Australia Launches ‘Anxiety Festival’

If you’re looking to attend the best anxiety counselling Cheshire has to offer, one area you may struggle with is the idea of going to a big public event – that’s why this new festival dedicated to the topic of anxiety is particularly interesting.

Though anxiety may not manifest itself in these symptoms, the idea behind The Big Anxiety Festival, running in Sydney, Australia, for seven weeks, is to use art to get the public to talk about mental health, as well as using the visual arts as a therapy of sorts for those suffering from these illnesses.

The festival is the idea of Prof Jill Bennett from the University of New South Wales according to The Guardian, who says the link between mental health and art is one that’s never heavily exploited: “There’s a lot of evidence that art has a lot of impact when it comes to mental health. It’s not just a diversion – there is evidence that it impacts on mood and wellbeing,” she says.

The festival, she continues, is something that she wants to be connected to evidence based research – crossing arts and the health sector. After all, she says, there is no matter of fact cure for mental health issues  – and while the likes of counselling and therapy can greatly help, it relies on a huge range of external factors to manage the symptoms.

The approach of the festival is to cast a wide net, using anxiety as a catch-all to attract interest from those who may not even consider themselves as having mental health issues. Mental health campaigns aren’t seen as fun or for those who are undiagnosed, while this festival aims to be an enjoyable time which opens up discourse about living life with the likes of anxiety and depression.

Workplace Sexual Harassment Can Cause Depression

A new study looking at the impact of sexual harassment in the workplace has found that when someone is harassed by a colleague or boss the impact on mental health is worse than when the harassment comes from a customer or client.

The Independent reported on the Danish study, which surveyed more than 7,600 people working for over 1,000 different companies. It noted that over one per cent suffered sexual harassment from a colleague, with 2.4 per cent experiencing the same treatment from someone else they dealt with through their job.

Researchers used the Major Depression Inventory (MDI) to assess the impact of sexual harassment on mental health. By filling in a questionnaire each person is given a score, where 20 indicates mild depression and 30 or more is serious depression.

If a person experienced harassment from a client or customer, their score on this scale increased by 2.05 points. However, when the harassment came from a colleague, the score increased by 4.5 points.

Dr Ida Madsen, from the National Research Centre for the Working Environment in Denmark, said that they were surprised by the results, as this is not a distinction they’ve seen in previous studies.

“This is important as some workplaces, for example in person-related work, may have an attitude that dealing with sexual harassment by clients or customers is ‘part of the job’,” she stated.

The impact of any form of sexual harassment shouldn’t be ignored though, especially given that figures from NHS Digital recently found that almost one-third of sick notes issued by GPs in England between December 2014 and March 2017 were as a result of mental health conditions.

If you’re having difficulties at work, whatever the reason, counselling in Warrington may help. Contact us to find out more about the support we offer.

5% Of South Cheshire Clinical Budget Spent On Mental Health

Mental health services in South Cheshire could come under threat as it’s revealed that the proportion of the clinical budget allocated to these services will be just five per cent.

According to data obtained by Labour MP for Liverpool Wavertree Luciana Berger, more than half of clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), responsible for setting NHS trust budgets, do not plan to spend more on mental health in the coming months.

Ms Berger, who is also a member of the health select committee and chair of Labour’s Campaign For Mental Health, recently wrote in the Huffington Post that 2017 marks the fourth year in a row that the government has failed to deliver on its promise to increase the money reaching the mental health frontline.

Assessing statistics obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, Ms Berger said that the number of CCGs pledging to increase mental health spending has gradually dropped year on year since 2014. Now, 52 per cent of CCGs say they will not invest a greater proportion of their budget in mental health services.

“We must continue to strengthen the social movement in mental health that is creating the space for us all to talk about the issues more freely,” she commented, calling for mental health spending to be ring-fenced and for proper investment in prevention and early intervention across the nation’s schools and communities.

Previous figures have shown that clinical commissioning groups across Cheshire spent approximately 25 per cent less on mental health per head than the national average. For therapy in Cheshire, contact us today.

Mental Health Conditions ‘Account For 31% Of Sick Notes’

A new report from NHS Digital has found that mental health and behavioural conditions made up 31 per cent of all sick notes issued by GP practices in England between December 2014 and March this year.

During that period, nearly 1.8 million notes were issued by doctors where the diagnosis was mental health or behavioural concerns. And of these episodes, approximately one in five notes were for a period of absence of over 12 weeks.

Anxiety and stress-related conditions appear to be concerning, with the number of notes written for this climbing by about 14 per cent between 2015/2016 and 2016/2017. January of this year saw the highest number of notes handed out, with 556,000 issued by surveyed practices over the month.

Chief executive of NHS England Simon Stevens commented on the findings and was quoted by the BBC as saying: “These figures explain why the NHS is now putting mental health front and centre, in what was recently independently described as ‘the world’s most ambitious effort to treat depression, anxiety and other common mental illnesses’.”

And Jed Boardman of the Royal College of Psychiatrists made further comments, saying that more now needs to be done to help people get back to their jobs. This could include staggered work days or coming up with agreed goals for the person returning to work – which GPs will suggest on these fit notes.

Do you think you need depression counselling in Warrington? Give us a call today to see how we can help.

Robbie Williams Opens Up About Depression & Anxiety

British singer Robbie Williams has spoken out about how his music career has had a negative impact on his health and wellbeing, contributing to feelings of anxiety, depression and agoraphobia.

Speaking to The Sunday Times magazine, the 43-year-old singer – who joined super group Take That aged just 16 – explained that he thinks the music business has been very bad for his health, the Sun reports.

He said: “This job is really bad for my health. It’s going to kill me. Unless I view it in a different way. [Depression] sprints through my family. I don’t know if I’d be this mentally ill without fame. I don’t think it would be as gross or as powerful if it hadn’t been for fame.”

The musician continued to say that because he’s so in the public eye and has the attention of the world upon him, his defects have been magnified as a result as well.

Common signs of depression can include feeling irritable, agitated or restless, feeling empty or numb, having no self-confidence or self-esteem, finding no pleasure in life or activities you might usually enjoy, or feeling isolated and unable to relate to others.

It can affect your behaviour, so you might find yourself self-harming, avoiding social events, finding it hard to think or speak clearly, having difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much, feeling tired all the time, no appetite and weight loss, using alcohol, smoking or taking other drugs more than usual, and moving very slowly or experiencing physical aches and pains with no obvious cause.

If you’re concerned and need someone to speak to, get in touch with us today for depression counselling in Cheshire.

Popular Teens More Prone To Social Anxiety Later On?

New research has suggested that the relationships that people make during their teenage years could have a big impact on their mental health later down the line.

Carried out by the University of Virginia and funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, and the National Institute of Mental Health, the study found that teens who prioritised close friendships at the age of 15 reported lower social anxiety and a higher sense of self-worth, as well as fewer depressive symptoms at the age of 25 than their peers.

And, interestingly, teenagers who were popular among their peers reported higher levels of social anxiety at young adulthood.

The conclusion was drawn that experiencing strong and intimate friendships during adolescence could be beneficial for long-term mental health.

“Being well-liked by a large group of people cannot take the place of forging deep, supportive friendships. And these experiences stay with us, over and above what happens later. As technology makes it increasingly easy to build a social network of superficial friends, focusing time and attention on cultivating close connections with a few individuals should be a priority,” co-author of the study Joseph Allen said.

Social media itself has been criticised in the past for helping to increase feelings of anxiety, in large part because of the compare-and-despair phenomenon. Seeing other people’s lives can make us feel inadequate about our own – which can lead to social anxiety and depression.

If you’re worried and think you need anxiety counselling in Cheshire or elsewhere, get in touch with us today.

21% Hike In Exam Result Counselling Sessions, Report Reveals

A Level exam results have recently gone out and it’s been revealed that the number of students gaining pass grades has dropped for the first time in three years after the new curriculum was brought in.

So it’s perhaps unsurprising that new research from the NSPCC has also just indicated a 21 per cent rise in counselling sessions with Childline and young people worried about their results in the last two years.

The increase was particularly dramatic among those aged between 16 and 18, where counselling sessions were seen to climb 68 per cent in the last two years.

Advice for parents or carers from the charity to help young people manage their feelings of anxiety or depression include not pressuring them to achieve certain grades, encouraging them to take their time to think about what their next step will be, and helping them to consider their choices by writing down lists of pros and cons of their particular options.

“We’d encourage young people not to be disheartened if they don’t get the results they hoped for. It’s important they remember that they have options and that talking to a friend or trusted adult can really help them see this clearly. Childline is also here 24/7 to listen to any young person worried about their results and needing confidential support and advice,” NSPCC chief executive Peter Wanless said.

Although the number of people gaining pass grades did drop, it was also seen that the number of students scoring either an A* or an A rose by 26.3 per cent compared to 2016.

To finds out more about counselling in Cheshire, contact us here!

Self Esteem Promoting Behaviour

Low self esteem is created by biased thinking. Biased against yourself.

Have you been complimented and thought “Oh! that was nothing” or “It is what anyone would do” or “It wasn’t very good really” or ” I should have tried harder” or something similar? This is discounting a compliment, and it results in failing to get a positive emotion from the compliment. It is also heard by your mind, which then in effect deletes the compliment from the record, resulting in you losing out on something which would build self esteem.

Have you ever seen a look on someones face and they weren’t saying anything and thought “They don’t like me” or “They think its my fault” or “I have upset them” or something similar? This is mindreading, and results in a bad feeling. The thought is recorded as the truth by your mind and contributes towards reducing your self esteem.

Have you ever been with someone who was upset and ranting? Have you thought “They are upset with me?” or “I must put this right” or “I am to blame” or “Its my fault” or something similar? This is taking responsibility for others feelings and problems, and results in feeling to blame for everything that goes wrong, which lowers your self esteem.

What would happen if instead of this type of behaviour you tried something different?

What would happen if, when someone complimented you, you said “thank you” , just “thank you” and no internal mental commentary?

What would happen if a person says nothing you think “They like me”

What would happen If they rant about something you think “They are mad at life”

What would happen if, only if, someone says very specifically what behaviour of yours upset them, and how it caused them to feel, do you accept responsibility? and then you ask them “what can I do to put that right?” and then you put it right straight away?

Why don’t you try an experiment to find out?

What happens when your thinking is biased the other way? When you are biased in favour of yourself?

If you need help with anything in this post, or this post triggers some strong feelings for you then get therapy now! click here

Important new study about parenting styles and the effect on teenage depression and anxiety disorders

If you are a parent you know how much you have tried to give your kids the best start in life. And do you know what helps them grow to be happy and content in their lives? You are probably confused at times by the variety of advice and information available. A new study by researchers at Monash Univeristy in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia sheds some light on what parenting strategies affect the later development of anxiety and depression in teenagers.

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Click here to read a summary of the study

Click here to access the full paper of the study

This may help you to modify what you do to help your kids grow to be happy and content and successful adults. If you feel things are not optimal and would like to talk it over and or make some changes contact me to discuss how our therapy services could help.

If your kids are already showing signs of depression or anxiety its not too late to help. Encourage them to talk to you and when you do listen and validate their feelings rather than commenting on them from your own perspective. Encourage independance and a sense of internal leadership in them. Talk to your doctor and encourage them to seek effective help. I can put you in touch with approriate help if you need it.

New Years Resolutions – How are yours doing?

Did you make some new years resolutions? How are they doing? It’s not so easy to change your habits is it?

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This is the time of the year when people are taking stock of their lives, examining their progress or lack thereof, and contemplating the path they would like to take in the coming year. You undoubtedly have heard many different ways to set goals in previous years, but this year I would like to invite you to set your course from an existential perspective .

The existential perspective can be seen as an invitation to live and not just a list of things to change. As such, this list will call you to a deeper examination of a more meaningful life, help you to begin to view the upcoming year through an existential lens, and, hopefully, empower you to reclaim and truly own your life.

1. Begin with the end in mind: Although Steven Covey made this statement famous with his goal-setting guidance, the end we’re discussing here is not the end of 2013 but rather the end of your life. Death is not something our culture likes to talk about, but it’s important for living a full life. Imagine how you would live your life if you were diagnosed with a terminal illness or if you were 85 years old. Chances are you would spend more time on the things that really matter, like cultivating relationships, playing more, and worrying less.

2. Practice presence: Practicing presence is mindful engagement with the present moment. A person who is present is one who is aware of his or her own experience and, often, the experiences of others. The present person is one who pays careful attention to what is happening in the now, wherever he or she might be, without allowing outside distractions to invade. Practicing presence will deepen your relationship with your colleagues, family, loved ones, and yourself.

3. Positive thinking? Forget about it: Positive thinking, while having some merit, is one of the ways in which people tend to deny their experience. Positive thinking encourages people to focus on the good things in life while forsaking the darker aspects that life also holds. While I don’t believe that wallowing in sorrow or focusing only on the negative aspects of life is healthy, neither is denying their existence. In fact, denying the experience of negative feelings or experiences can be even more harmful later, when the unresolved emotions arise. This year, work on allowing yourself to have your experience without getting stuck in it. Whatever you’re feeling, let it be and then let it go.

4. Choose freedom (and responsibility): Viktor Frankl said “I recommend that the Statue of Liberty on the East Coast be supplemented by a Statue of Responsibility on the West Coast” because he understood that with freedom comes responsibility. In fact, the two are intricately intertwined. If you really want to be free, you have to take total responsibility for your life. Once you do, you will never again be a victim to people, forces out of your control, or circumstances because no matter what happens, you will always be free to choose how you respond to it.

5. Make the journey the goal: When you focus solely on the outcome or the endgame, you lose the value of the journey—and the journey is the richest part. Although there is value in setting measurable goals, don’t get so consumed with the ending that you miss out on what really matters. If losing weight is your goal, keep the big picture in mind but celebrate the smaller goals along the way. Instead of counting success in pounds lost, consider the success in feeling healthy. Wherever you are in the journey is exactly where you ought to be; enjoy where you are while on the way to where you’re going.

As you progress through this New Year, set your goals and resolutions using an existential perspective. I trust you will find a more poignant, powerful, and meaningful life emerging. Here’s to a vivified existence with renewed courage and will. I wish you health, wellness, love, and hope this year and all years.

If You want more tips on New Years Resolutions

If you want more information about goal setting

If you would like more information about Life-Goals Psychotherapy

Contact us directly for psychotherapy and counselling in Warrington ,Cheshire and South Lancashire

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Got the blues in January?

Winter TreesHow to beat the blues

According to some formulae, the third Monday in January is the most depressing day of the year (the calculation involves bad weather, Christmas debt and time since failing to fulfil New Year’s resolutions, among others) and has been tagged ‘Blue Monday’.

Although there is no scientific basis to this formula there is no doubt that this is a difficult time of year for some people and why the day has developed this status isn’t that surprising. Any party that lasts from Christmas Eve to New Year’s Eve is bound to result in a serious hangover, and the return to reality after a long break can be depressing for some. It’s especially true in the current economic climate, where the news may appear to be an unrelenting and daily dose of decline, dour weather and increased prices and lower income.

However there are simple things that anyone can do to cheer themselves up, even on this allegedly bleakest of days.

Firstly, exercise. Many people will have joined a gym in the New Year but this isn’t strictly necessary, and it is easy to fall away, particularly when the nights are cold and dark and you have all those DVD boxsets that you received as presents to watch. The best thing to do is to make small changes to your routine which increases the amount of exercise you do.
Examples of these small changes could be getting off the bus a stop early or, for those that drive to work, parking the car a five-minute walk away.Even minor activities can improve your mood.

Another thing that can improve your mood is diet, so try and eat healthily. That doesn’t necessarily mean not eating things that you like, but trying to achieve a reasonable balance between those things that are good for you such as fresh fruit and vegetables and those that are ‘naughty but nice’. Good nutrition supports your brain as well as your body.

Many people may not feel that they need this advice after a heavy festive period but being careful about alcohol intake is important. It might feel like having a couple of drinks can cheer you up but you need to remember that alcohol can act as a depressant, and what goes up must come down.

It is unlikely that ‘sleeping well’ will be in many peoples’ New Year’s resolutions but getting a decent night’s sleep is vital to anyone’s wellbeing. Having a good routine is key, as sleep irregularities can negatively affect mood.

Some people find sharing their problems difficult, and this is especially an issue among some men, who think talking about their feelings is a sign of weakness. The opposite is actually the truth. It takes great courage to ask for help and there is no shame in it. If you feel uncomfortable talking to people you know, then organisations like the Samaritans are available 24-hours a day and you can call anonymously. And always remember that feeling sad at times is just part of the human experience. It will pass.

People who feel low often isolate themselves from others but this is the last thing they should do. Spending time with people whose company you enjoy and engage in activities such as going for a meal or to the cinema. If money is a problem, then go for a walk or visit a museum or art gallery. There are plenty of things that you can do for free.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that there is so much you can do to improve your mood, whether it’s exercise, watching a film you enjoy or socialising. The New Year can be a new and more positive start.

If you regularly experience sustained periods of anxiety or depression then make an appointment with your GP.

If you would like to know more about Life-Goals Psychotherapy in Warrington, Cheshire and South Lancashire click here.

To contact us directly contact us

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Have you started feeling low?

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Sorry that you are feeling low.

You will get over it fairly quickly and stop yourself sinking into a full depression if you stick to a few simple principles.

First: do get out of bed each day at a regular reasonably early time. Try to eat regular nourishing meals even if you don’t really feel like it. Wash and clean your teeth. This will stimulate your system. Go to bed at a regular reasonable time that means you’ll get about 8 hours sleep. Getting your body clock into a routine will help your mind adjust and stop you from getting into a full depression.

Second: Keep active even if you don’t feel like it. Act as if you felt like it at first, and soon you will. Choose things to do that you will enjoy. Don’t sit and watch TV. Being a passive recipient will leave you time to brood. A film is better than TV if you want to sit and watch something for a bit, because you are likely to be more engaged. Aim to do something active each day.

Third: Talk about how you feel and what is bothering you to a friend. Listen to their response, and then let it go. Don’t keep thinking about it. This is called rumination and will make you feel worse. If only’s and self reproach will not help. If there are lessons to be learned from what has happened then make a vow to yourself that “next time I’ll …..” and then let it go.

If you want to know more about this then read https://www.life-goals.co.uk/natural-ways-…

Recovering your Relationship after Betrayal

Addressing the Pain

Betrayal of a relationship occurs when the expectations you have are violated. This can be caused by many things such as creating debt, sharing confidences outside the relationship, not being there when something major happens, secret and/or excessive alcohol or drug use, and one of the most disruptive and hurtful is sexual infidelity or having an affair. The effect of betrayal is to break down trust. The assumptions you made cannot be relied on and it calls many things into question. Every relationship has an agreement or contract although this may be implicit rather than explicit and on examining it it may be that it is not the same on both sides.

An affair may feel like the ultimate betrayal of trust. You may feel so hurt that you wonder if it is possible to work through the pain and save the relationship. It’s not an easy journey, but it is possible to keep your relationship intact after an affair.

Some feelings that you might be experiencing following discovery of a betrayal include:

Grief & loss
Confusion
Anger
Difficulty trusting anything your partner says
Crying
Fears and doubt

These feelings are common and understandable; however, unresolved feelings can result in resentment, which will further damage the relationship. Psychotherapy/Counselling can help you work through these feelings and begin the healing process. If both of you honestly want to save your relationship, then you’re off to a good start.

How You Can Start

The first step is to stop the behaviour that is a betrayal of the relationship agreement or contract. If an affair hasn’t come to an end or there is still contact with the “other person,” then this will need to be an important step if your relationship has an opportunity of being saved.

For the person who had the affair, are you ready:
To sever the relationship with the “other person?”
To be completely honest with your partner?

If the behaviour has stopped, the next step will be to effectively express your pain and hurt to one another without becoming angry or defensive. This can be difficult, as usually the one who has committed the betrayal wants to quickly move past the pain and guilt they are experiencing, in hopes of returning to a sense of normalcy. This can make their partner feel like they are on rollercoaster, as they are still processing their own grief and there might be doubts as to whether the relationship can be saved. Only you can answer that question, but I have met with many couples who have made the commitment and the decision to save their relationship.

Here are some questions to ask yourself:

Do we really want to save this relationship?
Are we ready to explore the impact of of this on our relationship?
Are we ready to face the challenges that caused this to happen in the first place?
Do we have the commitment to work through those challenges?

If you’ve answered “yes” to these questions, then you’re on the right path! You don’t have to go through this alone. I would like to help you as you take this journey to resolve the pain and renew your relationship. Take the next step and contact me.

4 steps to achieving your goals

Whether you want to quit smoking, find a new job or lose weight, we all have our very own goals. The problem is, they remain just goals for us, and many don’t take action to achieve them. Some proclaim that they don’t have time; others tell us that they’re impossible.

Well, you can achieve your goals. And it doesn’t have to be an uphill battle. All it takes is some hard work and dedication.

Set the goal
The first step is to establish and understand your goals. I find that writing them down on paper is the best way to get the ball rolling. Without knowing where you’re going, you’re never going to get there.

Go into as much detail as you can. This way you’ll be able to break your goals down into chunks and set your targets, which brings me on to my next point…

Create a plan
Know you’ve detailed what it is you want, and where you want to be, you can start to work on your route. Don’t just aim for the main goal; establish smaller goals that will eventually lead you to your final destination.

Example – if you want to quit smoking by a certain date, don’t just aim to have quit by that point. Make smaller goals to help you get there. So, say in a months’ time, you will have cut down by 5 cigarettes a day, and then up that amount each month. Eventually, when you reach your final destination you’ll have cut down to 0 cigs a day.
The plan is going to make achieving your goals a hell of a lot easier.

Act on it
It’s all very well and good setting your goals out and creating a plan, but if you don’t stick to them the whole exercise is pointless.

It isn’t always going to be easy, but hard work pays off. You need motivation to stick to it, so establish treats when you’ve reached certain mini goals.

If you miss one of your mini goals punish yourself. Do whatever you have to. Keeping on track is going to be the hardest part.

Evaluate
If you’re repeatedly missing your mini goals you need to take a step back, evaluate and then readjust. You might not get it right first time, but if you’re able to assess what you’ve achieved and see where you have gone wrong, you can get there.

We can all achieve our goals, regardless of what they are. It isn’t going to happen overnight, and there isn’t a special formula to get there. We’re all individual so it’s about finding out how best you work.

If you would like some help doing these steps contact me for a free discussion of your needs

Good luck!

The Power of your Thoughts

Change your thoughts change your life! Think about it! Our beliefs and assumptions about life are a self fulfilling prophecy. Our minds are programmed to look for confirming evidence to them. We do this because we don’t want to seem mad to ourselves. Unconsciously we need congruence and consistency and for the world to conform to our beliefs. The result is, if we expect bad, that is what we will get, or at least what we’ll perceive happens.

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So what would you like to have happen? We naturally move towards goals that we set. Our creative part gets to work without our conscious awareness. So do some housekeeping! Clear out some negative thoughts! Entertain thoughts of hope, and expectations of what you would like to have happen!

There are lots of tools you can use to shape your thoughts and harness their power. If you would like to learn more about them, Contact me now to discuss how you can reach your goals.

Compassion

The words below were penned by a wonderful colleague. Having compassion for ourselves is essential. These lovely words explain why. Compassion is strong, courageous and gentle. It enables and encourages. It forgives and is always hopeful. Compassion for ourselves is a pre-requisite for a successful life, a life well lived. Compassion for others is essential for a life of connection with others.

Why I deserve compassion
“I find myself in the position of any human being who has ever lived, is alive today, or will be alive in the future. I have been given the gift of life, one life, and I will spend my whole life trying to understand it, trying to work what out to do with it, trying to find my way through it.
For this I deserve compassion.

I did not ask to be given this life, but it is the one, the only one, I have been given. There is no chance for a refund, a part-exchange, or an upgrade. This is it.
For this I deserve compassion.

I did not choose the family I was born into. I did not make a choice to choose the wisest, most able, richest, most loving parents, living in the most beautiful house, in the most beautiful part of the world. I was given the parents I have got, who gave me the start in life that I had. They did not choose me either, but I am who they got.
For this I, and they, deserve compassion.

I did not choose the body I was born into. My body is the result of 200 000 years of human evolution and is an amazing and wondrous machine. But it is still a machine that has weaknesses. When I was born my body was not fully grown and ready to go. I had to spend many years in the early parts of my life with a body that was not yet fully strong and healthy. Yet my body still had to deal with all that Life threw at it.
For this I deserve compassion.

I did not choose the mind I was born with. Evolution created the marvellous and extraordinary thing that is the human mind. But the mind has its limitations. When I was born my mind was not fully developed and fully aware. I had to spend many years in the early parts of my life with a mind that was not yet fully developed. There were so many things I had to learn, remember and understand (believing that all I read, was told, or heard was true) and in this immature state my mind still had deal with all that Life threw at it.
For this I deserve compassion.

In the middle years of my life when my adult body is at its physical peak it will still have its vulnerabilities and it will still have to deal with all that Life throws at it. In these middle years when mentally I am at my best I will still, on a week-to-week, day-to-day, moment-to- moment basis, be taking many decisions and making many choices on the basis of incomplete, or imperfect information. Sometimes I will make mistakes. Sometimes I won’t make the best of choices.
For this I deserve compassion.

In the later years of my life when my aging body and mind are in decline, I will not only be facing Life’s challenges, but will also have the challenge of dealing with what Life throws at me with a mind and body that are past their peak. Sometimes there will be things I am no longer able to do well, even do at all, for myself or those I love.
For this I deserve compassion

And on the last day I am alive, when I look back at the things I have done with my life, my mind will find, amongst the things that I am pleased with or proud of, those choices I wish I had not made, those things I wish I had, or had not done. And when I find myself in that position I should remind myself of those times, however rare, when I made the bravest, most difficult and wisest of choices. Those moments when I said to myself: “I deserve compassion.””

To explore with me developing more compassion for yourself contact me

To see more by the author of these words Stephen Smith

To read more about compassionate mind psychology Compassionate Mind

To read more about how to develop compassionate mind developing compassionate mind

Spring

The spring equinox is nearly here (in the northern hemisphere). This tells us that spring has well and truly arrived. Spring flowers are coming up everywhere. Even through snow in some places.

Is your life showing signs of spring? Have you got some key goals decided for this year? Are your plans beginning? Do you know what steps you need to take to bring about what you want to have happen this year?

Spring Flowers

Spring Flowers

The cycle of the seasons is a great way to give some structure to your plans and progress in your life. The seasons and festivals of the year provide a natural rhythm which can harness our energy effectively and give shape to our life’s journey.

Now is the time to get started on your projects for this year. If you have not already done so, set your self some goals. Get some help to set goals Now is the time to dream of what you want to be like, doing, who to be with, where you want to be, in a few months or a years time. Specific – What specifically do you want to achieve? Measurable – How will you know when you have achieved it? Time limited – When do you want this by?

Decide on some steps that need to be taken to get to your goal. and get your self going! Help to get motivated?

Natural ways to lift Depression

Depression

One of the ways of overcoming depression, which is often overlooked, is the positive effect of activity. It is hard to stay feeling really low if you are doing something. One of the reasons for this is that depression is made worse by thinking about feeling low, and being busy stops this process of thinking about being depressed, called rumination. The other way in which doing something helps, is when what is done gives a sense of achievement or pleasure. Most people will naturally choose to do some things that give the sense of achievement or pleasure, but if you focus on mainly these activities, then depression will lift faster.

If you are feeling down, keep a diary for a few days or a week of what you have done. Record on a scale of 1 – 10 (where 1 is really low and 10 is happy) how you feel, as you do various activities. Then mark which activities give you a sense of achievement or pleasure, by putting an A or a P by them. Try to increase the time spent on these A & P activities.

Achievement and pleasure activities give us positive feedback about life, positive reinforcement that life is worth living, pleasurable, and good. This is the opposite of the hopelessness and pointlessness that cause depression.

If you want to use this approach to feeling better its important to do the activities even if you don’t feel like it sometimes. Act “as if”. The feeling better often comes later, so begin even when you feel low, and keep going. You will most likely suddenly realise that you feel better without realising how and when it came about. It’s a natural and low tech, side effect free way to lift mood.

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Are you anxious and feel out of control of what happens?

A lot of anxiety is caused by feeling out of control. What do you fear will happen? How do you think you can gain control of it? Is there any way that worrying really gives you any control, or do you feel more out of control because you are worrying so much? What we think about tends to come about. Focusing on what you want to have happen, rather than on what you don’t want to have happen, is more likely to lead to happiness for you.

If what you predict happens, what would that mean to you? What would happen next? How could you handle the kinds of problems that you are worrying about? What could you do? Have you been involved in risk management or health and safety management at work? You can see planning for what might happen in your life in the same way. What might happen? If it happened how serious will it be? How likely is it that this might happen (1% – 100% probable)? How much effort is it worth putting in to plans to manage this considering how likely and how serious it is?

Has anything bad happened to you that you were worried about? How were you able to handle that? Are you usually underestimating your ability to handle problems? Many people are far more resilient than they give themselves credit for. Has anything bad happened to you that you were worried about? How were you able to handle that? What can you learn from how you handled that?

What evidence do you have from the past that worrying has been helpful to you and hurtful to you? Worrying and anxiety bring us down, tire us out and depress our immune system. Give yourself a break! Have a laugh! Do some exercise! Enjoy yourself! It’ll do you more good than worrying.

If someone else were facing the events that you are facing, would you encourage that person to worry as much as you? What advice would you give them?

Get help to get a better perspective on what is worrying you. Learn to affirm your ability to cope and be resilient.

Contact me now for effective rapid help with your anxiety

Being Assertive in a relationship

Do you struggle to ask for what you want? Do you put up with things for a quiet life? Fear rocking the boat? Hate it when trying to say how you feel or what you want turns into a row? Would you like to be able to say assertively what you want in a way that is easy to hear and act upon?

Asking for what you want—and setting boundaries around what you don’t want—is a key life skill. But sometimes in our enthusiasm to practice this skill, we over-do our own assertiveness and end up with a partner who shuts down, gets angry or feels resentful. Here are four tips for developing your assertiveness in a way that will actually strengthen, deepen and enrich your relationship—thus avoiding the “alienation trap”:

1. Get Clear.
Being assertive starts with knowing what you are—and aren’t—willing to be, do, or have. For many of us, coming to this knowledge is a real task in itself. Here, it may be useful to ask: “What would I like to have happen?” Focusing on a desired outcome opens our minds, prevents us from falling into passivity or “victim-thinking,” and helps us get really clear on what we want and don’t want.

2. Set Boundaries.
Once you know what outcome you want, share it with your partner. Pay attention to the way stating your boundary feels in your body. With practice, you can clearly sense when you’re really expressing yourself. It can feel really pleasurable, even exhilarating, to express your needs or desires out loud. A good way to state your boundary is ”When you…….(do the thing I don’t want), I feel……… (the feeling that accompanies this experience for me – try starting with sad, angry, or afraid – most feelings are variations on these three) what I would like is for you to ….. (state the behaviour you want instead)”. These are simple ways of being assertive while maintaining connection with your partner.

3. Make a Regular Habit of Stating Your Needs and Desires.
You can build your assertiveness the same way you build any muscle: exercise. Practice speaking up about your needs, big or small, on a daily basis. When you speak up about things that are less controversial—such as where to go to dinner, requesting help unloading the dishwasher or what TV program to watch—both you and your partner get used to your assertiveness. It becomes easier for you to practice and for your partner to hear. Also, when bigger issues come along, you and your partner will have a healthy process in place for dealing with differences in needs, and you’ll have greater confidence in the resilience of your partnership.

4. Give as Much as You Get.
Assertiveness is a two-way street. If you want your boundaries to be respected, you must return the courtesy to your partner. If she doesn’t want you to use the bathroom when she’s in the shower, don’t. If he asks you to give him a half an hour after work before you talk and connect, respect that. When it comes to following through on a partner’s reasonable request, actions really do speak louder than words.

If your partner isn’t respecting your boundaries even though you’ve set them clearly, it may be time to seek professional counselling help for you and/or your relationship.

Couples Counselling

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Older and Wiser

Older and Wiser Review

What do you think about as your birthday approaches?
Presents you will receive? A fun celebration?
How fast the last year seems to have passed?
Do you wonder what you have done with your year?
Wouldn’t it be good to be able to know that you have had a good year, spent it well and celebrate all the had achieved and learned?

Try doing an older and wiser review with me.

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"We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are." – Anais Nin

What we perceive is filtered through our experience , values, beliefs and knowledge. We don’t perceive reality  – we perceive our version of reality, a model in our minds. If you keep perceiving as you have always done, your world view will stay the same. Did you know that the person who can create and use the most options in any given situation will tend to be most successful? Try shifting your perception, introduce more options, more choices. Do something a different way, see it as someone you know sees it. If you want different results then do something different! Be different and you will renew your self!

NLP focuses on studying success and how success is created and modelling that success. What have you seen done, that you thought “I wish I was like that”? Watch, study, model that behaviour and practise doing it yourself. It will become you!

So if you don’t like things as you see them – change yourself!
For more information Life-Goals

Helping you make it happen. What do you want to have happen?

The structure of your life is in your hands. Making sure your roots are healthy, deep enough and in a fertile place.  Growing a strong trunk that can support what you want to do and who you want to be. Reaching your branches out into the right areas and directions. Putting out foliage that shows who you are. Producing flowers to attract who you need in your life. Growing fruit that is the satisfying product of your life for your self and those you wish to nourish.

What would you like to have happen? What keeps happening?  What do you want to stop or avoid?  and What do you want to have happen?

Being clear about the structure you wish to create is the first step to a satisfying, fun, happy and joyful life.

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The time of year for planting seeds

 It’s the time of year for planting seeds to grow during the year. This has been a regular theme with clients over the last few weeks. I’m not talking about gardening! I’m talking metaphorically about the intentions, projects, developments and changes we wish to bring about in our lives in 2011.

Following the natural cycle of the year, winter and winter solstice is a time for sitting back, reflecting, renewing our energies and dreaming and planning. Do you know what you would like to have happen? If so then now is the time to dream it into being.

Try sitting looking into a fire, or flame if you can’t get to a real fire, and dreaming your dream. Make your dream vivid and exciting. See yourself in your dream doing and being what you desire. Hear and feel the full experience. When you think it pretty vivid and real, make it more so, as if you were turning up the volume knob. Then when its as vivid loud and strong as it can be, let it go. This plants the seed deep in your unconscious mind.

Over the next few weeks, as the light returns and energy comes back, you will find yourself spotting opportunities and taking steps to make your dream happen. 

For more information click Life-Goals

New Years Resolutions Already faded away?

 
Have your New years Resolutions already faded into last week? Feeling guilty about not having more determination and willpower? Here is the inside news – New Years Resolutions are inherently flawed. What you probably wanted to change was a long standing habit that you have been practising for years to get it just flowing from your unconscious without having to remember to do it. Trying to change it by willpower and conscious trying is not an effective method.

The effective way is to re-educate your unconscious to be creating the new habit you want to replace the old habit with.

First decide what you are going to be doing instead of the old habit. Then practise twice a day seeing your self do the new habit and how great you feel about it. Keep up this visualisation for a month. Once you feel a strong desire to do the new habit start it but don’t try to push yourself to do it. Let the pull of the new unconscious perception and motivation work for you.

Between 30 days and 45 days later the new habit will have become established as part of the new you. and it will stay part of you flowing naturally without thinking for ever or until you replace it with a new vision.

For more information click Life-Goals