The pandemic and subsequent lockdowns have taken their toll on most of us, especially those who thrive on routine, structure and socialising. But as surprising as it may seem, for many people the ending of lockdown feels much ...

Choosing a partner and staying together through life’s ups and down is rarely simple or easy. Given the last nine months of the global pandemic, and all the uncertainty, worry and stress, it’s no wonder our relationships...

Many of us feel lonely from time to time, it’s normal, and these short-term feelings shouldn’t harm our mental health. However, the longer the pandemic goes on for...

The global pandemic has brought a host of new and unsettling experiences, including working from home, homeschooling and online socialising, as well of course having to go into lockdown and quarantine...

The role of diet in the nation’s mental health has yet to be fully understood and embraced, but the research is now building about the direct association between what people eat and drink and how they feel, think and behave

The list below is an ‘al a carte’ menu of proven ways to help you improve your health and wellbeing. Each point has been selected from various studies, research, articles, talks, and finally from my previous CareMails.

I thought it would be helpful to start with a simple explanation of what happens to our mind and body when we are feeling anxious, upset or even scared and fearful.

In recent articles I’ve talked about stress and anxiety, loss and bereavement, and the need for control. Yet in my practice there is one issue that presents itself time and time again, the feeling of inadequacy.

In this 10th CareMail I’m going to explain how you can replace emotional reactivity with thoughtful observation, enabling you to become more of an anthropologist, observing your feelings rather than getting pulled in and swamped by them.

Whatever happiness means for you, here are some proven ways to increase your happiness levels and general wellbeing; something we can all benefit from right now.

Lockdown intensifies the positive and the negative emotions we feel. So, if you are generally a worrier then in the current climate it will seem like a magnifying glass has been placed over your feelings.

Grief is the internal expression of our loss, it’s our thoughts and feelings, our emotional and behavioural response to the death of a loved one.

During the grieving process feelings can be very transient, so be prepared to deal with a whole disparate range of them, often all on the same day.

The idea of this exercise is that in times of stress, anxiety or upset you give yourself a soothing hug, which helps you regulate your inner emotional state, settling your feelings, resulting in a calmer internal state.

In this short video I share some CBT strategies to help those of you who maybe experiencing negative, sometimes catastrophising thoughts, so you can learn how to ‘turn them down’...

This technique helps to calm the body and really appreciate staying in and savouring the moment. It is also a really helpful intervention...

I am going to remind you of the Breathing Exercise I often do in my sessions, and which so many of my clients have said really helps them relax.