Amazing Real Life Stories!
Sharon Broomfield was born to teenage parents of 15 and 16, three siblings followed. With parents so young there wasn’t much discipline or stability growing up. After leaving school (which she rarely attended) without qualifications, she didn’t know what direction her life would take. A friend suggested she try modelling, so her father paid for her to go to an academy in London from where she was taken on at an agency.
Because she was not tall enough to do fashion catwalk modelling she joined an agency that did glamour modelling, appearing in national newspapers on page 3. She also featured in a advertising campaign for Silvikrin Shampoo which featured on bus stops around the uk and magazine publication. Sharon never felt comfortable being a page three model but at the time it paid the bills.
Sharon met the man that would become her husband at 21, two beautiful daughters followed but unfortunately her marriage was not a happy one. It was abusive, breaking her spirit and confidence. She said that she didn’t know herself anymore and was filled with self loathing waking up every day wondering how she would get through it. It took her many years to leave because she felt trapped and most of the time she lived in fear of what her husband would do to her.
A friend suggested that she attended a course called ‘Life Training’ which would help her heal and get back her confidence. It also triggered her interest in people and their behaviours. She went on to study psychology and philosophy in search for the meaning of life. And this gave her the courage to leave her marriage.
Just after her 40th birthday Sharon had a massive melt down, which left her feeling lost and depressed and even more confused after embarking on a spiritual journey searching for answers within Buddhism, Hinduism, paganism and new age community. She also read tones of books and spent obscene amounts of money on courses to try fix herself from her past. None of this filled her with the peace and contentment she longed for.
She had never looked at Christianity, as she judged the church but had a deep desire within to know Jesus. Her relationship with him grew through watching films about him, studying the New Testament and engaging with the teachings of Richard Rohr.
Back in 2000 Sharon trained as a counsellor and has been working with women for over 25 years now. She created a retreat space in the heart of Essex (Agape Cottage) which means God’s love. A sanctuary for women to come and stay to heal their mind, body and spirit. A place to relax, be nurtured and held in love and understanding. A space where they could connect with nature and to themselves. Sharon provided a presence of calm, unwavering love that demands nothing of anyone and a patience that gently allows deep healing. All this was in a luxurious environment of a log cabin with a hot tub and log fire.
Sharon decided to sell her home and business after a deep calling to become a vicar in the Church of England. She deliberately made herself homeless while journeying on a two year decrement process with the church. She said she needed to be free to not have attachment to things or ego, staying with friends and family for a while on this journey.
However The Church of England was not the place for her, she found it masculine and struggled with the politics and hypocrisy of the system. But still feels that it has a lot to offer and does a lot of good. She found another way to becoming a reverend which was as a One Sprit Interfaith minister, responding to the changing spiritual needs of our time, in service to people of all faiths and none.
Sharon changed her name by deed poll to Reverend Sharon Paul after her favourite disciple Saint Paul. Her faith is unshakable and her walk with Jesus Christ her counsellor and guide deepens and expands the more she surrenders and trusts in him. She says at times life throws hard challenges and I don’t know what I would do with out Jesus walking beside me holding me and loving me. I don’t preach or try to convert others but I hope I show who God is by the way I live my life and love. I don’t always get it right but I try my best.
Today Sharon has a fulfilled life, performing funerals, weddings and ceremonies. She loves to share her faith and spiritual guidances to those who want to listen but her deepest passion is supporting women in on their healing journey through counselling and Spinal Flow body work, healing the nervous system which is where our trauma is stored.
Sharon feels that her work is an honour and privilege, to be trusted with someones hearts and vulnerability. It brings her so much joy to watch her clients transform. She says what makes her a great therapist is not her qualifications but her own life experiences and her walk with a God of love who lives within her.
Sharon’s journey is inspiring and has been a long dedicated one from where she started in life to the women she is now.
Her company is called Divine Therapy. If you would like to know more or like a chat with Sharon to see how she can support you, you can contact at:
