TESTIMONIALS & CLIENT STORIES

Gutsy People

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I finished the course with a sense of quiet confidence.

🌠

I finished the course with a sense of quiet confidence. 🌠

Lucy smiling, in a blue beret and scarf

Lucy’s story

Playful, kind and curious – those are the words that sum up my experience of Gutsy.

I signed up because I’ve had social and general anxiety all my life. I find speaking off the cuff incredibly hard, especially at work. And there were a lot of things I was avoiding because of a lack of confidence or a worry of what could go wrong.

I wanted to feel more comfortable with not being in control, living more in the moment and to listen to more than just my fear and inner critic.

How did you feel about signing up?

I was nervous about trying something where I didn’t know what would happen and I worried about having to speak or perform on my own. I’ve done assertiveness training before and found myself in a room with seemingly thriving, confident people which made me feel worse and I feared this might happen again.

But I resonated so much with the personal stories Susannah was sharing, so I decided to give it a try. 

Susannah is a very open, passionate and kind teacher who grew up shy, and knows so much about unlearning certain behaviours and leaning into the confident parts of me that I didn’t know I had.

How was the course?

I finished the course with a sense of quiet confidence.

The process really helped me tune into my inner voice and not get too lost in the anxious loops. I discovered that I can have lots of fun with the unexpected – even though it was the thing I was most worried about at the start!

I remember an exercise where I played a sea monster and it felt like a big shift in myself, because my fun and playful side seemed to overtake the big anxious voice, as I was just having so much fun.

I stopped comparing myself to the other participants too. They inspired me instead.

What’s changed?

The course gave me the confidence to apply for and get a job I wanted. I used many of the techniques to prepare and calm my nerves for my interview and I even ended up enjoying my interview! I’ve always found the job application process terrifying but the Gutsy course helped to give me the self-trust to focus on the best I can do at each stage, and to trust that I know enough. 

I encourage anyone who finds social interactions tough or struggles to find a confident inner voice to sign up for a Gutsy course or workshop. You’ll find people who you’ll relate to deeply and the kindest teacher who will give you all the tools you need to shine and lean into who you are.

Now I express what I want to, rather than keeping it all inside

⚡

Now I express what I want to, rather than keeping it all inside ⚡

Hex’s story

I didn’t know how much I needed this course until I did it!

I wanted to build confidence and I was really hoping to learn some tools to help make social interactions less exhausting, as they can feel when I come to them with a confident ‘mask’. I wanted a way to show up that felt more authentic and therefore less tiring.

How was the course?

The course shed light on the methods I’ve learned to survive in the world as a shy person. There was space to choose from these, and to make the decision to try new ways of showing up in the world.

Doing simple improvisation exercises was completely new to me. The idea of just doing what feels right in the moment, or finding out what I’m going to say or do at the same time as everyone else – this is so crazy to me! And I think doing the drama unlocked some things I had forgotten that I really enjoy from being a child.

It was amazing to learn that many of us share similar experiences and challenges. I realised that I am not as weird or different as I always think! There are many other people who struggle with the same challenges as me.

I just loved the group of people, and the gentle facilitation that allowed for everyone to feel safe and comfortable enough to be soft, share and be vulnerable.

What’s changed?

Since doing the Gutsy course, I really see myself acting differently socially. The other day I went to the house of a friend of a friend who I didn’t know without asking for any kind of brief about them beforehand... and had fun! I even asked the friend to give their friend my number – the kind of thing that would’ve sent me into a tailspin before about whether it’s appropriate.

Creatively there has been a huge impact. I have been working on my poetry and signed up for a poetry workshop and an open mic night. I’ve been prioritising testing out creative practices to express what I want to, rather than keeping it all inside.

The course helped me to come to the realisation that I even needed to do that, and now I am it feels so right! I am starting a course to learn to DJ as well. I have really been allowing myself to think about doing what I want, and not feeling shame that I am too old, or too far down a certain path, or that it has to be my life’s work. It’s okay just to try things and have fun!

The course was gentle, playful and a profound experience. For me it worked deep under the surface on bringing attention to long-held beliefs and limits that were weighing me down. The practices and tasks we did as a group helped me to recognise these, and with others in the group consider alternative ways of being in the world.

Susannah is a knowledgeable, skilled and sensitive facilitator who creates a space where it feels like it’s okay to tackle thorny topics. I am massively grateful and I can’t recommend her highly enough.

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