Trauma is like an icy chill and the more you endure it, the more likely you will feel numb. The trouble with numb is that it leads to functioning on autopilot; we forget to think about many tasks and go about our daily activities like robots. We move away from constructive or positive thoughts and [...]

The ability to identify our emotions is something we start to develop as children. Our parents or guardians play a key role in helping us to understand what we are feeling. But, if we have been maltreated and suffered abuse or neglect, then any such nurturing may be absent or distorted. As we grow up, [...]

When we’re enduring depression it can be easy to lose sight of our original selves - the feelings associated with depression can be all consuming. In so, we tend to forget the many aspects of our personalities that our friends and family find attractive about us. Perhaps we are known for our humour, our listening [...]

When we’re feeling overwhelmed by our busy lifestyles, and coping with depression, it can be too easy to lose sight of our perspective. In my experience, depression is like a cloud; sometimes the skies are blue, and then with no notice, the dark clouds loom overhead. Trying to function during these times is challenging. It [...]

I’m giving you permission to take care of you! For some people, doing so is second nature, because it’s a learned skill that nurturing parents do for their children. For example: a child with a fever will be tucked into bed with a drink, perhaps with some comforting television and appropriate medication. When that child [...]

Phycologist Peter Gray talks about the decline in how young people view the world - that there is a shift in their sense of personal control over their fate. A recently released study from San Diego University talks about the increase of anxiety and depression in young people since the 1950s, citing that this is [...]

We all need to take care of our mental health and I believe that most of us live with both happy and sad feelings. We humans need to talk and listen more openly. But, for those of us who do not have a traditional family to talk to, who can we start a conversation with? [...]

Living with the unpredictable onslaught of anxiety is exhausting! But I find it really helpful to write down all the things which are causing my stomach to twist in knots. Once I’ve written them down, I prioritise each item using a mark out of ten. For example: “Oh crikey I’ve got an appointment next week [...]

Years ago, my late father worked for Charles Saatchi of Saatchi & Saatchi, the advertising agency. It must have been extremely exciting working and living in the heart of London during the sixties - England was leading the way in music and fashion. Many other sectors were growing post-war, such as the convenience market. I [...]

Rome was not built in a day, and the pyramids took decades to complete… Us humans, and especially those of us who suffer anxieties, can set unrealistic expectations on ourselves. If we are impatient with specific things we want or need to achieve, we go into meltdown if we don’t complete them. I am still [...]