My story

I am Farzana, a health and social care professional involved in research. A positive psychology and neuroscience-informed therapeutic coach, trainer and consultant. I am also a mother of three and a visionary, always seeking to facilitate change that impacts lives. I prefer to spend most of my time being inspired through learning, reflecting, and being around people. Over the years, my greatest strength has been my ability to truly connect with and understand individuals, a skill honed through many years of professional practice and by being present alongside people’s most difficult moments.

My Journey: Overcoming Challenges and Finding Purpose

Growing up, curiosity always drove me to raise my hand in class, eager to ask questions. Unfortunately, this inquisitiveness sometimes landed me in trouble. I struggled to grasp new concepts and basic skills like reading, English, and maths. My passion for science never faded, but my academic struggles made school a painful environment. I was often sent to stand outside the head teacher’s office, enduring the stares and whispers of passing classmates. The bullying fuelled by rumours continued into secondary school, wearing down my confidence and mental health.

Despite my educational struggles, I trained in vocational studies, earning international diplomas in beauty therapy, anatomy, physiology, and massage. By 19, I had started my first business while also working in the NHS and social services as a nursing assistant in a multidisciplinary team. It was there I realised I wasn’t just delivering therapeutic interventions; I was creating a safe space for people to express their pain and frustrations. This sparked a deeper sense of purpose in me: to help people on a broader scale.

Discovering My True Path

When my first child was born, I had space for reflection, trying to understand my worth. I took the bold step of enrolling in an intense, full-year-round, three-year degree programme with only a few weeks of holiday each year. Caring for a baby while believing I was “not intellectually blessed” was daunting, but a voice inside told me to at least try.

During my studies, I was diagnosed with dyslexia, something I knew nothing about. This was life-changing. There was nothing “wrong” with me; I simply had a different way of learning. I discovered that not fitting the “norm” came with unique gifts. I graduated with a BSc and dual professional qualifications in social work and learning disability nursing (RNLD), with my three-year-old proudly holding my graduation scroll. That moment marked a turning point.

Building Skills, Experience, and Impact

My career has spanned local authority and private social work, health and wellbeing assessments, and supporting people with learning disabilities, dual diagnoses, neurodiverse needs and mental health conditions. I have worked in palliative care, hospital discharge, continuing healthcare, safeguarding children and adults, and child protection. I work with individuals and families through marriage, divorce, separation, relationship challenges, domestic abuse, emotional recovery and more.

Alongside therapeutic support, I train, educate, and consult for organisations from community services and residential care to refugee hotels and local authority teams. My consultancy has reached internationally, with projects in Dubai and Tanzania, where I have designed wellbeing services, trained teams, and supported organisations in delivering integrated person-centred services.

Creating Change: Then and Now
Motivated by the lack of integrated services in traditional health and social care, I founded Inspirational Minds, a holistic service supporting those often overlooked by conventional systems. I went on to launch Friends Alike, a support group for parents of children with disabilities, and created smaller networks for a range of needs, from mental health to domestic abuse.

In 2022, following the passing of my father, I established Farzana Inspires Wellbeing under SSA Services Ltd, offering coaching, consultancy, project management, and training. Within months, I was contracted by local councils, refugee hotels, and charities in the UK and abroad, including a major project in Dubai to build a wellbeing support team.

From 2017 to 2020, I also served as a trustee and EC member of the KSIMC of London, contributing to community leadership and governance. In 2024, I completed my MSc and began collaborating with universities on academic research.

Today, my work focuses on helping people, professionals, and organisations achieve deep, lasting change. whether through organisational development, empowering teams, or guiding personal growth. Every chapter of my journey has reinforced one truth: when you combine intention with perseverance, transformation is inevitable.