Ten years ago, I was a Criminology student filling out an application for a bank support worker position at Cygnet Oaks. I had no idea that this single interview would change the entire trajectory of my life, leading me on a path I didn’t even know existed – becoming a Band 5 Occupational Therapist.
I walked into the interview with nothing but hope and a bartending job on my CV. I knew nothing about mental health care. But Cygnet saw something in me that day, something I hadn’t yet seen in myself. They took a chance on me when they didn’t have to, and I carry that gift with me every single day. Without their belief in me, I wouldn’t be writing this story. I wouldn’t be the person I am today.
Three years passed in what felt like both a moment and a lifetime. I graduated, worked across different Cygnet sites, and fell in love with the work without fully understanding why. My university friends convinced me to pursue a Master’s in Forensic Science and Anthropology. Just one more year, they said. So I stayed at Cygnet, surrounded by colleagues who weren’t just co-workers, but people who genuinely cared. They made me feel like I belonged, like I mattered.
After my Master’s Degree, I started looking for criminology positions while working full-time as a Support Worker. Then life took an unexpected turn, I became pregnant with my daughter. It was one of the hardest times of my life. But Cygnet wrapped their arms around me. They didn’t just accommodate my needs, they protected me, cared for me, and made sure I was safe.
After my daughter was born and I returned from maternity leave, that support never ended. Cygnet helped me navigate the terrifying but beautiful challenge of being a working mum, adjusting my shifts so I could be both the employee and the mother I needed to be.
When I couldn’t break into probation work after my maternity leave, my heart sank. A year away meant I’d lost my momentum, lost my chance, or so I thought.
Then, an Activity Coordinator position opened in the Occupational Therapy Department…I applied, thinking it would just be another job. But watching patients transform, seeing someone struggle daily with social anxiety take their first unescorted trip into town, witnessing that moment when they realised they could do it, something inside me shifted. This wasn’t just rewarding. This felt like purpose.
Next I met Fiona Safrany, a Specialist Occupational Therapist at Cygnet. Working alongside her, watching her passion pour into every interaction, every session, every patient, I felt something ignite in my soul. I remember the exact moment I thought: “Where has this been all my life? Why didn’t anyone tell me about occupational therapy? This is what I was meant to do.”
The Occupational Therapy team became more than colleagues. They became my second family, the family I chose, the family that chose me back. We laughed together through the chaos, held each other through the challenges, and celebrated every victory, no matter how small. With them, I learned what it truly means to grow, not just as a professional, but as a human being.
Fiona and I created ‘Routine for Wellbeing’ together, pouring our hearts into something we believed could make a difference. ‘Routine for Wellbeing’ is a group for our service users who may be having difficulty engaging in a balanced and structured routine, which was impacting their overall wellbeing and hindering their progress towards discharge to community living.
When the Occupational Therapy apprenticeship opportunity came, I didn’t hesitate.
I became Cygnet’s first Occupational Therapy apprentice, and it was one of the hardest things I have ever done. Balancing work, university, and being present for my family was difficult.
What carried me through were the people at Cygnet who refused to let me fall. I had an entire team holding me up. They didn’t just believe in me; they invested in me, trusted me, saw who I could become before I could see it myself.
Everything I learned in lectures suddenly made sense when I applied it with real patients. Those “lightbulb moments” when theory became reality, when I finally understood why we do what we do.
Cygnet gave me opportunities I never dreamed possible such as regional OT meetings where I felt part of something bigger than myself or team-building experiences that reminded me I wasn’t alone. And most incredibly, Cygnet trusted me with my own caseload as a student. They let me truly be an Occupational Therapist before I’d even earned the title. That kind of faith changes you.
Recently, I interviewed for a Band 5 Occupational Therapist position at Cygnet Pindar House. When I got the call saying I’d been successful, I was in absolute shock.
But accepting this position means saying goodbye to Cygnet Oaks after ten years. Ten years of growing, learning, failing, succeeding, and becoming. Leaving feels like leaving home. I’ll miss the staff who shaped me, who believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself, who celebrated every small step forward.
And the patients, oh, the patients. Thank you for trusting me with your stories, your struggles, and your triumphs. Thank you for working alongside me, and for letting me be part of your healing journey. You taught me as much as I ever taught you.
Even as I transition to this new chapter, Cygnet continues to support me. They’re accommodating my final months as a student, ensuring I can step seamlessly into my Band 5 role once I qualify.
This is why I tell everyone considering an apprenticeship to do it with Cygnet. The support isn’t just professional, it’s personal, and life-changing.
I started as a bartender with a criminology degree and a dream I couldn’t quite name. Now I’m an Occupational Therapist, and I finally understand what home feels like.
Thank you, Cygnet, for giving me a chance.
Thank you for giving me a career.
Thank you for giving me a family.
Thank you for giving me myself.
Vicky Wisniewski, Director of Occupational Therapy (North), praised Nicole’s success. She said:
“Reading Nicole’s reflection, I am reminded of why we do what we do. It has been a privilege to watch her grow not just in her clinical skills, but in her confidence and leadership over the last decade. Nicole represents the heart of Occupational Therapy—someone who found her purpose in helping others find theirs. Being our first apprentice to qualify and secure a post with us is a historic achievement for our department. While she may be moving on from Cygnet Oaks, she remains a vital part of our OT family, and I cannot wait to see the impact she will continue to make at Cygnet Pindar House.”
If you’re considering an OT apprenticeship for your future, we encourage you to learn more by visiting our OT Life Microsite, a dedicated platform for occupational therapists at Cygnet.
To learn more, click below:
https://join.cygnetgroup.com/ot-life/
