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Reaching fifty led Jo Lenny to a new approach to life and work… JOURNEYS: JOURNEYS: There were moments where I felt like a complete fraud. Journeys BUSINESS Lenny Jo W HEN I turned 50 last March, my aim was to spend more time with people I love and genuinely appreciate life. As a family, we’d had a difficult few years supporting my younger daughter with extreme anxiety.

I was working for a homelessness and mental health charity as their communications coordinator and photographer. There were moments where I felt like a complete fraud. Here I was raising awareness on mental health and I felt I could do nothing to help my own daughter. She was having up to nine panic attacks a day. We discovered that homeschooling through a distance learning programme helped to reduce her anxiety significantly. I left my job and became a freelance photographer and writer to be more flexible and support her. We started to explore alternative therapies; mindfulness, homeopathy and talking therapies with some success. I came to acupuncture, which surrounded me with a sense of familiarity and certainty. Unfortunately, my daughter wouldn’t try it because of her fear of needles, so she continued with talking therapies. I tried acupuncture myself in the hope that she would see the benefits. I was so busy holding everyone together, that I hadn’t paid much attention to my own feelings. To say I was storing my emotions was an understatement.

One day, my acupuncturist asked if I’d ever considered becoming an acupuncturist. I remember thinking, “Please don’t say that! I have just set up my photography business. I can’t possibly switch now.” Although I had explored acupuncture as a career option in my early 20s, I had decided on photography. I squashed the thought deep into my soul and enjoyed regular acupuncture over the next year for painful periods, flooding and poor gut health. My eldest daughter and my husband started going too. It helped us to cope with the stresses we were experiencing at home.

Eventually, I couldn’t ignore the call. It’s taken a while, but I’ve learned not to squash the small voice in my head! Listen to yourself, the answers are inside you. I sent a tentative email to the College of Integrated Chinese Medicine (CICM) in Reading to see if they had places on their excellent degree course. Call it serendipity or the stars aligning, but there were still a few places left and an open day scheduled that weekend. I started this incredible learning journey in October last year. I love it. The standard of tuition is mind blowing and the friends I have made are life changing.

My photography and writing help me pay the bills and I also work in a pub. Juggling all three has its moments, but, at 50, studying acupuncture has opened up a world of opportunity. Once I graduate, I hope to set up my own clinic with a focus on anxiety and supporting women through puberty and menopause and everything in between.

But that isn’t the best bit. My youngest has finally tried acupuncture. At first it brought out all the emotion and was so difficult for her. Now she loves it. She has a great rapport with her acupuncturist and it’s helping her manage her hugely stressful GCSEs. n If you are looking for creative business images you can contact Jo via her website: www.story35.co.uk or email Jo@ story35.co.uk. To find out more about the College of Integrated Chinese Medicine and their open days: www.acupuncturecollege.org.uk/ info/courses/bsc-acupuncture/open-days/ i