Is it trauma or Trauma?
I was speaking to someone recently, who disclosed some workplace harassment from a previous workplace that was still affecting them. I offhandedly mentioned...
I thought fondly of my mother
I don't often think about my mother, to be honest. For new people here, I'm estranged from my family of origin, and my mother's choices and the way she...
The magic that happens in the counselling room (free)
Once a month or so I remove the paywall from a post I’m particularly proud of. This is one of those posts. Magic happens in the counselling room. Or at last,...
It'll be fine
I had a breakthrough this week. I was sitting with the fact that the mistake I spoke about previously was sitting so heavily on me. It was fine, I had...
The changing of the seasons
Apologies this is late, I've been ill. It's almost September, which is wild, quite frankly. We've still got some warm days ahead of us in the UK, but I am...
When you're ill
I have a cold during a heatwave, which is especially grim. It's been a good reminder of how being compassionate to yourself can take energy, and how easy it...
The magic that happens in the counselling room
Magic happens in the counselling room. Or at last, it can happen. It's happened for me. I've experienced true care in a counselling room. Not only a space...
Curiosity
Curiosity is a surprisingly important tool in self care. We like to find things out as humans, and curiosity tends to come without the overtones of blame or...
Why I've been missing
I've been having trouble writing recently. This is partly because end of term has been slamming me. This course is intense, and we had a lot to do in the run...
Why I've been missing
I've been having trouble writing recently. This is partly because end of term has been slamming me. This course is intense, and we had a lot to do in the run...
Self-regulation
Apologies for missing a couple of weeks. The end of the school year has been kicked my arse a bit. I should be back to normal now. [On ‘ability to...
Self-sabotage
Every so often I remove the paywall from a paid post. This is to share pieces of writing I’m proud of, to advertise signing up for a paid sub, and finally,...
Potatoes part two
I have more things to say about potatoes (see last week’s newsletter for more context). I’ve been thinking about how growth looks different for everyone. I...
Potatoes, and being yourself
I went to see comedian/writer type person Robin Ince last night. I’ve been going to his shows for years and it’s always a good time. This show was both what...
On Acceptance
We cannot move away from what we are until we thoroughly accept what we are. Then change seems to come about almost unnoticed. Carl Rogers, On Becoming A...
Reflection as spending time
The thing about reflection is that it’s not really meant ot have a goal. Yes you may come to some conclusions or have a breakthrough, but that’s really a...
Planning as avoidance
Programming note: I’m moving the publish date of the newsletter back from Wednesdays to Thursdays. While I try to write newsletters in advance, Wednesdays...
Power of trusting in yourself
I have a little pile of books that live on my desk. They are a mix of a couple of books I need to move to somewhere else and I’ve not done that yet, a book I...
Self sabotage
Do you self sabotage? If you’d asked me a week ago I’d have told you that I used to, but not anymore. Someone in my counselling class was talking about self-...
What's bringing my joy this week
Trigger warning for transphobia for the first paragraph here. We’ve gone full mask off transphobia in the UK via a Supreme Court ruling that makes no sense,...
