How do I know my therapist is the right fit for me? Looking for the right therapist for you can be stressful and daunting, even if you know what you need in someone to adequately support you. My professional experience has taught me that accessing therapy is rarely a linear process. Many people’s experiences include […]
Vicarious Trauma
From inconsistent sleep to physical pain, it is common for therapists to experience stress responses when working with survivors of sexual violence. Part of our roles include looking after ourselves in service of taking care of clients, as we manage the impact of trauma together. In a new blog on PESI (Psychotherapy Excellence) I […]
How do we talk about experiences of abuse?
Abuse is a cognitive, emotional, and somatic process. As such, talking about abuse is a cognitive, emotional, and somatic process. Sometimes it spills out in an urgent way. Sometimes it’s slow and takes time. There can be vivid memories, flashbacks, nightmares, and physical sensations. These are the mind and body re-telling the story in a […]
If You Need Therapeutic Support In 2021…
Don’t wait to ask for help. Asking for help is nothing to be ashamed of, especially during this pandemic where we have so little resources and normality to keep us going. If you’re nervous about contacting a service, organisation, or individual psychotherapist/counsellor, then make use of the communication method you feel most comfortable with when […]
Understanding & Managing Suicidal Feelings & Thoughts
We can’t talk about mental health without talking about suicidal feelings and thoughts. Considering these as ‘extreme’ reactions or the more ‘extreme’ end of the mental health spectrum is dismissive of one’s intense suffering or struggle. Many people experience suicidal feelings and thoughts, including those who can get daily life done consistently well. There are […]
I’m A Social Impact Star Award Nominee
Around a fortnight ago I received an e-mail from a network called Inspiring Women Changemakers to let me know I had been put forward by two of its members for an award. I spent a fair part of the following hour getting my head around the news, which was such a surprise. The timing marks […]
Finding the Person Amongst Mental Health
One thing I’m open about is how difficult it can be to condense information about mental health into a short blog post, article, or a photo with a bit of text on social media. Mental health support and information should be accessible to everyone so it’s great to use all these platforms. But I worry […]
Making Changes In Psychotherapy
My working experience has taught me that people want two things from seeing a Psychotherapist. These are a private space to speak freely and be heard, and a sense of moving forward rather than being stuck. These point to the underlying elements of the process which is the working relationship, and the co-created space, between […]
Regulating Embodied Stress Using Breath & Movement
Although humans have evolved over time it’s worth looking to the fundamental survival mechanisms in our bodies and minds to understand how to manage stress, including traumatic stress. This is because our bodies automatically react to any kind of threats in our environment, including at unconscious levels. For people who have experienced significant and/or repeated […]