Reson Sindiyo – From Dreams to Reality
Reson Sindiyo is a mother, a daughter, and a psychologist counselor, but at the base of it all, she is a family woman who knows the true meaning of sacrifice. In her life, she has overcome many challenges and putting her family’s needs before her own has allowed infinite blessings to come her way – with the most recent being the opening of her private practice.
If we’re to go back the first sacrifice she made as a mother was leaving her two children in the care of their grandparents in 2000. She was off to the UK for a cleaning job. She was a newly single mother at the time and was determined to provide for her kids, even if it meant applying for jobs overseas. Barely a year later, her own mother had to undergo a hip replacement, and Reson sacrificed her job to return home and care for her mother and her kids. While the procedure went well, Reson’s mother was robbed of her independence and as Reson helped her recover, she was also the listening ear that her mother needed. It reminded her of her own internal issues, the ones she hadn’t spoken about but that had affected her outward behavior. This was how she pondered on the idea of psychology.
In 2003, with financial assistance from her younger sister, Reson enrolled at Amani Counselling Center and Training Institute. A year later she acquired a certificate in basic counselling and this feat propelled her to further her studies. Sadly, finances were limited – and the kids still needed to go to school. With her mother in a better physical state, Reson returned to the UK for another year of work. The time away from family was too heavy for her to bear. She returned home and pushed herself to educate her kids until they completed their first degrees. By then it was 2015. Her eldest had enrolled for a master’s degree and her youngest had just completed campus. Reson was at last able to exhale, but watching her children graduate both excited her and reminded her of her own dreams. She didn’t shy away from speaking about this and one day she received a pleasant offer.
Her eldest, then working, offered to pay for Reson to go back to school. Hesitant at first, Reson eventually agreed and joined Embulbul Education and Counselling Center in Ngong to study psychology. Two years later, she graduated with a Diploma. This time, Reson was going to go after what she wanted: to understand human behavior. She pulled finances together and immediately enrolled for a Bachelor’s degree in Counseling Psychology. She doubled this with work and other short courses that would be instrumental in her career. In 2017, she attained a certificate in Psychological Debriefing and the next year a certificate in Counselling Supervision and another in Trainer of Trainers.
But this year is already proving to be hers. Barely a month ago, Reson Sindiyo opened her private practice – Resilience Psychology Therapy Practice – in Karen where she has committed to ensuring the mental wellness of her clients.
It’s interesting to see the fruit of sacrifice, limitlessness and hope. Reson is unstoppable! This year she’s encouraged to go deeper into the profession and hopes to pursue her master’s degree. At Paukwa, we are confident that this is the continuation of a long journey ahead and we salute her for remaining steadfast in her pursuits and for the momentum she has maintained since she returned to school.
