When Rebekah Ballagh speaks (or writes) people listen. The Richmond counsellor has an Instagram following of over 350,000 people, national television appearances and now a second book to her name. Amy Russ finds out that it's easy to see why her advice on wellness strikes such a cord with so many.
Inspiringly honest, compassionate, caring, supportive and a breath of fresh air, Nelson-based counsellor Rebekah Ballagh speaks from the heart and the best-selling author and illustrator has some sage advice for us all. With a deep personal understanding of the importance of mental health and well-being, this extraordinary woman is winning over hearts across the world with her approachable style and creativity.
Starting from the beginning, Rebekah, a qualified counsellor, self-development coach, trainer, public speaker and the creator of the popular Instagram community @journey_to_wellness, says the “beautiful, accidental opportunity” of writing her first book stemmed from an idea to start an Instagram account as a resource for her clients. Working as a high school counsellor at the time, she understood that busy and hectic teenage minds were struggling to retain the tools and resources she had supplied them with. “I realised I needed to connect with them through a medium that they used. I started drawing and creating Instagram posts that I hoped would capture therapeutic tools and concepts in a simple, bite-sized and visual way.”
What began as a resource base for her clients quickly snowballed into a platform with hundreds and thousands of followers. “People seemed to connect and resonate with my digestible and approachable style and the visual element, there's something very unthreatening about a cartoon!”
Fast forward a year and an email from Australian book publishers Allen and Unwin catapulted Rebekah's vision to new heights. The process of compiling her first book, ‘Note to Self – The secrets of calm’ in 2020, she describes as an absolute whirlwind experience. On the back of this success, ‘Note to Self – The Journal’ was published in 2021, ‘Words of Comfort – How to find hope’ in February of this year and, more recently, her children's book ‘Big Feelings and What They Tell Us’. “Each process is different than the last, it's certainly a juggle but writing and illustrating is an absolute passion for me. I get lost in the creative process and it's never a chore.”
Being able to work in the way that she does, Rebekah says, is a privilege. “Getting to connect with customers and clients through the online courses or coaching that I run is something that fuels my passion because I'm getting to hear that people are enjoying my work and that it is making a difference in their lives. That's really the passion behind all of this, I want to make mental health tools, resources and information accessible, digestible, approachable and a little bit fun.”
Opening up about her early years, Rebekah says she went through a lot, but looking back on how far she has come she says those experiences have led her to where she is today. “I was insecure, and I experienced a lot of self-doubt and anxiety, and so I feel so passionate about not only continuing to step into my own growth but to support people along in their own journey to do the same. If I had the tools I know now, things could have been very different back then. And while I wouldn’t change anything, I am excited and passionate about the fact I can teach others. I'm somebody who has been through my own journey with anxiety, depression, and panic attacks - I’m human - and if I can use my training and personal experience to help others to navigate these things, then I'm a happy woman!”
The launch of Rebekah's first book saw her make an appearance on The Project, one career highlight which she thinks of fondly. Appearing on live tv shows, radio interviews, talking at keynote speeches and hosting training seminars with hundreds of people, used to be a world away from Rebekah's comfort zones, but that is exactly what she does now – and does well – proving that with the right tools, anything can be achieved. “A few years before that TV appearance I began having panic attacks. I was already working in counselling when they started, and I knew exactly what they were and what was happening. At the time I felt like a failure, and it fuelled my imposter syndrome. I would think ‘who am I to guide people with anxiety or do this work when I'm having these panic attacks myself?’ I mustered up all the compassion that I could find to get myself through and remind myself that while I was a counsellor, I'm also human. I gathered up all the tools and information that I knew from my extensive post-grad training in anxiety and mental health and set out on a mission to overcome my panic attacks and master my anxiety. I look back at my journey now and feel really proud of how far I have come. Going on live TV was something that I would never ever have been able to do at the beginning of my journey and it feels like a testimony, not only to putting in the work, but also to knowing how powerful and useful the tools and resources I have to teach people can be.”
Recently taking some time out with her family, Rebekah, husband Hamish, and their daughter Mikah took five months off to travel the South Island in a renovated 1971 Ford bus, an experience she says will stay with her for eternity. “Our trip was amazing! We did a full tour of the South Island and came home in May. The experience of travelling and living in a bus was certainly a once in a lifetime and an incredible opportunity.” Continuing to write and illustrate, the future looks bright for Rebekah with the launch of her new children's book, conferences, webinars, courses and workshops - along with a few more exciting ideas in the pipeline - Rebekah’s talent for making complex concepts easy to understand is resonating with people across the board. “I love to make these topics feel really approachable and it's important for me to be authentic, real and honest, and to hopefully help people see that with a little support and the right knowledge and resources they can become the version of themselves that they want to be.”
The stresses of the last two and half years are starting to take their toll on people. To be under this strain for such a long time is not something that is easy for anybody to manage and thrive through, Rebekah says. But topping up our ‘well-being tank’ and coping with life's extra stresses can be as simple as taking pleasure in the little things, practising mindfulness, focusing on your foundations by keeping hydrated, eating well and undertaking gentle exercise. Learning about your nervous system and its ‘threat response states’. Creating daily ‘micro-moments’ of well-being by taking deep breathes or naming things you are grateful for, or savouring a cup of tea. And focusing on what is within your control to take back some power and leave behind some of the feelings of helplessness.
“One of the key things that I believe can change your life is to grant yourself compassion. Grant yourself the compassion that you so freely give to your loved ones. If we could all just pause, take a step back, detach a little from our self-judgments and allow ourselves some grace then so much could change. Imagine how differently you might speak to yourself if you weren't dictated to by your inner critic, or distracted by worries, stresses and anxiety. Imagine how differently we might all feel if we learned to sit with our emotions and feelings of discomfort and trust they would pass. I also want to get across that it isn't selfish to invest in yourself and to prioritise yourself and your own well-being and mental health. When you show up for yourself you are better able to show up for others.”
Follow Rebekahs Instagram, @journey_to_wellness, or on Facebook @journeytowellnessnz
