This week it’s Mental Health Awareness Week 2023, and its theme? Anxiety. We know there are many things which up the ante on our anxiety – driving in rush hour, getting your kids ready in the morning, giving a presentation when you’re not properly prepared. But sometimes there is a double agent. A frenemy, if … Read more
It’s not easy to write a review of Matt Haig’s The Comfort Book. Not because it’s badly written, or dull or unoriginal. But just because it’s all so pleasant and reassuring, that there’s not a lot to say. The book is ideal for the coffee table, the bedside table, or as a gift for friends. … Read more
It may be good to talk, but for some people it can feel really bad. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve experienced trauma, take a while to trust or just come from a family that don’t ‘do’ feelings. Speaking out loud about your inner world can be frightening. I have to admit that when I first … Read more
As a therapist I believe in the healing power of talking. But for some people, speaking about how they feel is an almost impossible task. They withdraw into a world of their own, and silence becomes their sanctuary. Harriet Shawcross’s book, Unspeakable The Things we Cannot Say, takes a look at the limits of language … Read more
Daring to embrace your dream, only to have it snatched away is painful. A proper stomach sinking, tightness in the chest, type painful. For some, the fear of failure will be a block to even attempting to achieve goals. Disappointment just hurts too much. But the truth is, if you have a dream, and the … Read more
My very first counselling placement was within bereavement. Where I listened as clients explored their grief. Often they spoke of shock, sometimes abandonment and occasionally a sense of overwhelm. Reflecting on this work, I’m struck by how inept words are to express the raw, desperate, profound feelings that death can deliver to those left behind. … Read more
From the moment I started earning money, I have been desperate to spend it. I hear the siren call of the shops, wherever I am. For me a day without an Amazon package is dull and grey. But when I know my doorbell will be a’ringing with deliveries, there’s fission and purpose in the air. … Read more
I’m so used to studying heavy going mental health books that reading entrepreneur Anya Hindmarch’s, If in Doubt Wash Your Hair, was like a mini break for the mind. There’s no trauma, grief or suicide here, just Anya’s common sense advice on how to live a more fulfilling life. From the chic front cover (sunny … Read more
I say that wherever you are in the year, is the perfect point to reflect on how you feel. And, if you’re among the majority of us who made glittering new year’s resolutions back in January, only to find they’ve fallen by the wayside, then don’t worry. There is still plenty of time to get … Read more
If I were to say women weightlifters, what would your first reaction be? Because, if like many people, you instantly think ‘unattractive and unfeminine’ then you may want to take your time to read my book review of Stronger by Poorna Bell. Within the 300 pages of Stronger, Poorna makes more salient, incisive points around … Read more
You’re a good person, right? I bet you’re mostly kind to others, hold doors open for strangers and help your friends when they’re having a tough time. But have you ever done something so against your moral values that you struggled to forgive yourself? If so, you may have experienced moral injury. And even though … Read more
First, the background What is a life shock? It’s the, “Unexpected moments that accompany the onset of illness, divorce, redundancy, bereavement or any major challenge.” writes Sophie Sabbage, Lifeshocks author. Sabbage is an advocate of the ‘everything happens for a reason’ school of thought. She believes life shocks are really just encouraging us to reveal … Read more