What are the opening hours?

Monday 11:30am - 5:30pm Tuesday 9:30am - 1pm Wednesday 2pm - 5:30pm Friday 9:30am - 5:30pm

Anna Standing Wellbeing Coach

Home
United Kingdom
Saint Albans
Anna Standing Wellbeing Coach

Well-being Coach 🌿 | Reflexologist 👣 | Empowering you to thrive! https://linktr.ee/AnnaStandingWellbeingCoach

10/09/2025

I don't look the same as I did 3 months ago - and that's okay.

Life with a stoma means normal has changed.
My body has changed.
My routines have changed.
And yet, I’m still me — just discovering who that is now.

It’s strange to look in the mirror and see a different version of yourself, but it’s also an invitation: Who do I want to become now?

That question doesn’t only come after illness. Many women I work with in midlife ask the same thing. Children grow up, careers shift, priorities change — and suddenly you’re standing at a crossroads, wondering who you are now.

Coaching creates a space to explore that, to grieve what’s gone, and to step into what’s next.

If you feel at a crossroads, unsure of who you are any more and what direction you want to take your life in, then drop me a DM. I'd love to chat more about what chapter of yourself are you in right now and share with you how my coaching can support you.

06/09/2025

This week I stepped back into work — and it felt amazing...until it didn't.

Getting back to “normal things” like connecting with clients, delivering beautiful reflexology treatments, and even attending a networking event filled me with so much joy. After months of hospital visits and healing, those everyday moments feel like milestones.

But here’s the honest bit… the tiredness hit me like a train this weekend. ⚡️

It’s a reminder that while I’m moving forward, I’m still healing. And that’s okay. I’m embracing the pause, listening to my body, and giving myself permission to rest — because that’s what will allow me to keep showing up for the things (and people) I love.

💭 This is something I remind my clients too: rest isn’t a weakness or a step backwards. It’s part of the process. It’s the fuel that allows us to keep growing, creating, and thriving.

👉 How do you give yourself permission to pause?

02/09/2025

September always feels like a “second new year.” Routines restart, new terms begin, and there’s a sense of turning the page.

For me, this September feels very different. After bowel surgery and weeks of recovery, this summer felt like a gift I didn’t expect — sea air, time to heal, and moments where I finally started to feel human again. This summer became about survival, healing, and holding onto the small moments of joy — not planning ahead.

So while the world rushes into September full of goals and to-do lists, I’m reminding myself that fresh starts don’t have to follow the calendar. They can happen in their own time.

💭 This is a lesson I bring into my coaching, too: you don’t have to be “ready” for change. Sometimes the new chapter begins before you feel prepared.

👉 Does September feel like a fresh start to you, or not yet?

01/09/2025

✨ Back to Work ✨

Today feels like a milestone. After everything that’s happened over the past three months, I’m finally stepping back into work. I’m starting gently with just a few clients this week and building my stamina from there—but I can’t tell you how much I’ve missed it.

Supporting women—whether through restorative reflexology or wellbeing coaching—is truly what lights me up. It's more than just my job—it’s my passion. I’m so looking forward to reconnecting with my clients and holding space for their wellbeing again. 💛

👉 If you’re local to St Albans and in need of some deeply restorative reflexology, now’s the time to book in.
👉 And if this autumn feels like the moment to finally prioritise yourself, send me a DM—we can chat about how my wellbeing coaching could support you.

Links are in my bio. 🌿

27/08/2025

3 Months From Diagnosis to Discharge

Almost exactly 3 months from diagnosis to discharge. It feels surreal even writing that, like a fever dream, it all happened so fast, I sometimes can't believe it's real. From hearing the words “you have bowel cancer” in May, to undergoing a life-changing operation in June, to being officially signed off by my surgeon this month… it’s been a whirlwind. But here I am — with scars, with a stoma, with a whole new perspective. It’s surreal, but it’s also proof of how quickly life can turn upside down… and then slowly begin to turn back again.

People often say, “you’re so resilient.” But I don’t think resilience means staying strong every second. For me, it’s been about wobbling, crying, doubting… and still finding a way forward each day.

💭 This is the heart of resilience — not perfection, but persistence. And it’s a huge part of what I support women with in coaching: finding ways back to yourself, even when life feels impossible.

👉 How do you define resilience for yourself?

16/08/2025

For the past week I’ve been away in Dorset — something that, back in May when I was diagnosed with bowel cancer, felt unimaginable. Even just a few weeks ago, I never thought I’d be well enough to go on holiday, let alone enjoy it.

But the progress I’ve made recently gave us the chance to escape for some sea air, and it was exactly what I needed. The trip was slow-paced: lazy mornings, afternoons on the beach, wandering around seaside towns with an ice cream or a cuppa in hand. We were blessed with glorious weather and, more importantly, the gift of time together as a family — time to relax, breathe, and just be.

It sounds cliché, but it’s true: after a health scare, the little things really do become the big things. Life feels sharper, clearer, and you realise quickly what — and who — matters most.

I’ve returned home feeling stronger, healthier, and ready to start thinking about a return to work in September. But before that, I want to say the biggest thank you to my wonderful family and friends for the love, care, and support you’ve given me over the past two months — and continue to give every day. I am eternally grateful 💙

03/08/2025

Today would’ve been my mum’s 74th birthday. Our second one without her.

I miss her every day, but especially on days like this.

So much has happened since she left us, and there have been moments—particularly these last few months—when I’ve longed for her more than ever. Going through such a challenging time without my mum has been incredibly hard. She would’ve hated to see me in hospital, in pain—she never coped well when her children were unwell. But somehow, I felt her with me. I still do. In the quiet moments, in the strength I didn’t know I had, in the resilience she taught me just by being who she was.

She gave me so much—love, courage, determination. And though she’s not here in person, those gifts have carried me through.

Happy birthday, Mum.
I hope you’re somewhere peaceful and proud. 💛

29/07/2025

5 Weeks On: The Ripple Effect

It’s been 5 weeks since my bowel cancer surgery — and what’s struck me most is the ripple effect it’s had on parts of my body I never even considered.

I’d braced myself for life with a permanent stoma… but that’s actually been the easiest part.

What I wasn’t prepared for?
💥 The pain and healing of my Barbie butt.
💥 The strange sensation of my insides shifting to fill the space where my colon used to be.
💥 The surprise of waking up with a catheter — and learning that bladder function can take months to return.

Thankfully, my catheter is now out and early signs are encouraging. But my surgeon wasn't wrong when he said, it’s as if he bulldozed through my abdomen! The swelling, the deep tenderness—it’s very real. I feel like I’ve done a thousand sit-ups (without the toned abs to show for it). But it’s been another reminder of just how far-reaching the impact of bowel cancer and major abdominal surgery really is. It runs deeper than scars — affecting parts of me I never imagined.

That said, I’m proud of how far I’ve come.

Today, for the first time since surgery, I left the house not for a medical appointment, but to attended my first ever writing group session with The Rough Drafts. It felt like a big step toward reconnecting with life beyond recovery. Thank you Shy and Mighty Nadia Finer for giving me the nudge I needed 💛 (.is.my.lifesong - you would've been proud of me - word count 706 - it's a start!)

One step at a time. And today, it was a good one.

23/07/2025

SURGERY Update 💕 (Warning: might make you squirm!)

It’s now 4 weeks since my surgery – officially called a panproctocolectomy – where they removed my colon, re**um, and a**s to make me cancer free. Along with my permanent stoma, I now also have what’s known (rather fabulously) as a Barbie butt.

I’ve never exactly aspired to be like Barbie… but here we are. It basically means I have a bum crack, but no bum hole. Yep – it’s a real thing.

The initial trauma of surgery is behind me now, but the current challenge is the ongoing pain in my butt (literally). Sitting down comfortably feels like a distant dream. My trusty donut cushion (thank you Vicky Wilson ), hot water bottle, and the occasional dose of morphine are my daily survival kit.

But today has felt like a small win. I actually had a good night’s sleep (praise be!) and even managed to waddle round to my friend’s (thank you Jill Watson ) for a cuppa and a croissant. It felt so good to be out and about, even just for a little while.

According to my surgeon, it’ll be another 2–4 weeks before the stitches dissolve and things start to ease. I’m holding on to that hope… and still managing to laugh (gingerly!) at the sheer weirdness of it all.

16/07/2025

✨ CANCER FREE ✨
I can hardly believe I get to say those words… but the results are in — and the news is incredible.

The histology from my surgery has confirmed that the cancer has not spread, and all traces of it were successfully removed during the operation. I do not need chemotherapy or any further treatment.

I am officially cancer free.
Just writing that brings tears of relief.

Now, I can focus on healing — physically and emotionally — and adjusting to my new normal, life with a stoma.

There’s still a recovery journey ahead, but today, I’m celebrating this massive milestone.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for every message, every kind word, every act of support over these last few weeks. It has meant more than I can say. 💙

11/07/2025

Thank you to the wonderful Rachael for my healing reflexology treatment today. It was simply bliss 🥰

Address

6 Rowlatt Drive
Saint Albans
AL34NB

Opening Hours

Monday	11:30am - 5:30pm
Tuesday	9:30am - 1pm
Wednesday	2pm - 5:30pm
Friday	9:30am - 5:30pm

Telephone

+447866584967

Website

http://www.annastanding.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Anna Standing Wellbeing Coach posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Anna Standing Wellbeing Coach:

Shortcuts

Address
Telephone
Opening Hours
Alerts
Contact The Practice
Claim ownership or report listing

Want your practice to be the top-listed Clinic in Saint Albans?