Welcome to my Blog
Bereavement anxiety
A past client once said the me that bereavement was like being on a rollercoaster, you never knew what was coming next. She had developed anxiety for the first time in her life, which sadly isn't unusual. Anxiety is not necessarily a feeling we might associate with...
How having boundaries can set us free
We all bandy about the word accountability a lot, without really thinking of its implications and what it might truly mean to us in our lives. Brené Brown says "When we fail to set boundaries and hold people accountable, we feel used and mistreated. This is why we...
Why Nature is the best Therapy!
I often get asked what clients can do when things become overwhelming. I always say, go outside, find a tree you love and lean against it. It really works, give it a try! My tree friend has helped me find peace when things have been tough. Ecotherapy helps us...
Body Image; moving towards acceptance
This post is one I have been very keen to do for a while, as clients have been bringing body image in to therapy more and more over the years. I think this is a subject that is very thorny for most of us and really valuable to be discussed in therapy. Menopause has...
Protecting Your Precious Energy
Most of us have felt at some time that we are tired of giving all our energy away to others, leaving us feeling exhausted and depleted, especially at the moment. I have noticed, as have many of my clients, that this constant background anxiety from the holiday season...
Being connected and why it matters to mental health
One of the first things I notice about clients who suffer from depression or anxiety is that they often avoid being around other people. Some find others needs exhausting and some feel they might bring people down with their low mood. Overall there is a feeling that...
Why Hope helps
During my Summer travels I came accross a project to leave stones around a local village with messages of hope and love written on them. I found it so inspiring that you could just pick up the stone and hold on to it, taking in the message, then placing it somewhere...
The signs of emotional overwhelm
Being aware of our emotional load and knowing when it's becoming too much is a careful balancing act. Physical overwhelm is probably easier to recognise for most of us; back pain or a headache which means we have to stop and take notice, even go to bed. Emotional...
Is your anxiety holding you back from travelling?
Travelling and holidays are mostly seen as great ways to relax and recuperate. However as the Summer holiday time arrives, I have clients who are finding it all incredibly stressful and very triggering for their anxiety. So how can something we all seem to long for...
The art of idling; learning to fully rest
When we are in recovery from mental or physical illness, we need to learn to fully rest and let go in order to start to feel well. I often work with clients who find this a challenge, they busy themselves with to do lists and appointments. In many ways they are too...
The ebb and flow of our mental health
I am often asked by clients when they will be better, when they will recover and be fully themselves again after struggles with their mental illness. This question is a deeply complex one and very relevant indeed in Mental Health Awareness Week. Mental health for me...
Menopause and our emotions
The list of symptoms of the menopause range from dry skin to hot flushes, but a lesser known side effect is anxiety and low mood. The levels of anxiety reported by women in perimenopause and menopause, are seen to be on the rise and often come at what can be a very...