Message from our Lived Experience Consumer
Meet Ruth, one of our Lived Experience Consumers
Fri, Mar 28
Introducing Ruth, Lived Experience worker
Hello, and welcome to the first issue of the Spectrum Newsletter! I’m Ruth, and I’m excited to be part of this community. I live with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and dissociative identity disorder (DID)—diagnoses I didn’t receive until my early 30s, after years of struggling with complex trauma and misdiagnoses starting at 17.
Healing has been a long journey. It wasn’t until I began dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) that I made real progress, learning to manage intense emotions and rebuild my life. Alongside my mental health recovery, I earned my teaching degree over ten years while balancing my personal challenges. I worked as a classroom and art teacher before deciding to leave teaching and pursue other paths.
Through all my experiences, I’ve learned that healing isn’t linear—it’s difficult, but possible. In June 2024, I joined Spectrum as a Lived Experience Worker, where I support others navigating the challenges of personality disorders and complex trauma.
Next edition, we will shine a spotlight on Bronwen, another Lived Experience Consumer at Spectrum doing amazing work.