About Me
My name is Anna, and my approach to mentoring is shaped by both professional training and real life experience.
I hold a degree in Psychology and have completed further academic study, alongside years of working closely with and employing teenagers in real-world environments. I am DBS checked and work with clear safeguarding boundaries at all times.
But just as importantly, I understand what it feels like to be a teenager who is struggling.
At school, I was bullied and deeply insecure. I struggled with my self-image — my skin, my weight, my body, fitting in. I came from a complicated family background, with an estranged father and a difficult home environment, and I carried a lot of anxiety. At one point, I couldn’t even order food in a restaurant.
I didn’t feel confident, capable, or “naturally resilient”. I felt overwhelmed and unsure of myself.
What slowly changed things wasn’t a single moment — it was guidance, perspective, and gently pushing myself beyond what felt comfortable.
I began reading books that helped me think differently. I forced myself to go to university, moving to the other side of the country to Newcastle — completely out of my comfort zone. I hated my first year. But it became the beginning of who I am today, as I realised that the world isn’t as frightening as it feels, and that people respond positively when you allow yourself to be real.
I took a job working in a pub — something I still credit hugely for building my confidence, communication skills, and resilience. From there, I went on to complete a Master’s degree in London, before travelling solo for six months through Thailand, Canada, and Costa Rica.
During that time, I:
worked in animal sanctuaries in the jungle
skied in Canada
snorkelled in Thailand
learned independence, courage, and self-trust
I later trained as a yacht stewardess, landing a role as the sole stewardess on a yacht in the South of France, travelling across Greece. I worked for a Parisian family who then offered me a position in Paris, where I lived and worked for six months and learned French.
Today, I run a family business and have since set up two businesses of my own (in which I employ many teenage girls)
If you had told my 15-year-old self that I would do all of this by the age of 25, I would have laughed.
That’s why I believe so strongly in this work.
Teenagers don’t need to be “fixed”. They need confidence, guidance, reassurance, and someone steady beside them — someone who can say honestly:
“This feeling will pass.
You’re not behind.
And life can be amazing if you give yourself the chance to step into it.”
This mentoring is about helping young people believe in themselves before the world tries to tell them who they should be.