From the end of October, I will be re-opening my therapy room for clients who prefer counselling sessions to be delivered in-person. I expect that most of my clients will continue to prefer the convenience and cost benefits of working either via Zoom or telephone. But...
Change in counselling comes about when we thoroughly accept who we are. One of the things I enjoy about this time of year is noticing the change of colour of the deciduous hedge that borders the park opposite my home. As I look out of my kitchen window each morning,...
Thinking of getting some counselling? Here's what I’ve learned from years of being a client… I’ve turned to counsellors for support throughout my life. It’s one of the reasons I work as a counsellor today and I will continue to seek therapy if I’m struggling....
How the pandemic helped me to love the place I call home. One of the things I most missed during the first lockdown of the pandemic was the feeling of ‘coming home’. As far as I know, there isn’t a word for it, but perhaps there should be. It’s such a distinctive,...
Beneath the self-deprecating labels we give ourselves when struggling at work – “I’m lazy/selfish/impatient” – is a whole lot of information about who we are, what we tell ourselves, what we need and how we go about meeting our needs. Are you: Lazy – or just exhausted...
According to research by the national charity, StandAlone, one in five families in the UK will be affected by estrangement. Here, one woman addresses – in a letter she will never send – the impact of a family member cutting her out of her life. “I had sensed there was...
We think it's helpful to tell people who are struggling with a life-threatening disease like cancer to ‘keep fighting’. It isn’t. It’s shaming. Let’s stop the military metaphors and get real about what we’re facing. When Health Secretary Sajid Javid tweeted that we...
I have a confession to make. I’m a great big phoney. From my voice, you might think I’m ‘posh’, that I live in a nice house and that I’m possibly from the south of England. Or else, you might find it difficult to pinpoint my place of birth or my class origins...
Learning something new in older age reminds us that we're always growing. Recently I had a powerful dream that I was skating in some celestial roller disco. There were few moments in my youth to beat the sheer joy of roller skating. Could I recapture...
It may not be possible to choose how we feel, but we can choose how we respond. Over the years, I’ve come to appreciate taking things slowly. There’s nothing quite like the depth of flavour of a slow-cooked casserole, the intense sweetness of a tomato plucked...