As I gradually return to face to face work, I’m remembering the pros and cons of training to a room of real life humans. Most of the cons are to do with travel and the amount of energy it takes to get places and then train for two long days. So I was delighted toContinue reading “LGBTQ+ Mental Health – Working with Happy Valley Pride”
Category Archives: depression
All by myself
Yet again I couldn’t get myself in gear to write my piece for Mental Health Awareness Week – but here we are anyway. The theme this year was loneliness. Something many have faced over the past few years of lockdowns – but which is by no means a phenomenon reserved to pandemics. What is loneliness?Continue reading “All by myself”
It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to
It was my birthday last week. I wasn’t in a good place. I had had one of those months where my hormones play havoc with my state of mind, but it dragged on longer than usual. I found myself lying there debating if I was depressed. I mean, yes. I was feeling depressed, sad, low.Continue reading “It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to”
Recovery – Uncovering – Discovery
What is recovery? What does it mean to recover? It depends what we are recovering from of course. And what we are trying to recover. People who are seeking to break free from addiction often talk about being “in recovery”. It’s not a destination, it’s a journey. Is it possible to say one is noContinue reading “Recovery – Uncovering – Discovery”
55 ways to boost wellbeing with nature
I’m sure I’ve said somewhere before that I struggle with Mental Health Awareness Weeks and Days. Not because I disagree with them, like some (who have a valid point that for those with enduring mental illness, or who are struggling to access the services they need, awareness is hardly the problem at hand.) – IContinue reading “55 ways to boost wellbeing with nature”
What is wrong with me?
It’s a question I’ve asked myself many times. It’s a question that most people who experience mental health difficulties ask themselves. Especially in the early days. When maybe they don’t realise what’s going on. It’s not just a mental illness thing. There are so many people living with experiences, symptoms, they don’t understand. That weContinue reading “What is wrong with me?”
Children’s Mental Health Week. A rant.
I hear a lot of comments as I do the rounds of my training, a lot of thoughts and opinions, pre-judgements about mental health. Some thoughtful, insightful, some stigmatised/stigmatising, offensive and downright wrong. That’s ok. People come to learn about mental health, I want them to air their thoughts and preconceptions so we can discussContinue reading “Children’s Mental Health Week. A rant.”
Holding on to this Wonderful Life
CW/TW Suicidal ideation I don’t get to spend Christmas at home every year, we alternate, as do many people, between parents and in-laws and home. So far I think we’ve spent only two here together, and we’re trying to develop some traditions. Every year Hebden Bridge Picture House plays “It’s A Wonderful Life” on ChristmasContinue reading “Holding on to this Wonderful Life”
The power of negative/positive thinking
If it were possible, I’d have titled this piece “The power of positive negative thinking” – with the strikethrough. Or vice versa. If I called it “The power of positive thinking” – a good number would switch off. There’s a lot of that stuff about these days, positive psychology, Law of Attraction, etc. A lotContinue reading “The power of negative/positive thinking”
Self Harm – the crashing of the waves on an ocean
Last week saw a flood of stories on the prevalence of self harm amongst our young people and especially girls and LGBTQ+ youth, stemming from the publication of the Children’s Society’s “The Good Childhood Report”. The report makes interesting and saddening reading, highlighting the deterioration in the emotional wellbeing and life satisfaction of children –Continue reading “Self Harm – the crashing of the waves on an ocean”