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Your life will have been impacted by depression, whether through personal experience or vicariously through someone else. It is pervasive and is no respecter of persons. Descriptions of depression are numerous and varied, however, there….
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How can I trust my feelings? This is a common question expressed not just in the therapy room, but has been something I’ve wrestled with for many years. The easy and perhaps, most honest answer….
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The 7 C’s of Caring Conversations We’ve all been there – caught in a chat that feels more like small talk than a real conversation. With so much going on in our lives and the….
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If you’ve ever felt misunderstood or like you’re not quite clicking with someone you care about, this blog post might just be the insight you’ve been searching for. Here, we’re going in-depth on the concept….
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‘How so?’ ‘You look big, strong, and reliable. But the problem with oak trees is that if the storm is big enough their very strength becomes their weakness and they end up blowing over. What….
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At sixteen years old, I was terrified of so many things. In the previous year, my world had fallen apart following the death of my father and I could not step outside my house without….
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Maintaining good mental health is vital in today’s fast-paced world. When facing challenges and emotional struggles, therapy offers valuable support. In this article, we explore the benefits of therapy and its role in promoting mental….
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My psychotherapy journey started 4yrs after I’d been bereaved. My husband Martin died of cancer in Sept 2013; I knew my grief would be grim & I was not disappointed. I allowed myself to feel….
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This is not my first blog about the grief experienced by the loss of a child. On reflection, that piece was somewhat generic and so, on this occasion I feel it would be useful to….
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Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation in which the abuser seeks to instil self-doubt and confusion in their victim’s mind. You don’t have to be someone’s romantic partner to be a victim of gaslighting…..
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Once the mayhem of Christmas day is over and the last of the turkey is gone, thoughts start to drift to the New Year. Conversations open up to the topics of setting goals and making….
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The first time I met my therapist I was filled with feelings of anxiety, apprehension, and curiosity. I sought therapy for several reasons and hoped I would find ways to understand myself better. I regarded….
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Trauma can sit deep in the individual and collective psyche. Countless armed conflicts, violent crimes against individuals and groups, natural and man-made disasters, global warming, pandemics, massive displacements – all these events have been bringing….
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The hardest thing about change is making the change happen The hardest thing about change is making the change happen. It’s not easy, it can take time and you need to know where to start…..
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Did anyone hear of a therapeutic parent before? Well, let me explain. The term Therapeutic Parenting was first used by Dr Daniel. A. Hughes, a Clinical Psychologist from the US. About 30 years ago he….
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Spending time as an inpatient. Sometimes life draws you into situations that you never thought you’d be in. Spending time as an inpatient in a psychiatric ward for a few months has got to be….
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When a client described an experience that evoked not only familiarity but reactive physical sensations, it was not only a bit of a coincidence but a huge revelation. When I was 12, I had a….
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Transitioning and the Grief Process ‘There’s something I need to tell you…… I don’t feel like a boy, I think I’m a girl. At the age of 38, these are the words my sister chose….
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Every one of us consists of a multitude of ‘parts’. The part that is a parent, a team member or even a guilty part of you. Then there is the inner critic. A part of….
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Voltaire, the French writer and philosopher, observed that ‘Perfect is the enemy of the good.’ This might seem to be an odd observation. Surely, the idea of perfection is synonymous with a worthy outcome? Haven’t….
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In my last blog, I discussed resilience in mental health, what it means, and some ways we can think about it. Today I will look at some more practical things we can look at doing….
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Resilience in mental health can take many forms, we can think of it as fortitude that can be applied to a person’s mental health and wellbeing. Resilience can be thought of as a capacity to….
Read moreWriting a self-reflecting blog can be difficult for most to do but when your dyslexic, this brings added challenges. I felt it was time to discuss mental health and dyslexia and hope to give you….
Read moreChristmas can be a wonderful time with the family but for many. It can also be a time fraught with stress conflict and anxiety. It is very rare that families spend so much concentrated time….
Read moreWe have all experienced feeling sad or having a low mood which is a normal part of everyday life. When a feeling like this lasts for a long period of time such as months or….
Read moreGroup Anxiety Group therapy is a potent form of counselling. Support groups and other types of psychosocial groups meet for nearly every type of illness, problem area or social issue. Group therapy can be very….
Read moreAs it’s the week in which the Menopause is recognised globally with its own official day, it seems fitting to discuss its impact on mental health. From a medical perspective, fluctuating progesterone, estrogen and testosterone….
Read moreWe explored what anxiety was in our recent blog post. Now we are going to look at some useful strategies to help cope with anxiety. Anxiety is a powerful combination of emotional, behavioural, thinking, and….
Read moreIn the UK, around two million women aged over 50 have difficulties at work due to their menopause symptoms and it is estimated that one in 20 women could go through early menopause. In 2019,….
Read moreRelationship or marriage counselling is a relatively new branch of the counselling profession. It has grown in popularity over the last so years as more people seek help for their relationship. Many couples report that….
Read moreWhat is Group Therapy? Group Therapy is a very useful way for people to meet in a safe environment where they can share any problems they may be experiencing. Typically, groups are made up of….
Read moreWhat is anxiety? Approx 25% of the UK population have difficulties with their mental health. The most common problems are anxiety and depression. Anxiety is the most common presentation we get at UKCN for counselling….
Read moreI am well placed to answer this question. I have completed training to qualify as a counsellor. I am also roughly halfway through my training to become a psychotherapist. I have also been a client….
Read moreIt’s 2021 and women are only daring to talk openly about the menopause. An expected transition that was predominately called being in ‘the change’. I can remember as a young girl my Grandma talking about….
Read moreThe business world is going through enormous changes post-Covid 19 and employees are finding it difficult to cope as they emerge from the pandemic. This is where a well-organised Employee Assistance Program (EAP) comes into….
Read moreI had my first experience as a client in therapy as a terrified fifteen year old. I had recently been through a severely traumatic event and was referred to psychotherapy by the NHS. My father….
Read moreOur intimate relationships have the capacity to be the source of our greatest support but also our greatest stress. Couples counselling, (or relationship counselling or marriage counselling) is a brief intervention designed to increase a….
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The UK Counselling Network CIC provides affordable, low cost counselling and psychotherapy to clients nationwide. We are passionate about helping people overcome the common barriers to therapy; cost and local access. We are also committed….
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Grief is a natural response to loss. It’s the emotional suffering you feel when something or someone you love is taken away. Often, the pain of loss can feel all-consuming for bereaved parents. The pain….
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There are many stereotypes globally that men should not cry. We only have to look at the macho characters portrayed on the big screen and the typical stereotypes that men need to be tough and….
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What is mental health? Someone described as having good mental health would be a person who can feel, think and act positively to their emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Most people over their lifetime will….
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