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
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
Through Forrest Rambles I have had the pleasure of interviewing some wonderful friends and colleagues on various topics including compassion focused therapy, voluntary work and working with children. This month Jason Roscoe joins me to talk about Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and life as a therapist! I met Jason a couple of years ago when … Read more
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
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
Alcohol is a big part of our culture, and it can have a significant impact on our wellbeing. Alcohol Awareness Week takes place from 11th to 17th November, with this year’s theme being ‘Alcohol and me’, so this is a good opportunity to reflect on your drinking and how it may be impacting on any … Read more
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
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
I’ve wanted to do a blog post on my friend and fellow therapist Liz Thompson, ever since I first met her and now we’ve finally gotten around to it! Liz runs Fresh Thinking Therapy, and specialises in working with children and young people. I love her enthusiasm for her work and her personal commitment … Read more
