The Story Behind the Creation of the 8Wise® Method
By Kim Rutherford Psychotherapist and Creator of the 8Wise® Method
People often ask me where the 8Wise® Method came from how it started, why I created it, and what inspired the framework that now supports individuals, workplaces, leaders, students, and neurodivergent communities across the UK and beyond.
The truth is this: 8Wise® didn’t begin as a professional project. It began as my lifeline.
Before it became a method, a book, a practice, or a movement, it was something I built to save myself when no one else could.
My Own Mental Health Story, The Part Behind the Method
I have struggled with my mental health for as long as I can remember. But like so many people, I didn’t understand what I was experiencing and I was terrified to face it. So, I pushed through. I ignored the signs. I kept performing, achieving, coping… until I couldn’t.
In 2016, everything caught up with me.
I had relocated to a new area.
Started a new job.
Bought my first home.
I had planned a wedding.
Had no close friends nearby.
No family locally.
And I felt profoundly lonely, disconnected, overwhelmed, and silently unravelling.
The stress built until it became impossible to ignore.
Burnout.
A car crash.
Health anxiety.
Depression.
Agoraphobia.
Binge eating.
A complete collapse of my emotional world.
When I finally reached out for help, I was told: “You’ll need to wait 16 weeks.”
Sixteen weeks! When I was spiralling. When every day felt like freefall. When I desperately needed someone to help me make sense of what was happening inside me.
That moment changed everything. I realised: If no support was coming… I was going to have to save myself.
The Beginning of the 8Wise® Method. Born in Crisis, Built Through Understanding
With no roadmap, I turned to the tools I did have:
my psychology and cognitive mind training from my degree
my professional knowledge from years working in people development
my experience as a coach supporting behavioural and emotional growth
every piece of personal development wisdom I’d collected
Firstly, I began piecing together a framework, not a quick fix, but a structured way to understand what was happening inside me.
I then looked at every area of my life: emotional, physical, social, environmental, cognitive, spiritual, occupational, financial.
I finally realised that my mental health wasn’t one problem with one cause. It was multiple dimensions collapsing at the same time. And slowly, gently, I built a pathway that helped me put myself back together.
That early version of the model, rough, honest, and born from necessity, was the foundation of what eventually became the 8Wise® Method. It helped me recover. And later, it helped me prevent relapse. It became my personal operating system for mental health.
From Personal Recovery to Professional Framework
When I started using this early model with clients, something remarkable happened:
It worked for them too. People began saying things like:
“I finally understand myself.”
“This explains everything I’ve been feeling.”
“No one’s ever shown me wellbeing this way before.”
“This makes sense.”
“This actually works for my brain.”
The more I used it, the clearer it became:
This wasn’t just a recovery tool, it was a holistic wellbeing framework that could help anyone understand their mental health more clearly.
So I refined it.
Tested it.
Expanded it.
Turned it into a structured methodology.
Built training programmes.
Wrote the book.
Developed the Life Audit.
Created resources, journals, podcasts, and educational pathways.
The 8Wise® Method grew from something deeply personal into something that could support thousands.
The Neurodivergent Layer. The Missing Piece That Made Everything Make Sense
Years later, I discovered I was neurodivergent. Suddenly, so much of my life made sense:
why I had struggled with my mental health for so long
why I always felt like an outsider
why emotions often felt intense
why environments overwhelmed me
why traditional self-help never quite worked
why loneliness felt familiar, even in a crowded room
why burnout would arrive suddenly and fiercely
And I realised something powerful:
The 8Wise® Method wasn’t just a wellbeing framework, it was a neuro-inclusive one.
It already adapted to different processing styles, sensory needs, emotional landscapes, energy patterns, and executive functioning challenges.
So, I refined it further, making sure it supported:
neurotypical minds
neurodivergent minds
complex emotional needs
varied communication styles
real-life pressures
high-performance environments
people who have “tried everything” but never found something that worked
Today, 8Wise® supports both groups effectively, because it doesn’t force people into a rigid approach.It meets them where they are.
Why I Do This Work
Because I know what it feels like to be overwhelmed by your own mind.
To feel misunderstood, lost, or “too much.”
To wonder if things will ever get better.
To try your hardest and still feel like you’re failing.
To wait for help that doesn’t come in time.
And I know what it feels like to finally understand yourself, to feel clarity where there was chaos, compassion where there was shame and steadiness where there was fear.
8Wise® gave me that. Now it gives that to others. This is not just my method. It’s my lived experience, my professional passion, and the foundation of everything I teach.
The Story Will Always Be Yours Now, Too
8Wise® began with me but it was always meant for you.
Your wellbeing has a structure.
Your emotions have meaning.
Your stress has context.
Your patterns have roots.
Your recovery has a pathway.
Your resilience is real.
And your mind is not broken, it simply needs understanding.
You don’t have to figure it out alone.That’s what the 8Wise® Method is for.
If You’re Ready to Explore 8Wise® for Yourself
You can start wherever feels right:
8Wise® Coaching or Therapy
The 8Wise® Life Audit
8Wise Ways to a Healthier Happier Mind
The 8Wise® Journal or Planner
Live The 8Wise® Way® Podcast
8WiseED® for leaders, educators, and staff
Your wellbeing journey doesn’t have to feel confusing.It can feel structured, compassionate, and empowering, just like the method that helped me rebuild my own life.
Access support here: www.kimrutherfordofficial.com
