Acknowledgements
I appreciate YOU. Thank YOU for purchasing this book and working on becoming the best version of you.
I am blessed beyond my own understanding; thank you, Rebecca Korantema, for stepping into the mother’s role and loving me beyond my wildest dreams. Not once in my lifetime have you ever doubted my dreams but have always cheered me on to pursue my deepest desires. I still hold what you once said, when I asked you how I could ever thank you for the love you give me. You said, “Akua, I want you to do what you are meant to be doing here on earth—fulfill your purpose. I will be the most blessed mother when I see you fulfilling your God-given dream.” I love you with all my heart. (Akua is my Ghanian name.)
To Jacques Asiedu, for being the greatest father to me, and the best husband to Rebecca. Thank you for all your support and encouragement, and for believing in my dreams, and embracing and loving me as your own flesh and blood.
To the most amazing, fabulous, smart, loving, and generous sister in the world: Cindy, thank you for all your support and encouragement throughout every season.
To my brother, Mike, for your input and support, and for believing in me and my dreams. I am blessed to have you, and you believe that I can do anything in this world.
To my cousin, Daniel Adofo-Kyei, for the meaningful chats in Ghanan, and for our previous holiday in Italy. I always enjoy your company when we spend time together.
And of course, to my cousin, Bernard, for support, friendship, and the good late night chats over the phone.
Thank you, Raymond Aaron for your insightful ideas, wisdom, and support, and for guiding me in the process of writing this book. What a wonderful opportunity the 10-10-10 program is! You have not only provided me with an abundance of joy and success but have also dramatically impacted my life. I know that my life will never be the same again.
I am extremely grateful for Dr. Gregory Roberts; to me, you are the best GP I have ever come across. You have cared for me more than I could ever ask for, and I am blessed that we crossed paths. You were always available for me when I was sick, and even after my recovery— thank you for your commitment and faithfulness to me.
Dr. Ash Hanafy, I deeply appreciate the wisdom you hold, which helped you to save my life. You thought outside the box, and I am inspired by your big thinking.
I thank you both, doctors, for treating me like your own daughter, and for doing everything in your power to keep me here. Thank you for extending your love to me and wishing me all that my heart desires.
Life with no guidance is setting yourself up for very minimal or no success at all. I have been amazingly blessed to have coaches and mentors cheering me on over the years. Thanks to you, I can say I am living an extraordinary life.
To John Scott, for your ongoing immense support and encouragement, and for believing in my dreams. Thank you for your faithful friendship, your wisdom, and for being in this life with me. I don’t have enough words to express how blessed I am to have you and to know that you are always there for me.
To Leo Lute, for loving me as your own daughter, and for encouraging me to believe that I can do and become anything I want in this life. You have always believed in me, and have stuck up and fought for me when it counted. From age 16, you have been living this life with me; I am forever indebted.
To Yvonne Mathews, for your wisdom, your advice, and your brilliant ideas that helped me write and complete this book. I couldn’t wish for anyone else but yourself to guide me through the process of writing this book. You are the best!
To Wendy Taylor, for bringing me into your home and creating a peaceful environment for me to work on my private practice, and for supporting me with all the immigration issues.
To Frankie van den Hoek, for all your supervision hours and the good times we spend outside the practice room.
To Raymond Southon, for teaching me to become an outstanding counsellor and to not see clients as numbers but as individuals, as they are always worth our time.
To Yvonne Rensink, for all your support over the years. You have never stopped checking on me, and you made sure I succeeded in pursuing some of my greatest moments in life.
To Jenny and Ed van Loenen, for supporting me during my college years in Australia.
You embraced me as your own, made me part of your family, and opened your home to me. I want to express my love and sincere thanks:
To family Owusu, Albert and Akua, for your perfect generosity and care, and for taking me on board as your own daughter. My words on paper could not express how blessed I am with your love.
To family Goldstine, Don and Sevda, for all your love and support, and for helping me out when I need you. Sevda, your name says it all; as I always said, you are the true meaning of a best friend. Thank you for being attentive, caring, available, fun, faithful, easygoing, forgiving, and empathetic.
To family Rehma, Tod and Lissa, for your wisdom and guidance, and for believing in my dreams and being great influential figures in my life.
To family Greenfield, Brian and Jenny, for all your support and for cheering me on to pursue what my heart desires. Jenny, thank you for being a faithful friend and extending your generosity to me.
To family Marfo, Yaw-Emil and Hilda, for all the value you add to my life, and for the beautiful Christmas times we shared.
To family Taubert, Ryan and Primrose, for being the greatest example of generosity, love, and care that I know; not to mention the many laughs we shared. Thank you for creating good times with me.
To family Makedonez, John and Donia, for bringing me into your home when I needed a place to stay, and for giving me the best 31st birthday party ever!
To family Athenasio, John and Ruth, for all your great advice, your wisdom, and your spiritual guidance in my life. Ruth, thank you for editing my thesis during my university years, and for your ongoing encouragement and your love.
To family Aggrey, Lydia and Prince, for your continuous words of encouragement, and for helping me to believe in the impossible.
To Kofi A. Ameyaw, for your caring thoughts, love, and support.
To Anthony and Linda Nguy, for supporting me through my university years, standing with me to pursue some of my dreams, and assisting me with the startup of the private practice in counseling.
To Rhys and Emily Velingos, for giving me a special room in your house, named after me ;-). You are one of my best friends, who I can trust no matter what season I am in, and you are always there for me when I need you. Thank you for taking care of me during my recovery, and for looking after all my stuff while I was absent.
You made the transition of my life easier, helping me to leave the past behind me; and in exchange, I received hope for the future, with deep appreciation:
To Jeroen Koopman and Regine Mendez, for all your encouragement during the writing of this book. Regine, from the first time I met you, you have been my greatest support, and I could not wish for a better sister’s friendship than yours.
To Vicke and Tessa Donker, for being amazing friends and for helping me out during my high school years. You were there for me during the toughest seasons of my life, and you took me in when I ran away from home. Thank you!
To Mia and Kim Wijnands, for living this life with me, and for all the good times. Kim, my best friend from kindergarten, I love you and thank you for the lifelong friendship.
To Neil O’Conghaile, for the tremendous support you provided when I came to Ireland.
To Jessica Kaluwaji, for believing in me and standing with me through every trial; you are an amazing friend and sister, and I love you.
To Dickson Osei, for your unconditional love for me, your ongoing support, and for believing in my dreams.
To Yodit Jacob, for a lifelong friendship; I am so proud of you for where you are today. Your unbeatable spirit inspires me; thank you for creating some of the best memories of my life: 2017, in Ireland.
To Bernise Pektuzun, for your caring thoughts and love for me. I love your contagious laugh; every minute spent with you is more than a million dollars’ worth.
To Patricia A. Wiafe, for spoiling me every time I come to your place, and for all your advice and encouragement. You are an incredible woman.
To Rupert Muir, for your emotional support during the phase of my illness, and for being by my side.
To Silvia F, for your friendship, advice, and wisdom you brought to my life.
To the founders of Kookai Australia, Robert Cromb and Danielle Vagner, and managers, Kate Cruisink, Naomie M, and Sarvi D, for your support, and for creating opportunities for me during my time at Kookai.
To the amazing, fabulous, crazy and fun Kookai ladies, Jessica A, Ashley Pritchard,...