Welcome to my Blog
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...
Setting Boundaries
We use the word boundaries a lot, without really thinking of its implications and what it truly means. We just know we should have them and many of us don't! Brené Brown says that boundaries are simply "What is ok for you and what isn't". This appeals to me because...
Challenging Relationships
Many people come in to therapy in the midst of a relationship which is causing them overwhelming difficult feelings. This relationship might be with a parent, family member, friend or love partner, all of them are equally difficult. The common theme is often that...
The Stories We Tell Ourselves
Recently I have begun to notice that it is the stories we tell ourselves that are often the most powerful narratives in our head. It is these stories that become our truths and drive our life experiences, unless we begin to notice their impact and challenge them. If...
Learning to explore and accept how we feel
If we are looking for ways to help us change the relationship we have with ourselves, beginning to connect to our feelings is a great place to start. Feelings are the compass to our world, and if we ignore them we risk being disconnected from our unmet needs and...
At the end of the day gratitude matters
It has been another hard year for many people. Many of us are still reeling from all the turmoil and horror in the world right now and it can be a struggle to find a way forward It may take a bit of imagination but stepping back and focusing on those things we feel...
Self esteem and confidence bank
Many people come in to therapy looking for ways to radiate more confidence in their lives, it is certainly a quality many of us feel we would like more of. Yet real inner confidence is often not as simple to acquire as we may think. If you think about the people you...
Why we need to talk about suicidal thoughts
The fact that I had to think long and hard before I decided to write about suicide in this blog, makes me fully aware that there is still a huge stigma around suicidal thoughts and ideation. Yet I have had a large number of clients over the years, who have suicidal...
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...
Feeling fearful and why we need to learn to ‘lean in’
I know many of you will have noticed how anxiety has this way of bleeding in to every part of our lives and before we know it we are avoiding things that might trigger our anxiety. It feels counter intuitive, but gently 'leaning in' to those things with compassion...