Elisabeth and Ingeus Switzerland

With personalised support and coaching, Elisabeth was able to return to work and start loving life again

Elisabeth, a 55-year-old mother with two children, is a specialist women’s lingerie designer for people who have had breast cancer. 

But the departure of two colleagues left her on her own and increased challenges at work. 

Some criticism of her work had a profound effect on her both emotionally and physically. 

She couldn’t turn her head or sit down for work. Suffering from very real burnout, she had to leave her job.

She describes how she retreated into herself, “Friends would say, ‘You should have called me, we could have seen each other!’ But no, you don’t want to see anyone, you don’t want to share this, actually. You stay in your own bubble. And you actually want to try and cope with this on your own.”

With the help of the team at Ingeus, she was not on her own. 

Like all participants, Elisabeth benefitted from the individual support of an assigned coach. 

This creates a trusting relationship which allowed them to work together to develop the strategy and plan that best suited Elisabeth’s personal objectives, aspirations and needs. Elisabeth played a central role in achieving her own goals.

As Judith, a Coach and Employment Counsellor at Ingeus, explains, “As part of our program, participants can take part in different types of workshops. All of these workshops will enable participants, in a general sense, to recalibrate or reengage on both emotional and physical levels, reinforcing their personal wellbeing, self-confidence, and self-esteem.”

For Elisabeth, meeting and speaking with others who were in the same situation was so important. “You see you’re not alone in this”. 

Vanessa, Elisabeth’s Coach and Employment Counsellor, saw a huge change in Elisabeth as she progressed through the program, “I saw her really get involved and open up. She wanted to fully immerse herself in her professional reintegration. She was just extremely committed. “

Working with Ingeus, Elisabeth has been able to turn her life around. 

“If I had to give one piece of advice to someone, I’d say, make an appointment with Ingeus. They’re there to help you. Even afterwards, they don’t let you down. I’ve been working. I’m doing well. And to feel good about my work and to enjoy life. That’s it. I did it, you can do it too.”

• To support her comfort and wellbeing, Elisabeth has requested that her face not be shown in the video.