Being neurodivergent brings so many difficulties daily, especially if diagnosed late. Add to the trauma of not being believed, having...

The spoon theory came to us thanks to Christine Miserandino, and you can read more about her on her page at butyoudontlooksick.com I...

I don’t know about you, but lockdown was one of the weirdest parts of my life so far. I am one of the lucky ones who survived it fairly...

How many times has fear or uncertainty held you back from something you want or need to do? We create our comfort zones for many different reasons. Maybe you tried something in the past and it did not go the way you wanted or needed. Maybe you gave something a go but something went wrong and you feel like you failed. Maybe others have told you that you can’t do it – whatever it is. Whatever the reason, there is only so much growth that can be done without pushing your limits

Before I start with what I want to share, please note this is just my understanding and personal views based on my night-time wanderings on the internet. Have a read, let me know your thoughts if you would like to, maybe do your own research, and most importantly find the answers that work best for you. Some years ago I read or heard something stating that the human brain can only have one thought at a time. That you might have other thoughts which flit very quickly, but only

There still seem to be so many myths about what counselling is, what good it could do, and who ‘should’ be considering it. I have heard many reasons from people who deny themselves the chance to feel better about themselves and their lives, based on preconceived ideas about what happens in the therapy room, or even about the kind of people that would give it a go. Most people who have an ongoing physical issue will recognise the value in going to see their GP, and getting so

It fills me with a certain amount of hope that counselling, and support with mental health in general, is finally being seen in a more positive light. More than once I have heard people make comments along the lines of “Isn’t counselling just about chatting and having a moan?” and it makes me a little sad to hear it. That is like saying that cake is just flour, eggs, butter, and sugar. Technically this may be right, but the result is so much more than that. Of course, the pr

I have been asked many times why I chose to be a counsellor and if I find it hard listening to other people’s stories each day. My answer every time is that I love my work and feel very privileged that I am trusted with such precious information about people’s lives. For some years, I worked in a couple of roles within mental health and the work was incredibly rewarding. However, many of my clients felt they were not really listened to, that many of the professionals they wo

How many times have you been told to cheer up, stop moping, or not to cry, regardless of what you might actually be experiencing? Lots? Too often? People can sometimes mistake feeling sad for being depressed, which can cause them to worry if they don’t check to see if they have a real reason for feeling sad. Feeling sad is just one part of being human, just one of our emotions, and it is ok to feel sad at times. For example, if someone you love has died, you’ve lost or broke

When choosing a therapist, I often advise people to contact, and possibly meet, 2 or 3 different therapists before deciding who to work with. A crucial part of successful, healthy counselling is the relationship that develops between the client and the therapist, and you can only really get a feel of whether or not they are the right person for you by meeting them. By having an initial session, you are able to reflect on how you felt with the counsellor, if you felt safe beli

I have found a recurring difficulty that a lot of people struggle with is that they do not feel they are good enough. Whether this comes from childhood experiences, from people leading them to think that they get things wrong, or from a wide spectrum of reasons, it is common for people to feel that others are better, smarter, or always get it right. This can lead you to ignore your own wants and needs and to always put others first. You make sure those around you are happy, e

Sometimes we feel trapped, or as if we do not have choices. We have pressures from life, people, and responsibilities - and these can all cloud our ability to see that we have choices and that decisions are ours to make. We do things automatically, or as a reflex, and can repeat the same things we have done many times before. We can all make a change by making a new choice, accepting this truth, and deciding to do it a new way. This can be a small decision, such as reacting

So often in life, we are faced with decision or situations which creates a feeling of fear or anxiety. How we deal with this feeling is what makes the difference in how we live our lives. Do we give in to the fear or do we strive to push through it and do what we need anyway? Healing this fear is not always about not feeling scared anymore. It can be about finding the strength and courage to push forward and become bigger than the fear. Sometimes we have to do this alone, bu