From Sales to Psychotherapy and from Adversity to Strength- Lee's journey
Hi everyone
Welcome to the next instalment of the Pathways to Psychology blog. We have the privilege of learning from a variety of people, each with excellent skills, experience and vision for the future. One such person is Lee Freeman, Psychotherapist, Founder of Adversity to Strength, host of the Adversity to Strength with Lee Freeman podcast, helping people heal through therapy, storytelling and real conversations. We hope reading about Lee will offer you inspiration for your own journey in the field of Psychology.
Email: guests@
Instagram: @adversity_to_strength
Website: www.
From Sales to Psychotherapy: My Journey from Adversity to Strength
Before I became a therapist, I was working in a high-pressure sales job that felt like something straight out of The Wolf of Wall Street. It was all about targets, money, and ego. Apart from the pay, I didn’t enjoy it, and deep down I knew it wasn’t right for me.
At the time, someone casually suggested I should train as a therapist. Around then, I had just finished reading The Happiness Hypothesis, and it felt like I was reading about my own life. That book and that suggestion hit something deep in me. I had grown up in an abusive and traumatic environment, and I’ve always said I wanted to be there for other people in the way no one was ever there for me.
I’m originally from Portsmouth. Before I knew it, I had enrolled on a Level 2 counselling course at Fareham College. Then came Level 3, and soon after, I was studying Humanistic Counselling at the University of Chichester. When I qualified, I became an Integrative Therapist, training in CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy), solution-focused therapy, trauma work, bereavement counselling, and Sand Tray Therapy, which I offer specifically for adults as a powerful, non-verbal way to explore emotions. Even then, I knew I wanted to expand beyond just the therapy room.
At the start of this year, I launched my brand, Adversity to Strength. I invested long hours building the foundation, launching a website where clients can now book sessions with me or with trusted therapists working under my brand. I had a German designer create the logo, which really captures the energy I wanted to represent.
I also launched the Adversity to Strength Podcast, something I’d been wanting to do for years. The format is simple but powerful: guests from all walks of life come on to tell their stories of adversity, how they got through it, what changed for them, and how they now thrive. I also ask each guest to share a song that resonates with part of their journey, which I include along with their links in the show notes.
One of the most exciting moments early on was when a former criminal defence attorney from the U.S. reached out to appear on the show. He’d represented high-profile murder cases and wanted to share his own trauma and transformation story. That’s when I knew the podcast was connecting with something real. Since then, interest in the show and guest appearances have grown rapidly.
While I still work as a therapist, my focus is shifting. Over the next few years, I plan to reduce my therapy hours and commit full-time to growing the Adversity to Strength brand. I want to host live events, appear as a guest on other podcasts, and keep promoting mental health and emotional resilience in a way that’s honest, real, and accessible.
Being a therapist and having my own therapist has changed my life. It’s helped me process the pain I never thought I’d get through. It’s what fuels everything I do now.
Therapy taught me that healing doesn’t have to be dramatic — it just has to be consistent. That’s something I try to bring into both my client work and my podcast. Whether someone is stuck in grief, shame, or anxiety, the smallest steps forward can mean everything. It’s not always about big breakthroughs. Sometimes, it’s just about showing up and not giving up.
I also believe in using real language. I’m not a fan of over-complicating therapy with jargon. The people I work with, both clients and podcast guests, often say they appreciate how normal and grounded the process feels. That matters to me, especially because many people feel intimidated by therapy or think it’s only for “serious” cases.
The truth is, we’re all carrying something.
My aim with Adversity to Strength is to create a space where people can put their masks down, tell the truth about what they’ve been through, and feel stronger for it, not weaker. I want to show that it’s possible to turn pain into purpose and shame into strength.
Whether through a therapy session, a podcast interview, or a future live event, the message is the same: you’re not alone, and your story matters.
Thank you Lee for sharing a glimpse of your own experiences and how you have gone on to inspire and support people through the traumas and losses of their own. We hope your approach of storytelling using real language can grow from strength to strength.
Perhaps you found reading about Lee resonated with you. Maybe you are curious about Psychotherapy or Counselling. Perhaps you are a trainee or qualified colleague in the field of Practitioner Psychology- get in touch to write your own blog entry. Each entry helps to highlight the variety of pathways available to pursue in a Psychology career.
Kind regards,
The Pathways team.
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