Self-Criticism: Does it Really Lead to Self-Improvement
If you are like many people, you can be deeply self-critical. It seems like we are always nagging at ourselves about things we would like to change. Whether it’s your
If you are like many people, you can be deeply self-critical. It seems like we are always nagging at ourselves about things we would like to change. Whether it’s your
People often believe that counsellors will be impersonal and cold. They often imagine themselves talking to a counsellor who is friendly but a bit distant, and imagine therapy being deadly serious. That’s a
Therapy can often be seen as a way of getting in touch with our feelings. In fact, when we talk about getting in touch with our feelings, it’s often therapy
One of the ways that people express themselves is through ‘passive-aggressive behaviour’. Put simply, when people express themselves in this way it seems on the surface to be accommodating or even
One of the enduring myths that we have about mental health is that if we leave it long enough, time will eventually wear down our problems and heal our wounds.
All people seem to seek freedom. We desire to leave behind the constraints on our life and to be less bound by our circumstances, whether those limited finances, unsatisfying relationships
Sharing is one of the earliest things that we learn from our parents. Why? Because it seems our natural impulse isn’t to share. Our parents teach us to share in
Today I wanted to share some writing from a colleague who wishes to remain anonymous. I deeply respect this colleague; what she had to say concerning Mental Health Week last
Many of us have unfinished business, or things left over from the past. Often, these are things we should have done or said, or something that should have been done
One of the reservations that people have about starting counselling is that it will all be about their past. For many people who have had a difficult past, it’s not
People tend to be quite different in the things they think about. Some people are always thinking about the future, and the good and bad things that might happen to
People come to counselling because they feel bad and they want to feel better. Often, their life isn’t working well and they would like to make some radical changes. So
It can be tempting for us to develop simple explanations about why people are the way they are; we really want to understand ourselves and other people. One long-standing debate in psychology
Many of us suffer from low self-esteem, and have worked hard to try to overcome this problem. For those who’ve tried it, building self-esteem can be a long process. It
There are many ways we can view our lives, and sometimes an analogy can be helpful. Though the use of analogy we can sometimes understand what’s going on in a
So many of us lack hope. This can be something that affects us for large periods of our lives; or it might be something that we only occasionally feel. Experiencing
When we think of the words ‘loss’ and ‘grief’ we often think of the death of a loved one, and the acute and painful suffering that results. There is no
People that have experienced psychotherapy or counselling often talk about its benefits. However, we don’t always identify with the benefit they experience – because their lives are different to ours,
Recent years have seen significant and very encouraging advances in both the treatment and recognising depression. More people are able to recognise that someone is suffering from depression and to feel
Sometimes we find ourselves in very uncomfortable and difficult circumstances; we are challenged and highly stressed by aspects of our life. It can feel like it’s almost impossible to keep
The third most frequent question I am asked is: “How long will this process take?” It’s a fair enough question too – if you’re trying to deal with a difficult
The second most popular question that prospective clients like you ask me is, “How will you help me?” I understand; you want to be sure that I will help in a
The number one question I get asked is, “Can you help me?” It’s a fair enough question too; you can be unsure about what you’re getting into, and successful counselling
If you are seeking counselling or psychotherapy, you can sometimes have the idea that the therapist will be able to make dramatic changes to your life through brief observation and