Let’s get personal…
I think it’s probably time I introduced myself properly and got into how I ended up here!
First of all…
Hi, I’m Emily (Em), and I’m the founder of Divine Sport Consultancy (DSC) xoxo
This is little Emily!
I grew up in sports my whole life, from Swimming, to Taekwondo, to Ballet to Horse Riding. I was lucky enough to be able to try out and go to as many sports clubs as I could possibly fit in, in a week!
I never really noticed any barriers in sport until I got a little bit older, but from the get go, I was in a pretty good position!
As I got a little older, I was still able to go to the sports I loved, but I started noticing a difference in the way I was treated compared to others (the boys to be specific!),
In Taekwondo, I would be given ‘safer roles’ to do if we were doing scenarios for self-defence; like ‘bar tender’, or cashier. While the boys got to jump off of walls and pretend to be super heroes, coming in to save the day and stop the bad guys (in the scenario anyway),
In swimming I started to become more self conscious and not want to go as much,
In Ballet, we were forced to wear tiny leotards and I would dread going to class,
This was when things began to change for me…
Dealing with the big P word…
As I became more aware of what being a girl meant, once my period came around I was anxious, worried and didn’t know what to do or what to expect. I didn’t want to do P.E. or go swimming in fear of leakages and being laughed at, let alone be forced to prance around in, nothing but a leotard. I didn’t really talk about this when I was younger, so little Emily would probably be terrified of who I’ve become!
I think as you get older, it becomes easier to talk about and there is less fear as you become used to your body (this has been the case for me at least and a lot of people I haven spoken to). However, this is one of the main issues/areas that I am now keen to change around the menstrual cycle and the idea of ‘female health taboo’. We should all have the chance to feel happy and comfortable in our bodies no matter what age we are of stage of growing up. If we can open the conversation early enough… there is no such thing as taboo!
Next up…
University undergraduate and masters degrees came next! I delved into my sport passion early in my undergrad, and then took a heavy focus on the menstrual cycle when studying my in Sport Psychology. This opened up my eyes to other women’s experiences, their struggles and barriers we are still facing; while also helping me learn a lot about myself too. I finally felt as though I had found my true calling, and decided that this was an area we needed to do something about… and I was going g to do it!
Concerns beginning… (TW: talking about hospital and medical conditions)
In my university years, I ended up being rushed to A&E with what was suspected as appendicitis, however, this was not the case. The first time this happened, no one had any answers and I was left to try and find them myself. With minimal backing from medical professionals it’s needless to say I didn’t get very far.
Fast forward to August 2023, I was rushed to A&E AGAIN with very scarily familiar symptoms. The doctor concluded that I had, had an ovarian cyst burst. I was more familiar with terms such as PCOS at this point so this seemed a little less scary, but also left me wondering what on earth I was suppose to do now. No scans or examinations were done at the time, so I was still in the dark. Fast forward to RIGHT NOW I am still trying to gain some form of diagnosis on what is happening in my body! Whether that’s PCOS or not… it has been years of struggle trying to get people to take what is happening to me seriously. I also suffer a lot from the mental part of my cycle as well as the physical. I have been informally diagnosed with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) which causes physical symptoms, but the real devil with this is the mental turmoil that comes with it. In the luteal phase, I become hopeless, to the point where I no longer want to carry on. Because of this, I now take Citalopram (an antidepressant used a lot with conditions linked to the menstrual cycle and menopause) daily to deal with these symptoms (some people may be able to take this only in the luteal phase, but since my cycle is irregular, this needs to be consistent). This is why I started DSC. So we can start talking about these things that are happening to us and are NOT NORMAL but they ARE normal to talk about! Far too many women and girls are told they have a ‘low pain threshold’ or ‘just take hormonal contraception’. These are the solutions we are asking for or that we need, so let’s change that narrative and start speaking to each other to share our stories and make others aware that female health is a priority!
I am now on a journey to figure out what works for my body, from both a medical and more holistic approach. Although, I take citalopram and anti-inflammatory’s to manage my symptoms, I also try to use as many natural, drug free supplements and products too. Check out our “who we work with” page to find out more about this.
Second time in A&E due to a burst cyst!
Starting DSC…
I made the decision I wanted to start something that was going to help women, and raise the profile on the menstrual cycle in sport… I just didn't quite know what it would look like!
Then, I decided on the name, what I wanted to do, and got to work!
Now here I am, currently 2 weeks, working with 3 top brands to spread the word and champion female health with workshops, business calls and appointments all happening too as well as opportunities to create material that will be educational and empowering. It’s amazing the difference a day makes… as they say!
I am most definitely only at the beginning of my journey…
But so far it’s looking pretty good! As a business, we will always strive for the best experience for our clients and community through regular CPD, reading and learning and also learning from all of you!
If you’d like to get involved, please get in touch below and check out our socials :)
We are also looking for women with personal experience to get in touch and share your stories with us, please email or message to get in touch!