Not Just Mum is the book you need if you’re planning to launch your own business. But still intending to parent a small person too. Because the author Claire Antill, has done just that, and with great success. She’s a mother of three, marketing agency owner and expert in growing small businesses. And now she’s … Read more
The Power of Closure by Gary McClain explores the very human craving for closure. The yearning for freedom and acceptance that only this elusive condition can bring. But then he flips it round and asks, is closure really all its cracked up to be? In fact is it even necessary? There was a time in … Read more
Summers ended, September’s here, so it’s off the sun lounger for me, and back to some serious reading. And I’ve kicked off the academic year with a bit of existential therapy courtesy of It’s On Me by Dr Sara Kuburic. Kuburic is an existential therapist, and if you’ve not heard that term before it simply … Read more
Are you feeling brave today? Fearless, even? Sure? Then grab my hand and I’ll take you back to the early noughties. But I hope you don’t scare easy, because the new millennium was a terrifying time for young women. The term abuse of power wasn’t yet in every day parlance. There was scant awareness of … Read more
If you’re feeling like your life’s a mess – mayhem all around, not enough money to pay the bills and mental health hanging by a hair’s breadth – then In Pursuit of Happiness will chime with you. Written by fashion journalist Stacey Duguid, it’s an unflinching account of her battles with self-esteem. Starting with her … Read more
There’s no denying that girls walk a thin, winding and poorly lit path on their journey to womanhood. The demands stack up like a game of Tetris. Be hardworking but not overly ambitious; make the best of yourself but don’t veer into vanity. Never become a ‘pick me’ girl, but beware! Assertiveness is equally unattractive. … Read more
While I was training as a therapist the idea of ‘self’ was front and centre. We discussed it constantly in the classroom, and throughout counselling placements. In fact, I’d guess, I’ve spent hundreds of hours reading, theorising and considering the concept of identity. But, it wasn’t until the birth of my son that I really … Read more
What did I expect from Flourish by Antonia Case, before I began reading? Judging by the title, and the uplifting abstract on the cover, I imagined it would be a how-to guide, distilling good advice and directing me on the finer points of thriving in my own life. Possibly, it would remind me to drink … Read more
I grew up immersed in the world of magazines. From my first flick through Jackie, aged nine, to my present-day fondness for Psychologies and Grazia. There’s something about the aspirational imagery, the smell of print on high-sheen pages, and the promise they offer, that I find so very soothing. But magazines are much maligned, and … Read more
In the interest of full disclosure, I read ‘Feeling Blah’? by Tanith Carey, while on holiday. And with the sun on my body, and barely a thought in my head, I was feeling far from blah. Nevertheless, blah is a feeling that I am somewhat familiar with, through my clients. It’s the feeling of numbness … Read more
Know Your Worth by Anna Mathur, dives in to the world of self-esteem. And it got me thinking. Which celebrity’s got good self esteem? Could it be Kim Kardashian with her body confidence? Greta Thunberg with her fierce and fearless speeches or Victoria Beckham’s drive and determination? Taking her from Spice Girl to fashion designer … 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