Trauma ‘survivor skills’ and ‘how you already have them’ are not words we often see together. We are all-too-often led to believe we need to do more and be more in order to be resilient. And yet, all of us already have survival skills. Rachel’s Purple Room Rachel came to see me when she was… Continue Reading
How to Find a Counsellor Part 2: What is the Difference Between a Counsellor and a Psychologist?
So, you’ve decided to seek help for an issue that is invading your life and causing disruption and distress. You’re feeling more confused than ever. You may also be seeking the answer to the following question I get asked a lot: What is the difference between a counsellor and a psychologist? The simplest way to… Continue Reading
How to Find a Counsellor Part 1: Avoiding a bad therapeutic experience
Lights. Camera. Action… A generic sad person (or couple), usually under duress, is sitting in a waiting room [insert ‘soulless and stark’ or ‘overdone floral’ before the words ‘waiting room’]. Dr so-and-so Therapist opens the door to welcome the person into the room[insert ‘middle-aged man with glasses and monotone voice’ or ‘short overweight big-haired woman with… Continue Reading
Stop An Anxiety Attack With A One-Inch Picture Frame
In her beautiful and funny book ‘Bird by Bird: some instructions on writing and life’, Anne Lamott talks about the times when she is sitting at her computer, willing herself to write, and the words don’t come. She begins to experience an anxiety attack. She starts to have a meltdown, feels panic rising, thinks the… Continue Reading