Ageing and wellbeing

None of us are getting any younger – in fact the UK population is ageing rapidly, with the Office of National Statistics predicting that by 2038 one in four people will be aged 65 years and over.  Whilst living longer is a cause for celebration, older people are unfortunately more at risk of mental health … Read more

Feel Pawsome!

Man and dog

April marks both National Stress Awareness month and National Pet Month so in this blog I thought it would be fun to combine these two campaigns by exploring the mental health benefits of keeping a pet! Whatever your choice of pet may be – dog, cat, rabbit, lizard or tarantula – studies have shown that … Read more

Self-Compassion

We are currently surrounded by hearts, chocolates, roses and all manner of pink and red gifts for Valentine’s Day. This is wonderful for any of us who are lucky to be in a romantic and happy relationship, but what about those of us whose relationship is not great, those who are single, bereaved or lonely? … Read more

Effective Resolutions

2020 is here, and it’s that time of year when we traditionally look to the future and set ourselves resolutions in the hope of living a happier, more fulfilled life. This is a tradition which dates back to the people of ancient Babylonia, who at the start of each year made promises to their Gods … Read more

Hygge

coffee and book

Take a few moments to think about the word hygge. What, if anything, does it mean to you? For me, hygge brings to mind flickering candles, soft, warm blankets, a good book and a cup of hot chocolate, while outside all is wintry and dark. So, just what is Hygge, and how do you even … Read more

OCD Thinking Traps

Brain in chains

In last month’s blog on ‘overthinking’, I explored how depression and anxiety are closely linked to the thinking traps of rumination and worry. October is OCD Awareness Month, so I thought it would be interesting to explore the thinking traps which are particular to this anxiety disorder. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, known as OCD, is characterised … Read more

Overthinking

Busy Brain

We’ve all been there – you just can’t switch off, your head feels like a washing machine on the fast cycle, thoughts are spinning round and round like a carousel. You struggle to focus, you can’t sleep properly and you may start to feel quite low, stressed and anxious. Overthinking is quite natural. Our brains … Read more