Latest articles on counselling and therapy

Friendship.You can choose your friends but you can’t choose your family... Best friends forever... Will you be my friend... And if you won’t, why not? What am I doing wrong? And if you will be my friend, why? What do you see in me that’s friendship-worthy? Why choose me? Why would I choose you? What do I see in you that feels like a safe, nourishing place for a friendship to grow? What might it ask of me; what might it cost me? What if you like me, and I don’t like you -...

Following from my write-up on insecurity, I had an interesting conversation with someone that has prompted me to explore this topic a little more philosophically. What are insecurities? As children, we sponge from the immediate surroundings faster and more openly than we can possibly imagine. Those who take care of us instantly become our role-models, even though we may not plan for it, or want this to happen. You may disagree with your caregiver’s values or ethics, you may even...

We all at some point in our lives have to change a job or enter a training course. The majority of us will recall that unsettling feeling of uncertainty when we enter our new workplace for the first time.

Who am I going to meet there? What is it going to be like to see their faces for the first time? What will they expect from me? Have they heard anything about me already? What if they don't like me? What if I won't be able to perform my duties as well as I want to? Will they help...

True strength is just like the beautiful shapes and colours in a kaleidoscope: it comes in many forms, sizes and shades. There are examples of this all around us. The tiniest and most fragile of babies can survive the most adverse conditions, the most beautiful of flowers can find a gap in concrete and grow, and there are some ants that can lift 50 times their own body weight. It is easy not to acknowledge or appreciate the beautiful and varying forms that strength can take, and rely on an...

I want to begin by saying there is nothing inherently wrong with taking a selfie: its incredible technology exists allowing us to take stunning photos with our phones, including self-portraits. There are however worrying and disturbing aspects about selfies and their impact on our anxiety and mental health which I want to explore, along with some ideas about how psychotherapy could help with the underlying issues, where there is a problem. It was this article on The Guardian which has made me...

I don’t think that I have met an abuse survivor that hasn’t, at some point or on some level, held themselves (inappropriately) responsible for the abuse. The rape survivor that hates herself for drinking that night, the domestic abuse survivor that believes that she provoked it, that it is because of her actions that he hit her. Or, someone who stays with a partner who is sometimes cruel and sometimes kind, and who therefore feels that there is something deeply wrong with them for...

Therapy is something many only consider going to as an adult, but in fact, it can be beneficial to take your children to see an expert as well. Whether it’s an issue at home, school or mental health concerns that motivate you to go, therapists can help your children understand and express their thoughts and feelings. You might be scared to take your children to therapy at risk of being judged as a parent, but experienced counsellors will have met hundreds of families like you and present...

Stop the stigma of suicidal thoughts The conversation about mental health issues is louder and more wide-spread than ever before. People are using social media to share their mental health journeys and spread awareness, celebrities are weighing in and lending support for more mental health awareness and the media is continually calling for more robust mental health support. It feels like people are more inclined to share their experiences of mental health issues such as depression and anxiety...

Depression can often be a consequence of unresolved, repressed or forgotten feelings resulting from experiences of loss, trauma, crisis and conflict; such as unresolved grief. The depressive state can also occur due to a sense of meaninglessness and lack of purpose in one’s life, affecting the individual on an emotional, spiritual and relational level. The experience of depression can be described as a state of profound sadness, alternating with numbness, which...