Real life
Three women share the knowledge imparted to them by their mothers
‘Mum taught me to recognise my feelings’
Anita Guru, 42, is a coach and motivational speaker, and founder of The Mind Coach. She lives in Surrey with her husband Pavan, also 42.
‘Don’t keep things bottled up,’ my mum, Savinder, always used to say. ‘It’s not healthy for you.’
Growing up, my siblings and I were always guided by Mum to talk about our feelings and seek therapy when needed. She was very perceptive and good at picking up if there were changes in us.
My dad died when I was 11 years old. There were a lot of emotions to process, but Mum always encouraged us to talk and be open, and to get professional help if we needed. She had a foresight quite early on about the importance of mental health, at a time when people still didn’t discuss it much.
After sitting my GCSEs at 16, the grief of losing Dad really hit me. I went through a terrible patch of depression, which lasted a few years. Mum completed a counselling course a few years later, and was always there to talk to, listen and comfort me.
In my first year at university, I took her advice on board and began having therapy. It was good to examine how I was feeling. I’ve now been having therapy on and off for 24 years.
Six years ago, I had a real breakdown, or maybe it was a breakthrough. I had extensive therapy, including inpatient treatment at a psychiatric hospital. I went through long-term recovery, which is when I realised my purpose in life. Now I’m on the path to becoming a therapist myself, after starting a course in September 2023.
I’ve always had an interest in people and the mind; I have a degree and a masters in Psychology. People have been telling me for years that I should be a therapist, and the thought has always been there. I want to use my experiences to help others, and I’ve been doing so through coaching, motivational speaking and workshops, supporting mental health in the workplace.
Although Mum passed away in 2010 at the age of 51, I know she would be proud of me for following her advice and this path.
‘In adulthood, I’ve learnt the importance of Mum’s wise words’
Sara Keel, 53, is the founder of Babycup Sippeco weaning cups.
She lives in Surrey with her husband Julian, 54, and their daughters Lauren, 17, Plum, 15, and Otty, 13.
My mother, Margaret, 76, has imparted plenty of advice to my sister Jessica, 45, and me over the years. And there are two phrases – ‘ever flexible’ and ‘jam tomorrow’ – which I hold dear and think of often.
When I was growing up, my dad, Duncan, now 71, a professional photographer, had
