Latest articles on counselling and therapy
Domestic violence and the coronavirus
'Stay at home to save lives' is the message, but what happens if home is not a safe place? " In the year ending March 2019 an estimated 2.4 million adults experienced abuse in the...
Secrets: I've never told anyone this before....
Among the great privileges of being a psychotherapist are the moments when a client tells you a secret they have never told anyone else. A secret they have carried with them for...
Not all abuse is visible
If I were to mention the words ‘domestic abuse’, the first thing that would likely come to mind for you would be violence. Whilst arguably all violence within a...
Opening up about sexual abuse: the challenges, fears, and how to heal
The #Metoo movement, and the courage of survivors speaking out about their abuse around the world, show signs of a growing awareness and acknowledgment of the scale of sexual...
Behind closed doors... when your home is your prison
I've been there. I've lived being 'trapped' in domestic abuse. I've heard the keys in the front door and felt my legs feel like jelly as though they wouldn't hold me up! My coping...
Why domestic violence rises during the World Cup
The FIFA World Cup tournament can offer fans great excitement and thrills when there can be a coming together around 90 minutes of excitement and intense emotional connections....
Bearing witness in the aftermath of violence
I work with stories, stories that are often dark and despairing as they understandably would be in the aftermath of violence. Yet I know through my work that it is in the telling...
Living with violence in the home
What is violence in the home?The UK government’s definition of domestic violence is any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, assaultive and coercive behaviour,...
When abusive relationships end: a complex grief
Addiction specialist Patrick Carnes coined the term the ‘Betrayal Bond’ to describe the intense, trauma bond that often develops between an abuser and their victim....
Understanding domestic violence
Domestic violence is such an epidemic that at one point or another it is inevitable that as counsellors we will come into contact with a survivor. Therefore we need to be prepared...