Are you a born worrier?
People suffering (and suffering is the right word) with high anxiety tend to be what many people call ‘born worriers’. They find it very hard to live in ‘the not knowing’, as they can’t bear uncertainty. They tend to mull over tiny details, dwell on possible future bad outcomes, jump to worst case scenarios and […]
Mind power!
What’s the most important discovery in psychology? I believe it’s the power of thoughts, that your thoughts about yourself can change how you feel, both emotionally and sometimes physically. Your thoughts and feelings influence your behaviour and define what you do. So if you want to feel better and do better – change your thoughts. […]
Mindfulness schmindfulness
There’s a whole mindfulness industry being built out there. Books, videos, tapes, courses for beginners, trainers, therapists, you name it! But what is it and is it really all that complicated? Mindfulness is simply about being mindful of what you’re thinking and deciding where you choose to focus your attention. Mindfulness is about deciding to look […]
What causes depression?
Elevated cortisol levels caused by stress and distress, cause destruction of the neurons in the hippocampus – the emotional centre of the brain – which causes the low mood or hopelessness, as there are a lack of neural connections to process emotions. Anti-depressants can, over time, hold off the effect of cortisol and the net […]
Bullying at work
To be bullied is to be belittled by another person. It can be very subtle, or very obvious, but it is likely to be persistent. Bullying at work often happens when someone abuses a position of authority. To be put down in this way can occur in any situation where one person is dependent on […]
All change
“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” ― Mahatma Gandhi “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” ― Leo Tolstoy “Things change. And friends leave. Life doesn’t stop for anybody.” ― Stephen Chbosky “The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot […]
Christmas numbers
I wish you love and peace at Christmas Rachel Useful numbers: Samaritans: 08457 90 90 90 Alcoholics Anonymous: 0845 769 7555 Childline: 0800 1111 Refuge/Womens Aid (domestic violence): 0808 2000 247 SANEline (mental illness): 0845 767 8000 NSPCC: 0808 800 5000 National Debt Line: 0808 808 4000 Gingerbread (single parents): 0808 802 0925
Name your feelings
Counsellors often ask how you feel about something because they want to help you experience and process any bottled-up emotions, so that you can deal with the situation better and eventually move on. The English language is rich with ‘feelings’ words, so why do we find it so hard to name our feelings? Sometimes, it can […]
Shock
Shock and numbness Immediately after suffering a traumatic event, or a bereavement or loss, it is common to find that the shock to your psyche is so great that your mind tries to shut it out. People talk about ‘going on automatic pilot’ and may have little recollection of several hours or days after experiencing […]
