Posted by Simon on 22/9/2009, 9:06 pm

I recently took part in a beginners workshop and I just wanted to thank Andrew, Mert, all involved in the running/putting together of the workshop and organisation. Also thanks to the other attendees. It was great to meet other people with similar stories to mine. Great to see how normal and cool everyone was. I realise now how negative my thought patterns and behaviour and attitude have been, and since the course I am smiling a lot more and all in all a very positive person nowadays..... or at least the few days since I got back home. I thought the place would be full of paranoid schizophrenic weirdos, but everyone there was a regular joe, with varied hobbies and active social lifes.... I realise now I also am a regular joe with varied hobbies and an active social life (playing guitar in a live band, boxing, jujitsu, travelling, work, socialising and eating out). In the session we had teachers, rugby players, bikers, to name a few. Andrew is a great mentor and very supportive and empathetic without being pushy. Shortly before attending the course I decided to tell my girlfriend about my AP, something I thought would be a huge deal. It took me 2 days to work out what to say and build up the guts to tell her, but once I started telling her it was easy.... it was just thinking about telling her was scary. If you are reading this as an AP sufferer and are thinking about attending a course, I definitely recommend that you do. Its too early to say if I am completely cured, as there are a lot of situations I need to work my way through. But already I feel a lot more comfortable in my own skin, I am pissing in places and situations I would have before been scared to even attempt a pee in. The only worries I ever had on the course was 1) booking it, and 2) walking out my house and getting in my car. Honestly, as an AP sufferer it is probably the best thing you could do with your life!

880