Sport has been all around us recently, with the World Cup, Wimbledon and the Tour de France. Inspired by this, I’ve decided to use the August Ramble to explore the benefits of physical activity for our mental health. At school I was never the sporty type, but when I was at University and struggling with … Read more
This month, inspired by the recent BBC documentary ‘Ugly Me’, I’m exploring Body Dysmorphic Disorder. Everyone involved in the filming of ‘Ugly Me’ was so courageous, and the programme gave a good insight into the condition and what can be done to help people overcome it. Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD for short), tends to be … Read more
This month I’m exploring a problem I see a lot of in my clinical work – obsessive compulsive disorder (or OCD for short). Despite the many Channel 4 documentaries on all things OCD, and the great work that various charities do to dispel the stigma around it, this still, in my opinion, remains one of … Read more
Firstly, allow me to say a ‘Happy 1st Birthday’ to Forrest Rambles! I’ve been writing this blog now for twelve months, and during that time we’ve explored a variety of topics, including what CBT is, depression, social anxiety, mindfulness and the power of love! May 14th-20th is Mental Health Awareness Week, and the topic for … Read more
Welcome to the April edition of Forrest Rambles. Today I’m going to be looking at Mindfulness as this is a really popular topic at the moment, and it’s recommended by NICE Guidelines as an effective treatment for recurrent depression. I’ve been interested in meditation for about twenty years now, and practice mindfulness on a daily … Read more
February is finally here after the long dark month of January, and the days are getting a little bit longer, which is nice to see. The shops are full of hearts, chocolates and teddy bears, which has led me to reflect on the importance of relationships. When I say relationships, I don’t just mean the … Read more
Welcome to the January edition of Forrest Rambles. I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and that my tips in last month’s ramble helped to keep ‘festive stress’ to a minimum. I’m back to work feeling refreshed and ready for the challenges and exciting times which lay ahead – both personally and for Forrest … Read more
It started to happen about four weeks ago: walking through the local shopping centre I saw my first Christmas decorations. Soon the Christmas songs started creeping into the shops, then the big stores released their Christmas TV ads, and – before you know it – we’ve had Black Friday, and there is no escape from … Read more
Asking for help can be very difficult, so I thought it would be helpful for this month’s Ramble to look at what happens once you’ve put your fears aside and made that first step forwards by booking your assessment appointment. Firstly, don’t be put off by the word ‘assessment’. Really, it is just a chance … Read more
