Latest articles on counselling and therapy

We live in a consumerist society and constantly have to make decisions around budgeting and where to best direct our money. Coming up to Christmas can be an especially stressful time where many can feel obliged to take part in exchanging gifts with friends or co-workers as well as family members. Those of us that are also parents have the additional pressure of having to negotiate the demands of children that are often whipped into a frenzy by ever-increasing adverts for new and expensive...

Oh to feel chilled and not anxious, exhausted and overwhelmed. When the nights draw in and we turn our attention to the festive season feelings are mixed. We all wish for a relaxing end of the year when family and friends gather together and there is goodwill for all. The reality can be somewhat different.  The end of the year marks a significant point in our lives. It's a reflective moment when we look back on the previous year and look forward to the year ahead. Many of us do a mental...

It's at this time of year that many people can experience an unexplained drop in mood, energy and optimism. We don't really know if it's to do with falling light levels and the harsher weather but it seems likely that, as animals, we are deeply connected to these seasonal changes and what they mean. As the coming winter reminds us, on a deeply primitive level, of our vulnerability to elemental forces, unconscious anxieties about our own mortality are inevitably triggered, with questions about...

If you suffer from depression, you will know that it can affect every aspect of your life. It can make daily and family life a struggle. Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses seen by GPs. Depression is a mood disorder; it is an illness that affects your body, your mood and your behaviour. It presents as a pervasive low mood that affects the way that we go about our lives; life lacks joy and becomes a chore. Simple tasks take great effort. Often when, suffering from depression,...

I have decided to reflect on this issue for two reasons, the first reason being the recent news report (BBC, Guardian) that has shown that more than half of all those taking antidepressants experience withdrawal problems - which for millions of people are severe. Secondly, I want to try and inspire people to engage in a psychological process instead of - or combined - with taking antidepressants. Generally, from my experience, the people who take antidepressants have ultimately found their...

Since launching in 2013, the highly endorsed Reading Well scheme has helped over 778,000 people across the country. With titles available to borrow, free of charge, from 98% of England’s libraries, discover the latest books chosen by health experts, those living with mental health conditions, their relatives and carers.

Each year, health professionals, library staff and users are surveyed on their experiences with the Reading Well programme. Combined with book sales and borrowing data,...

What is depression? Depression is a mental health disorder that affects mood, thoughts and the body. It is associated with a feeling of great sadness and despair. People experience a loss of pleasure, even for activities that they once enjoyed. Decision-making abilities may be impaired or affected by sleep and eating disorders. Self-esteem is diminished with a tendency to undervalue one's own worth. As is often the case with mental illness, depression has physical consequences that are...

Seasonal affective disorder (also known as SAD) is a very common mental health disorder. It is a type of depression that people will only experience at specific times of the year. Most people start to feel the effects during the winter months - when the days grow shorter, greyer and colder. It is especially prevalent in the United Kingdom as the weather changes are quite adverse. Many people who suffer from SAD struggle to get an accurate diagnosis as it is often confused with depression or...

Flow states are best described as an optimal state of conscious awareness, where you feel fluid in body and mind, offering you a more continuous sense of health and well-being. It might also be described as a being like a stream of consciousness, which helps you remain alert, relaxed and in-tune with the present moment, present in your own life and less prone to getting caught up in anxieties about the past or future; less sensitive to change, more adaptive to the unexpected and improving your...