I attended my mandatory Mental Health Awareness Training yesterday, it’s part of my counselling role at Mind in Mid Herts. The course needs to be completed every two years and, If I’m honest, as I turned up with my coffee and notepad, in hand I wasn’t brimming with enthusiasm. As a fully qualified counsellor, I … Read more
For me, September always has that new school feeling. It’s a fresh start. A chance to have a re-set and then a hard and fast sprint towards the Christmas holidays. I also find it a wonderful time to focus on achieving goals. Especially, since after the summer break I usually have the enthusiasm and energy … Read more
Have you ever let yourself down so badly that you don’t just feel disappointed, but betrayed by yourself? And even years later when you think about the memory, it makes you feel a bit hot and very nauseous. If so, it sounds like you may already know a bit about self-betrayal and how it impacts … Read more
We’re three weeks into the summer holidays now, and I guess some of us are ready to take our rose tinted sunglasses off. How have you been finding the summer holiday experience. Have you frolicked through fields of flowers and felt amazed at how lucky you are? And then just as quickly found yourself feeling … Read more
Do you ever feel as though your walking through treacle? That life has suddenly slowed to a lethargic pace? No one’s getting back to your calls, or emails, and it feels like there’s no progress in life. In fact, even those things that once brought you pleasure no longer do. I think of this as … Read more
Over the years I’ve been specialising in low self-esteem, and the many hundreds of clients I’ve worked with, there is occasionally a feeling that high self-esteem is not essential, but a nice to have. That you can do just fine in life, while living with low self-esteem. But it will be a little less comfortable … Read more
Summer time is here! The out of offices are on, children count down the days until school ends and holidays begin. There’s a general vibe that it’s time to relax and normal service will resume in September. And this is all well, if you’re one of the many yearning for a break. But it’s not … Read more
I know it’s dull, but it’s necessary to start the book review of Joan Didion Notes to John with some background information. Otherwise the title is more likely to confuse than clarify. As you probably know Joan Didion was an American writer, whose sparse and incisive style, was much sought after. Her husband was John … Read more
Hands up all those who identify as people pleasers? Those who are super easy to get along with, always good fun, perpetually on form and eager to avoid confrontation at all costs. Generally your pleasant ways and easy nature are enough to win and sustain a close circle of friends. Which is lovely. But what’s … Read more
We’ve all been there, and experienced the dark and dirty thrill of the hate follow. Finding your frenemy’s account on Facebook or Insta, feeling a surge of adrenaline as you furtively settle down to see what’s new. A-ha, she’s sipping coffee in the sunshine! But is that Spain, or Scotland? How’s she looking? Are her … Read more
Do you ever get that feeling that your life is on hold? As if you’ve been standing in the same place for years? And how do you manage your self-esteem when you feel stuck? When all around you, is constant forward motion – friends switching up their careers, moving houses, having babies, starting business. But … Read more
The Kitchen Shrink, by Dr Andrea Oskis, is a sumptuous and satisfying book. Oskis, a psychologist and award winning cook, takes her two favourite subjects and skillfully blends them to serve up a treat. In each chapter Dr Oskis recounts her work with a different counselling client, looking specifically at the role of food and … Read more