Self-compassion

Woman with long brown hair and eyes closed, enjoying her pasta salad.

Weight loss and self-esteem

Walking round our beautifully blossomed park last week, I suggested to my friend that we take a coffee and cake break. She suddenly seemed sheepish. “I can’t do a cinnamon bun,” she confessed “I need to lose weight.” And she said it in such a weird, whispery, intense voice, that I thought she’d just disclosed … Read more

Woman with black hair in a bob, and crisp white shirt sitting against a wall. She looks stressed and is holding her head with her hand,

The pressure of perfectionism

Last month I wrote an article for Liz Earle Wellbeing magazine about the pressure of perfectionism. It explored how chasing impossible, unattainable standards can cause significant damage to our mental health. As I interviewed my case studies, I heard multiple accounts of how the drive towards perfectionism led them towards sleepless nights, panic attacks and … Read more

What exactly is self esteem?

Self esteem is such a common term, so frequently bandied about. We speak of it as if we’re discussing this season’s hemline – is yours high, low or unravelling and trailing on the floor? But what exactly is self esteem and what does it mean? I’ve specialised in this area for five years now and … Read more

Woman with long brown hair looks at herself in the mirror and practices self compassion.

Self-compassion and its many benefits

Any regular visitors to this blog will know two things. One: I am a massive advocate of self-compassion and its many benefits. And two: self-compassion is not as whimsical as it sounds. I’m aware that ‘practising self-compassion’ is the sort of thing we say to ourselves when we lay in bed, flannel on head, nursing … Read more

3 ways to manage your moral injury

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