Blog posts

Mental Health Awareness Week takes place from 11th-17th May 2026. This week is Mental Health Awareness Week, and this year's theme is action. So much of what happens in the therapy room is exactly that - not just understanding ourselves better, but slowly, surely trying something different. From awareness to action Mental health awareness has opened up conversations, reduced stigma, and helped people to feel less alone. But as the Mental Health Foundation points out, awarenes

Many of us spend enormous energy avoiding our own thoughts, feelings, and inner experience; reaching for distractions, staying busy, keeping ourselves moving so we never have to stop and feel. But avoidance is exhausting, and it comes at a cost. In this post, we explore what we might actually find if we turned towards ourselves instead — and why, for some people, that journey is best taken with support.

April is World Autism Acceptance Month - a time to go beyond simply acknowledging that autistic people exist, and to ask ourselves what we are actually doing to make space for them in our society.

Most people imagine that therapy is about 'fixing' their problems. And while insight and self-understanding are certainly important parts of the process, relational and integrative therapy is also about something subtler: what becomes possible within a different kind of relational experience. Not just what you come to know about yourself, but how that gradually changes what feels available to you.

April is Stress Awareness Month.

Have you ever noticed yourself pulling away when someone gets too close, or feeling anxious when you haven't heard from someone you love in a while? These patterns often have deep roots, and understanding them can be the first step in changing them.

If you've ever searched for a therapist online, you might have noticed something strange: UKCP-registered counsellors and therapists don't display testimonials, reviews, or star ratings on their websites. But there's a good reason for it - and it says a lot about the ethics and integrity that underpin the therapeutic relationship.

Self-care is also not what advertising companies want you to believe.

How does co-regulation help us find calm?

As the temperature drops, it’s important to remember that winter affects your mood and energy levels.

A gentler approach to new year's resolutions.

The Christmas period can be especially tough for many people. Services may be closed, routines change, and feelings of loneliness, grief or overwhelm can intensify. If you need additional support over the festive period, please remember that help is still available.

Here are seven practical ways to manage emotional overwhelm - simple enough to use in the moment, but powerful when practiced regularly.

How do you navigate a break from counselling over the holidays?

Did you know that the harsh voice in your head that tells you you’re not good enough actually developed to protect you?

Grief can be heavy, unpredictable, and exhausting. Here are some gentle, practical ways to care for yourself while grieving.

Sometimes, an added sadness to grief itself is that we may feel quite alone and isolated as a result of it. The people we expected to show up for us in our hour of need can sometimes seem to inexplicably distance themselves, causing us to worry that we are a burden.

Grieving often includes finding new, meaningful ways to stay connected to the person you’ve lost while still engaging fully in life. The therapeutic concept of “continuing bonds” captures the idea that the relationship itself doesn’t end, though of course it changes. The person is no longer physically present, but your connection to them remains. There is no expectation to let go; maintaining the bond through memories and through meaningful acts like visiting special places o

Grief is a constellation of feelings, experiences and responses that can contradict, overlap and shift in unpredictable ways. It can be a profound and often terrifying loss, and it’s also an expression of love and attachment.

Finding the right counselling services can be a crucial step towards improving your mental health and overall well-being. Whether you are dealing with stress, anxiety, relationship issues, or other personal challenges, professional support can make a significant difference. This guide will help you understand how to identify the best counselling support the UK has to offer, what to expect, and how to make the most of your counselling experience.