Tina McGuff

Tina McGuff - Scottish author of critically acclaimed memoir, Seconds to Snap.

After a very violent event within the family, which led to a traumatic spiral for them all, Tina descended into anorexia from 13 years old and almost lost her life. Sectioned under the mental health act as to be force fed to keep her alive. Spending years living in a psychiatric unit, battling to keep her mind on track for hope of recovery.

Finally back into society and the world, learning to find out who she was, finding love and starting a family and a career.

Now after a very successful 25 plus years, raising children, learning to fly, being an integral part of a family business - is now an ardent mental health educator and has written her book "Seconds To Snap" to help lift the lid and smash the stigmas associated with these illnesses. It was years of shame and the stigma surrounding the mental health tag that made her feel too ashamed to tell anyone...but not anymore.

Tina's aim now is to get the message out loud and clear that you can have a mentally healthy life, it might be a hard road but you can get there and there is hope. Tina says that modern employers and educational establishments are recognising the benefits of looking after their employees and students mental health as a means of sustaining and thus effecting improved productivity. We all feel so much happier when we are valued and respected.

Promoting positive mental health is integral to a successful workplace, organisation and establishment, right now we need to do all we can mitigate the mental health pandemic that’s happening as we come out of the Covid -19 pandemic.

Having charted her struggles in Seconds to Snap, Tina has established herself as a leading authority on mental health wellness and is a regular contributor across national media. Appearing on Lorraine, Channel 5, ITV, STV, BBC as well as Jeremy Vine, Radio 1 and other national and international media outlets.

Invited by the Prime Minister’s Office of Dubai to deliver talks in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Spending two days in Arizona delivering talks to students and teachers at a school.

Around a quarter of the population will experience a mental health problem at some point, and given the challenges of our lives, especially now, it is crucial that we can assist those who experience such issues.

It’s encouraging to see how some businesses have recognised how important good mental health is. And seeing there is an increasing understanding that people work better when they are content and integral to this is the environment where they come to work every day.

Think of it this way; we think nothing of going to the dentist every six months to ensure our teeth are healthy, and yet so few of us take any time to ensure that are our mental health is what it needs to be.

I want everybody who attends my sessions, whether they are students, or members of the business community, to understand that being aware of your mental health is incredibly important and to feel that there is always hope, no matter how hard things may appear at times.