Latest articles on counselling and therapy

Most of us will have experienced the heartbreaking moment when we say goodbye to a beloved pet. Pets play a huge part in our lifestyle, our family dynamics and our emotional state. And, when we lose one, under any circumstances, the loss can be felt for many years.

Losing a pet in a breakup is particularly harrowing as you’re currently dealing with the grief of a relationship breakdown, and trying to come to terms with the loss of your pet, who hasn’t actually passed on.

Written from...

Talking about money is hard. Whether you’ve not got enough or you’re doing well, it’s not an easy topic to talk about. The boundaries can feel so blurred; are we boasting if we admit we’re doing well? Are we not managing our finances properly if we’re struggling? There are always people worse off than we are - we can’t really complain, can we?

Despite studies showing that more than a fifth of us are stressed by our financial situation (rising to a third, if you’re between 18 to 34), not...

When relationships end, it can be difficult, particularly if you did not want things to change. It may be that a romantic relationship is over, or that a friendship has drifted away despite your best efforts, or even that someone has died. In all of these situations, the relationship between you and the other person is over. However, we construct our reality, and despite this change outside of ourselves, it is not always the case that the relationship is over for us internally. Sometimes you...

Let’s be honest: talking about money just isn’t a very British thing to do. That shouldn’t stop us. Our money and mental health worries are often linked. According to leading mental health charity Mind, poor mental health can make managing our money even harder, while worrying about money can make our mental health worse.

Studies have shown that over a fifth of us are stressed by our financial situation, with numbers rising to over a third of us aged 18 to 34. With over 70% of us have...

I'm guessing you check your texts many times... there's nothing there! You try to focus on anything else except the person that you believe is your soulmate, your lover... but you can't! You go to the gym and you workout... but you can't stop thinking about them! It wasn't supposed to be like this, it was an attraction, a physical attraction with 'no strings', 'fun' even... except it's not! It's become addictive, obsessive, and you may even feel that you love them. So, what's the issue, you...

This article describes some of the principles behind emotionally focused couples therapy (EFT), which is an approach to relationship counselling that focuses on the importance of creating a secure bond of adult attachment The importance of a secure bond Emotionally focused couples therapy is based on the premise that a strong relationship is based on feeling that your partner is emotionally available and responsive to you. What this means is that your partner is a safe person for you to share...

Arguably three of the most important relationships in your life, securing trust in romantic, parental and friendship relationships is key to a harmonic existence together. Trust is an essential foundation in a relationship, enabling strong communication and a support system to flourish.

But when a key player in the relationship is suffering with trust issues, communication breakdowns can occur, frustrations can arise, a so-called elephant in the room can appear and the feelings of...

A breakdown in a relationship can be a painful thing. It is hard to know if it is recoverable. When you are feeling hurt or unsure about the future of the relationship, it can make you hesitant to try to make it better, or to have hope for a future together. These are normal and understandable feelings. It can also feel very exposing and embarrassing talking about very personal relationship issues with a therapist who is a stranger. Therapists are sensitive to this fact, and will do their best...

How do you know if a relationship is right for you? If you are struggling to make a commitment to someone, is it that the relationship itself is wrong, or is there something wrong with your ability to feel happy with your partner?  If things aren't as good as you would like them to be, are you the one with a problem for being a perfectionist and should you work on your unrealistic expectations? Or is your problem that you hesitate to accept when a relationship is not right and end it...