Meet YMCA Exeter Wellbeing Practitioner, Will Petty

Four years ago, Will Petty was flying helicopters for the military in Cornwall.

“I used to not understand what mental health was,” Will explains. “Then I suffered from PTSD, ended up being diagnosed with depression and attended a really helpful NHS-led cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) course.”

In 2022, Will was medically discharged from the military and at the same time started exploring Christianity by going to a church in Exeter.

“I met someone at church who told me I could apply for a CBT role at YMCA Exeter where I would get trained and paid at the same time. Later down the line, I was in the kitchen one day when I felt God give me a vision to change the mental health of a million people.”

Will is now a Qualified Wellbeing Practitioner at YMCA Exeter and is using his gifts to support children and young people struggling with low mood, anxiety and behavioural difficulties.

“Over this last year I’ve had other opportunities come my way like being offered £100k a year to train people to fly drones” Will continues. “But I’ve turned them all down. When I’m on this path, everything seems to flow. Then I know I’m following my calling.”

“As a wellbeing practitioner, I aim to equip young people with the tools they need. The process can seem very simple. But it’s incredibly rewarding to see the restoration of joy in the young person.

“One young person I was working with around generalised anxiety was struggling to engage. I had a chat with his mum to find out what he really loved. Turns out he loved the game, Dungeons and Dragons. So I structured his recovery through a Dungeons and Dragons recovery sheet.

“His progress skyrocketed. It became like a game to him and his end result was great. By the end of the sessions he was saying, ‘No, I don’t worry anymore.’”

Will is one of three full-time practitioners, trained to work with 5-25-year-olds on cognitive behavioural therapy techniques. The free service is fundamental for helping equip children and young people with the tools they need to manage low-level anxiety to prevent a crisis point later on.

Find out more about our free wellbeing service.