Motivator seeks out 110 depressed souls
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A LIFE COACH is on a quest to work with a big crowd of people to turn each and every person’s life around in the space of just 10 weeks.
Thomas Imrie of Conscious Solutions is looking for 110 candidates of all ages to sign up to his challenge and pay £2.50 a session for costs.
The 47-year-old father-of-three who turned his back on organised crime “to empower others through difficult times” believes he has the life-experience needed to help people escape from depression and despair.
He said: “My background in crime and in prison has well-equipped me for the issues that I’m going to be dealing with in helping people overcome depression.
“I know what it’s like to be in a dark place and feel powerless but to overcome it.
“I think it’s really important for people to realise that everyone can change and come out of the dark just like I did."
The former construction manager moved to Tomatin from the central belt two years ago with his wife and their daughters who are aged 15, nine and seven.
He has been working as a life coach since 2012 – a far cry from his younger years when he was caught up in organised crime.
He said the downward spiral started early in childhood.
He said: “I was the oldest of four children. My father left home when I was seven leaving my mother to bring up four kids in the seventies – not an easy task for two parents, never mind one.
“My mother did her very best under the circumstances but I grew up feeling marginalised, angry and insignificant.
“By the time I was 17 I was in and out of young offenders institutions and I was a convict just after my 21st birthday having completed a three-month sentence for theft.
“That was me recruited into organised crime for the next 10 years and getting out isn’t as easy as I thought it would be.
“But my inspiration to do something else was the birth of my first daughter. I wanted to become a positive role model.”
He got into life coaching after that, learning all he could on through online courses.
He added: “I’m still learning but I realise there are no victims or accidents. There is not good and bad experience – just simply experience.
“We are here to collaborate and to co-operate with one another. We are here to help, not to hinder.
“This is what I always say to my clients.”
He believes “depression affects everyone” but for some individuals it is nothing more than a momentary lapse in focus.
“Successful people are aware of the negative but they choose to exercise the positive through being mindful and exercising emotional intelligence – but this takes practice,” he said.
“However, evidence shows it takes between 20 and 28 days to create a positive or a negative habit, so after 10 weeks candidates will have a strong emotional and mentally-resilient foundation on which to build a better future.”
The short programme will be delivered by splitting the group of 110 into smaller workshop groups.
The smaller groups will work through Mr Imrie’s “holistic prescription”, a combination of exercise, connecting with others through laughter, and thinking creatively.
Mr Imrie said the minimum donation of £2.50 per person per week would cover costs.
He added: “Any money left over will be pumped into creating another programme. I want to double my numbers next time.”
He said his course would suit those affected by depression through all means including bereavement, divorce, betrayal, relationship problems, bullying, abuse, debt or unemployment.
Ring 01808 511 277, email wpf@conscioussolutions.co.uk or visit www.conscioussolutions.co.uk for details.
