Category: Counselling

Feel the Feelings…

In counselling, we talk a lot about feelings.

I often hear people judging their feelings: wondering whether they should feel that way, whether they should tell anyone, or whether they should express those feelings at all, even to themselves.

The thing about feelings is that if you don’t let them out, they don’t disappear. They build up inside, and that can make them feel unpredictable and overwhelming.

That’s where counselling can help. It gives you a safe, non-judgemental space to express what you’re feeling and simply allow yourself to feel it.

What feelings are coming up for you right now?

Reply and let me know.

PS. If you’re struggling to name your feelings, or you need somewhere safe to express them, I’d love to help. Call us now to book your first appointment on 07929472708, or visit www.nurturementalhealth.co.uk/calendar

How do you speak to yourself?

Being a therapist, I have the privilege to hear a lot of the thoughts that people have in their own mind that they don’t usually share with anyone else.

The thing I always find striking though, is how horrible we can be to ourselves and the things that we say to ourselves that we would never dream saying to somebody else.

It is amazing how much effort it takes to choose to be kind to ourselves and to choose to speak to ourselves the way that we would speak to other people. It is amazing how challenging it is to give ourselves that empathy and forgiveness sometimes, for maybe doing something embarrassing or saying something we regret.  It’s amazing how hard that is.

I wonder what horrible things you give yourself a hard time about, and how you might reframe those thoughts?

I’d love for you to reply and let me know.

PS. If you need some help giving yourself that empathy and kindness, let counselling show you how. Counselling can even do it for you until you’re ready to take over. Get in touch now if that sounds like something you might like to try. www.nurturementalhealth.co.uk/calendar

Now is the time!

A few weeks ago, I was sitting in my counselling room thinking about making a video to encourage people to come to therapy. I was waiting for the traffic outside to die down so that the recording would be quiet enough. I waited for a while before realising something simple but important: the traffic never really stops, at least not for long enough to be useful.

It struck me as such a powerful metaphor for life. Things keep moving. Responsibilities continue. Family life, work, relationships, worries, and everyday pressures rarely pause neatly for us. If you keep waiting for the perfect moment to do the thing you have been meaning to do, you may find yourself waiting for a very long time.

For many people, therapy is one of those things. It can be easy to tell yourself that you will reach out when life feels calmer, when work is less busy, when the children need less from you, or when you feel more ready. But often, that calm does not simply arrive on its own.

Sometimes, the right time for therapy is not when everything has settled down. Sometimes, the right time is when you recognise that you need a space to pause, reflect, and breathe in the middle of everything that is already going on.

In my therapy room, I want you to feel welcome. It is a space where you can bring whatever is on your mind and leave some of the hustle and bustle of everyday life outside for a while. Whether you are feeling overwhelmed, anxious, stuck, or simply aware that something needs attention, therapy can offer a calm and supportive place to begin.

You do not need to have everything worked out before you come. You do not need the “right” words, and you do not need to wait until things become unbearable. Reaching out can be the first step towards creating the calm you have been hoping to find.

So perhaps the question is not whether this is the perfect time. Perhaps the question is: what do you need right now, and what are you waiting for?

Therapy can be a place to find calm in the middle of life, not only after the noise has passed.

If you are considering counselling, Nurture Mental Health offers adult counselling in Middlesbrough, as well as online video and phone sessions.