Bereavement, lockdown and the APC: how LionHeart helped me

My name is Jess Moore. I'm 28 years old and work as a senior surveyor at the Valuation Office in Sheffield, where I specialise in healthcare property valuations.

While I am proud to have qualified as a chartered surveyor, it’s fair to say my APC journey was far from straightforward.

Just one week after starting my first graduate role with Sheffield City Council, my dad passed away unexpectedly. Overnight, I found myself trying to navigate the realities of grief whilst also adjusting to my first professional role and beginning the APC process at the same time.

Looking back, it was an incredibly overwhelming time.

After taking some time away from work, I returned full-time in January 2020 and was determined to move forward with my career.

But life threw another spanner in the works when, only two and a half months later, the whole country was put into lockdown due to the Covid 19 pandemic.

Like many APC candidates at the time, I suddenly found myself working remotely. Trying to gain the experience and competencies needed for qualification whilst dealing with the isolation of lockdown and processing my grief was just exhausting. There were times when it felt as though I was carrying a weight that nobody else could see.

Despite the challenges, I persevered and eventually submitted my APC. It was around this time that I first heard about LionHeart.

A friend recommended that I attend one of LionHeart's webinars on managing stress during the APC process. The session was incredibly insightful, but what stayed with me most was a short video shown at the end. In it, a young woman spoke about the counselling support she had received through LionHeart and the positive impact it had on her life.

Something immediately clicked.

For the first time, I realised there was support available that could help me. I contacted LionHeart and spoke with Tracy, one of the support officers. Within two weeks, I had begun my counselling sessions.

The only way I can describe the counselling I received from LionHeart is life-changing.

The support gave me a safe and confidential space to talk openly about my feelings, worries and experiences. It helped me process emotions that I had carried for a long time and provided me with tools to better manage my mental wellbeing.

Through counselling, I was able to:

• Rebuild my self-esteem
• Improve my confidence
• Talk openly about my feelings in a safe, supportive environment
• Better understand and manage my worries and anxieties
• Develop a more positive outlook on both my personal and professional life

The impact was profound. LionHeart's support helped me in ways that I hadn't thought possible, and I will always be grateful for the encouragement and guidance I received.

My only regret is that I didn't know about LionHeart sooner.

That experience is the reason I wanted to become a LionHeart ambassador. I want to help raise awareness of the incredible services they provide and ensure that others know where to turn when they need support.

Most importantly, I want people to understand that asking for help is not a sign of weakness. Sometimes, reaching out can be the most important step you take.

By sharing my story, I hope I can show others that support is available and that it really can change lives. LionHeart changed mine, and I am proud to help spread the word about the work they do every day.

If my experience encourages just one person to seek support when they need it, then sharing my story will have been worthwhile.

LionHeart ambassador Jess Moore lives near Doncaster and works as a Senior Surveyor in the District Valuer Services team at the Valuation Office in Sheffield, specialising in healthcare property valuations. She is pictured above with her dad, Rob, at her graduation ceremony - the last picture they had taken together before his sudden death in an accident.

Find out more

• LionHeart counselling
• Support following a bereavement
• Watch the video that Jess refers to featuring another of the LionHeart ambassadors, Jordanne Dunn, below.  You can also watch a fuller version of Jordanne's story here.