About Us
Our Mission
The Self Empowerment Journey (SEJ) organisation is dedicated to empowering you through the SEJ Process, to learn the skills to stay mentally healthy, find purpose and direction and reach your full potential. We are dedicated to fostering self-empowerment and mental wellbeing, enabling everyone to unlock their true potential through the SEJ Process, events, services, and initiatives.
Our Vision
Our vision is to empower everyone to reach their true potential with the SEJ Process, events, services, and initiatives.
Our Goals
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To train SEJ Consultants and SEJ Trainers enabling expansion of our services and initiatives, serving more people.
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Integrate the SEJ into the curriculum in education, providing innovative solutions to the mental health crisis faced in education.
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Empower employers and employees to learn the skills to 'stay mentally healthy', find purpose and direction, and reach their full potential.
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Development of all our initiatives to ensure accessibility, social impact, community, diversity, and inclusion.
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To provide accessible education, resources, and support to individuals facing mental health challenges enabling them to reach their full and true potential.
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To educate, support and guide disadvantaged groups to re-train and use their lived experience in service to others.
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To work collaboratively with local businesses and educational settings to create mentally healthy communities and empowered individuals.
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To campaign for change, listen to the voices of our communities; local, education and organisational.
Our Values
Our core values are our guiding principles.
Compassion - we aim to understand and meet community needs with service, awareness and kindness.
Inclusivity - openness, inclusion and collaboration are central to our growth and success.
Integrity - we act with honesty and transparency in all our relationships and services.
Perseverance - we never give up! Finding solutions to problems through our own practice of the SEJ Process.
Creativity - we embrace an open-minded approach, continually developing our skills to ensure excellent practice.
Service - we work with an open-hearted approach providing a meaningful experience for those we support.
Jacqueline Mary Phillips
Founder of the Self Empowerment Journey and Stay Mentally Healthy Initiative
Mary (as she prefers to be known) is the founder of the Self Empowerment Journey organisation. She is responsible for ensuring that the vision of the organisation is realised.
About Mary
"I originally worked in the corporate world for many years whilst simultaneously experiencing mental health challenges; including depression, anxiety, and self harm, culminating in attempted suicide. I spent over 14 years in and out of psychiatric hospitals and was eventually diagnosed with complex PTSD. During this time I suffered several recurring bouts of depression, some mild, others severe culminating in a life changing event at the age of 28 when the SEJ Process was born out of my experiences.
I have now been depression free for over 28 years, despite being told by the health professionals that I would most likely suffer with recurring depression for the rest of my life, and that I would need to learn how to manage it. I never did learn how to manage it, instead I learnt how to stay mentally healthy.
I have shared the SEJ Process training and services with people from all walks of life, the Armed Forces, Police, Clergy, Sports Professionals, Education and in Business. It is my firm belief that if we can educate everyone about their mental health and at the same time give them the life skills required to stay mentally healthy, then they will go on to live empowered lives, reach their true potential and become productive members of society."
Carol Blakemore
Head Volunteer and Executive Assistant
Carol as Head Volunteer, has been volunteering and working closely with Mary for over 21 years, she has a wealth of experience with her primary focus on service. Her daily function in the organisation is to help support all volunteers with their work, and to work collaboratively to ensure the organisation fulfils its aims.
Carol says...
“Part of my Head Volunteer role is to provide leadership to the function of volunteering. To promote and enable a positive culture of engagement and the values of work for the organisation, ensuring that volunteering is understood and respected throughout the organisation which reflects on the day to day work.
Being a volunteer has given me a deepened sense of empathy and compassion, it allows me to connect with people on a deeper level. The smallest act of being in service can make an enormous difference to the lives of others."
Dr Mariko Howard-Kishi
SEJ Consultant Facilitator for Education
My work with the SEJ Process has grown from many years of supporting students in higher education, alongside my own commitment to understanding how individuals can build resilience and maintain their wellbeing. As a Senior Lecturer and Personal Tutor for over 38 years, I have seen first-hand the challenges people face both academically and personally, and the importance of having practical tools to navigate them.
Integrating the SEJ Process into my work has enabled me to move beyond traditional academic support and adopt a more holistic and sustainable approach, helping individuals build confidence, resilience, and self-awareness as they manage life’s challenges.
As a certified SEJ Consultant, my focus is on sharing this approach within educational settings and the wider community. I am passionate about sharing this work within education and the wider community, empowering people to reach their full and true potential.
Mariko says...
Mariko says…
“Through my work as a Senior Lecturer and Personal Tutor, I have supported students for many years in both their academic and personal development. Becoming an SEJ Consultant has enabled me to extend this support further, helping individuals build confidence, resilience, and a stronger sense of self.
The SEJ Process has shaped my approach to supporting students and staff in managing challenges such as academic pressures, transitions, and wellbeing. I feel privileged to share this work within educational settings and to help create environments where people can truly thrive.
My aim as a SEJ Consultant Facilitator for Education is to support as many individuals and institutions as possible by integrating the SEJ Process into education and contributing to wider community wellbeing. I am passionate about empowering people to reach their full potential and to develop the skills and self-awareness needed for lasting personal and professional growth.”
