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.


woman sitting on brown sofa looking at laptop
by Nancy Williams-Foley 26 January 2026
Online therapy offers a flexible, supportive way to access counselling in a familiar space. Learn how it works and who it may be right for.
Woman at desk looking at laptop
by Nancy Williams-Foley 23 January 2026
Modern life can overwhelm sensitive nervous systems. Explore how constant stimulation shapes stress and how therapy can support regulation and ease.
therapy session
by Nancy Williams-Foley 19 January 2026
Not sure what you’d talk about in therapy? Explore what starting therapy is really like and why you don’t need the right words to begin.
woman at a table grieving
by Nancy Williams-Foley 15 January 2026
Grief doesn’t always appear straight away. Learn why emotions can surface long after loss and how therapy can support gentle emotional processing.
by Nancy Williams-Foley 12 January 2026
Many people notice that at certain points in their lives, or even at certain times of the month, their emotions feel closer to the surface.
Woman sitting at a desk in front of laptop head in hands
by Nancy Williams-Foley 9 January 2026
Feeling overwhelmed by small things when you’re already stretched thin? Explore how emotional load affects the nervous system and how therapy can help.
woman sitting at desk with laptop head is in her hands
by Nancy Williams-Foley 6 January 2026
Feeling constantly on edge, struggling with sleep or mood? Learn how a busy nervous system shapes anxiety and how gentle support can help it settle.
woman holding a pill and a glass of water
by Nancy Williams-Foley 2 January 2026
Living with ongoing pain but no clear diagnosis? Explore how emotional strain and the nervous system can influence chronic discomfort, and how gentle support can help.
woman next to a hedge with purple flowers lifting head towards the sun with eyes closed
by Nancy Williams-Foley 28 December 2025
Feeling anxious even when life is calm? Learn why the body holds onto stress and how therapy can help your nervous system feel safe again.
by Nancy Williams-Foley 22 December 2025
There’s a particular kind of pain that comes up in relationships when the love is still there… but the ease is gone.
by Nancy Williams-Foley 18 December 2025
There’s a moment I often notice during reflexology sessions.
Man with eyes closed tapping his forehead
by Nancy Williams-Foley 16 December 2025
Struggling to put feelings into words? Learn how EFT supports emotional release when talking alone doesn’t help, calming the nervous system gently.
More posts