“I had suffered from insomnia for nearly five years, I could only manage seven to eight hours sleep every two or three nights, the rest of the time I’d manage around three hours sleep. I felt like a walking zombie and I was always terrified I’d get ‘found out’ at work because some days I would find myself staring blankly at my screen unable to make sense of anything at all.

I had a number of GP appointments but no-one was able to get to the bottom of it. I was also given generic advice about sleep hygiene e.g. caffeine intake, exercise, use of mobile phones in the evening etc, but nothing worked long term. I was referred to an online anxiety programme but it didn’t resonate, the advice was generic and nothing I hadn’t tried before.

I went to Shaheen Jaffary initially for reflexology. After that first treatment it was the first time I slept for seven days in a row! My treatment was just before the second lockdown, so it was six months before I was able to go back again. I had a few more sessions of reflexology and each time Shaheen gently suggested that she had a mind and body coaching course that could help me. She told me all about the SIRPA programme and sent me some information to read in my own time so I could think about it and see how it could work for me. I trusted her because she genuinely seemed to care and want the best for me every time I had a reflexology appointment.

I therefore completed a course of five sessions of her mind and body coaching course, where I learned mind and body strategies to empower me to get rid of the tension my body had been holding on to following a sequence of stressful events that had triggered the initial insomnia. The course helped me let all of that go and take back the power of my own emotions. I learned how to deal with everyday stresses during the day, instead of overthinking them at night.

Shaheen taught me about the role of fear in perpetuating the insomnia because I had never made the connection. Once I understood that I could counter it through strategies, including the use of affirmations, I was amazed at how quickly I saw positive change. I was amazed at how simple it all was to put into practise with Shaheen’s support and it made a huge difference to the way I viewed insomnia.

We broke the steps down bit by bit so it was easy to implement the advice and strategies, one session at a time. I was able to see the progress and manage self-induced pressures by making small positive changes to my life. By working directly with Shaheen on a one to one basis, she made me realise how journaling, meditation, affirmations and many other techniques worked for me and my specific circumstances.

By the third session I was sleeping much better, and by the end of the programme I was able to sleep almost every night!

I notice the difference – if I miss a day or two of journaling, meditating or reflecting on the day in a positive way then night waking and overthinking creeps back in.

I am so glad I found Shaheen and I would recommend her insomnia programme to anyone suffering as I was, I have taken back control of my life and I feel able to cope with the stresses of daily life once again.”

Helen struggled with severe insomnia for nearly five years despite medical advice and anxiety programmes, leaving her exhausted, fearful and unable to function well at work. Through Shaheen’s mind–body coaching and the SIRPA approach she learned practical strategies to release long‑held stress, overcome the fear driving her insomnia, and now sleeps well and feels back in control of her life.

Join people who have found relief through the SIRPA approach to chronic pain.