This is a story of a woman's twenty-year battle with an eating disorder, and I even have her Mom join me on the show, as mental illness also impacts all who are close to the individual.

Bring your tears, and then tears of joy.

Riding a horse is where Laura Hearn found her peace and happiness from a world that denied her both. Bullied at school, alone more than with friends, and devasted by her parent's divorce. Laura desperately sought her Fathers' attention that waned after he remarried. What began as a single episode of throwing up bad food at an all-you-can-eat buffet spiralled into a twenty-year eating order that almost consumed Laura's life. Laura did everything she could to hide her illness, first with her University friends and then when building a successful career at the BBC. One day Laura found she was too weak to pull herself up on her horse. She had tried counselling before, but none had worked. This story is played too often within real lives, but this one has a happy ending made possible by her Mom selling all she had to send Laura to meet with and be with Carolyn Costin, who does remarkable work that helped Laura reclaim her life. Laura's Mom, Lynda, joins us on the show to give us a parents' perspective of all that happens when a child spirals into darkness. To do whatever a Parent can to bring light, but knowing from then on you will live with the fear that light might again become dark. Please share with all who are struggling with their mental health and all the friends and family impacted by their struggles and pain.

If you know a youth struggling with mental health, this is a link including the application process for RBC's Youth Mental Well Being Project: https://www.rbc.com/community-social-impact/apply-for-funding/youth-mental-wellbeing-guidelines.html

It offers so much.

To reach Laura Hearn:

Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hearn82/ Instagram account: laura_hearn_ Twitter - https://twitter.com/MilfordRoany To book Laura to speak: https://www.speakerscorner.co.uk/ https://www.speakerscollective.org/ Where Laura was treated: https://www.carolyn-costin.com/interns-and-coaches Tony Chapman

To chat with Tony Chapman.

Web: https://chatterthatmatters.ca

Twitter – @TonyChapman

https://twitter.com/tonychapman

Linkedin – https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonychapmanreactions/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/chatterthatmatters/

Youtube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcGvzmw9MFkUcGylrFA2xCQ

To chat with RBC

RBC - https://www.rbc.com

RBC - Youth Mental Health

https://www.rbc.com/community-social-impact/apply-for-funding/youth-mental-wellbeing-guidelines.html

RBC Future Launch - https://www.rbc.com/dms/enterprise/futurelaunch/index.html

RBC Future Launch - Up Skill - https://www.rbc.com/dms/enterprise/futurelaunch/rbc-upskill.html