‘Body Image’ was the theme of this year’s recent Mental Health Awareness Week. Around this time I delivered a presentation on the topic at a wellbeing evening organised by Hearts Health Club in Crosby. The ladies who attended found this subject really interesting, so I thought it would be good to share the information with … Read more
1-7th June 2019 is Volunteers Week. This brings back fond memories for me as my first job after graduating was with Volunteer Centre Sefton. I ran a project to help young people with mental health problems, learning disabilities and physical health problems to get into voluntary work. At the time my manager was Laura Hamilton … Read more
I’ve been interested in the links between creativity and emotional wellbeing ever since I worked on the Creative Alternatives project 12 years ago. The project delivered creative workshops and outings as a ‘treatment’ for depression and anxiety. Through this I saw the dramatic impact that creativity can have on people’s lives, how it brought them … Read more
Gardening and being out in nature, have long been recognised as good for our souls. So much so that in the 1800’s patients in mental health institutions were being encouraged, as part of their therapy, to work on the grounds and farm. Since then scientific research has shown that gardening reduces depression and anxiety, improves … Read more
I’ve been meaning to write about sleep for a long time and I’ve been prompted to finally write this blog because Friday 15th March is World Sleep Day. Now, don’t get excited, this does not mean that you can call your boss and say that you will be spending the whole day in bed asleep! World … Read more
‘Break Free from OCD’ is a self-help book offering understanding and practical steps, for what is often a very distressing and misunderstood condition. You can read more about OCD in my June 2018 edition of Forrest Rambles. I discovered this book whilst attending a workshop with one of the authors, Paul Salkovskis. At this point … Read more
The New Year is here bringing with it the usual pressures to make changes to yourself and your life. I hope you find this article refreshing as I’m exploring the importance of noticing all the good things we already have going on without changing a thing! Gratitude is all about getting out of your … Read more
Getting Through the Festive Season with Social Anxiety I wrote about Social Anxiety in the October 2017 edition of Forrest Rambles and thought that now was a good time to re-visit the topic with a focus on how to get through the festive season. Social Anxiety is an excessive fear of embarrassing yourself and being … Read more
Last month saw the release of my first book review and now it’s time for my first Q&A session! I’m grateful to Tobyn Bell for agreeing to be my ‘guinea pig’ for this, particularly as he is so busy right now traveling around Australia and New Zeland talking about Compassion Focused Therapy. Compassion Focused Therapy … Read more
After a couple of months of leisurely reading in nice coffee shops, I’m pleased to publish my first book review. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did preparing it! I was attracted to Sarah Wilson’s First, We Make the Beast Beautiful: A new story about anxiety by it’s cover – the … Read more