might be a persistent tension in your shoulders, a growing sense of detachment, or a quiet “off” feeling you can’t quite name.


These are invitations to pause—not signs that you’re failing.


Support isn’t only for breakdowns. It’s also for gentle course-correction. For exploring what’s happening beneath the surface, and giving yourself space to breathe again.


Therapies that support you before the overwhelm


At George Street Wellness Clinic, I work with clients across a wide range of experiences—from those navigating intense life transitions to those simply feeling disconnected, depleted, or “not quite themselves.”


Whether you come in for:

  • Acupuncture to ease nervous tension, sleep issues, or hormonal shifts
  • Counselling to explore emotions and patterns gently, before they build
  • EFT (Tapping) to release stress and self-doubt before it takes hold


These therapies don’t require a diagnosis or crisis. They’re here for maintenance, prevention, and restoration—to help you return to a steadier rhythm before the crash.


You’re allowed to start now


You don’t need to prove that you’re struggling.


 You don’t need to reach breaking point.


 You don’t need to explain why you want to feel better.


You’re allowed to care for yourself now—because how you feel matters, even if no one else can see it.


A gentle reminder:

You don’t have to be in pieces to seek support.


 You just have to be ready to listen to yourself and take the first step.


If that’s where you are, I’m here.


 With space to explore, tools to guide you, and care that meets you exactly where you are.


📍 In-person sessions available in Edinburgh

 💻 Online therapy available too


Click here to book an appointment.


by Nancy Williams-Foley 12 December 2025
There's a moment I see often in therapy sessions - a quiet pause, a long exhale, and then a sentence spoken with frustration, sadness, or confusion:
Sunset over the ocean.
by Nancy Williams-Foley 9 December 2025
Some grief has no clear event but still lives in the body. Explore why quiet, unspoken grief feels so heavy and how therapy can support gentle emotional healing.
Man in a shirt leaning against a wall taking glasses off
by Nancy Williams-Foley 6 December 2025
Feeling tired but unable to switch off? Learn why high-functioning burnout leaves you wired at night
by Nancy Williams-Foley 3 December 2025
There’s a particular kind of exhaustion that doesn’t arrive suddenly.
by Nancy Williams-Foley 25 November 2025
Some days you wake up feeling steady, grounded, and able to meet life as it is.
by Nancy Williams-Foley 18 November 2025
You can have a steady mind and a tense body at the same time - and it doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong. It simply means your nervous system is operating on a different timeline than your thoughts.
women reaching hands up into the sunset looking free
by Nancy Williams-Foley 11 November 2025
Healing takes time. Discover why progress can fluctuate and how acupuncture and therapy help the body and mind find lasting balance and resilience.
by Nancy Williams-Foley 8 November 2025
A few weeks ago, a new client came to see me after three long weeks of neck and arm pain.
person laying down having acupuncture
by Nancy Williams-Foley 28 October 2025
Discover how acupuncture can ease bloating, IBS, and stress-related gut issues by supporting the gut-brain connection and restoring digestive balance naturally.
women in bed in the dark face under covers unable to sleep
by Nancy Williams-Foley 21 October 2025
Find out why anxiety often feels stronger at night and how to calm racing thoughts. Learn gentle ways to support better sleep and ease the nervous system naturally.
Calm sea with clouds in the sky and  sunlight beaming down in rays through the clouds
by Nancy Williams-Foley 17 October 2025
Anxiety doesn’t just live in your mind - it lives in your body. Learn why thinking harder doesn’t help and how acupuncture, reflexology and EFT can calm the nervous system.
by Nancy Williams-Foley 15 October 2025
Not everyone with anxiety feels anxious.
More posts