If I had to identify one common factor that seems to connect every patient I encounter, it would be the difficulty in containing and processing psychological pain. Life is full of moments where an individual will be tested and tried. Bereavements, relationship tensions, ill health, unemployment, financial worries, Christmas, just to name a few. However, …
The year to find the extraordinary in being ordinary
The idea for this paper arose when I was watching a number of TV shows during the Christmas period. These shows depicted famous people who we might say were extraordinary human beings. For example, John Williams the distinguished composer of classic films such as Harry Potter, Star Wars and Indiana Jones. Then, there were the …
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New Year: New Thinking
With the New Year under way I am taking this opportunity to write an article that I am hoping might inspire people to reflect on how they think and feel about themselves, others and life. The reason I say this is due to my experiences as a psychotherapist. A common theme that I encounter in …
Lockdown: opportunity or despair?
Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way’ – Victor Frankl, Author of Man’s Search for Meaning Victor Frankl knew a few things about being in a lockdown, as he was a holocaust …
Psychological Gym: The Workout for the Mind
The aim of this article is to try and remove some of the barriers that might prevent people from accessing mental health services or therapy generally. In order to do this, I will start by exploring the current perception of mental health. Then I will attempt to draw some parallels between seeing a counsellor/psychotherapist and …