A director at a garden centre near Tiptree has published a book on the role plants and nature can play in recovery from depression and other illnesses, following her experience with burnout.

Hannah Powell wrote The Cactus Surgeon: Using Nature to Fix a Faulty Brain, after being diagnosed with a functional neurological disorder in 2009 while working in London and suffering from burnout.

The disorder affects the functioning of the nervous system, and can lead to a host of physical, sensory and cognitive problems.

Hannah is now the communications and human resources director for her family business Perrywood garden centres - one of which is on Kelvedon Road in Inworth, near Tiptree.

She said: "My functional disorder meant I would twitch and jerk in response to sound or touch.

"I looked like a peculiar air drummer with no rhythm.

"There was no information available to help me, so I found my own way to get better."

Hannah sought refuge in nature - where she had spent much of her childhood - to aid her recovery.

She now lives in Layer Marney, which lies between Maldon and Colchester, with her husband and daughter.

"Growing up in a garden centre, my childhood was full of nature and plants," she said.

"This was in stark contrast to the concrete of London, where I became unwell.

"After seeking alternative therapies and moving back to the countryside, I began to feel myself again - my 'green recovery' followed.

"I believe we all benefit from having mindful moments, and this can easily be done by savouring the small wonders of nature around us."

Functional neurological disorders affect around one in three people attending neurology outpatient clinics.

The disorder can affect the body in a variety of ways, including causing paralysis, seizures, pain and difficulty speaking.

Hannah's book is a memoir that explores the possible reasons for her burnout and investigates her connection with nature.

"I wrote the book primarily to help others," she said.

"I want to raise awareness of functional neurological disorders and I've found that every time I open up and tell my story it encourages somebody else to ask for help."

The Cactus Surgeon is available to buy via Hannah's website using the link here, through independent book shops, eBook providers and on Amazon.

It can also be bought at Perrywood Tiptree, on Kelvedon Road, and Perrywood Sudbury, on Newton Road.

Hannah can be contacted via [email protected] for bulk orders.