Could a New Idea Be Changing Counselling in Bristol?

Is There a Need for Changing Therapy in Modern Bristol?

The modern day causes us to re-evaluate many aspects of our life. Looking at the big picture one begins to realise that our journey though life is dynamic. As such, it feels fitting that the world around us adapts (or indeed prompts us to respond, depending on your viewpoint…). For example, I think most people would agree that the invention of smartphones has revolutionised our lives. Just think how easy it is to navigate unknown roads with a ‘sat nav’ app. You may ask though, how this links to changing counselling in Bristol – read on…

Changing counselling in Bristol by booking online

Therefore, it would only be right to have an open mind to how the talking therapies can better fit in with ever changing lives. Things are already quite different to the days when clients (or patients, as they were known) where expected to lie on a couch. The therapist provided minimal input. Now, we have Skype, SMS and phone counselling, to name a few. These forms of therapy are well established. As an article (click here), in The Guardian newspaper suggests, another evolution aims to make counselling as normal and easy to access as the gym.

The New Idea

The article talks about a company set up in London that aims to do just that. Therapy is bought in a bundle, ahead of time. You book sessions online at a regular time or as it suits. I agree that this sounds very convenient. However, I believe in the importance of building a strong relationship with my clients. Gaps in therapy are noticeable. It then takes a little longer to work closely and effectively.

Can This Work at a Deep Relational Level?

When a session is booked with the company, you can even select a different therapist. On one hand it’s great that it is so easy to change. If you feel as though your current counsellor isn’t right, there are no awkward conversations. Once again though, going back to the counsellor-client relationship, there can be a great deal of learning to be had. For example, discussing why things aren’t working can reveal a lot about the client. Or being allowed/encouraged to have an awkward conversation without consequences or argument can be cathartic.

Further Reducing Stigma

Nevertheless, I applaud the ethos of the idea. Some of the ways clients can use the service don’t agree with my relational way of working. However, it will suit many people, especially in a large city such as London. Furthermore, anything that helps to further reduce any remaining stigma of reaching out for mental health support is welcomed! Not only that but the online nature of initiating the service really helps integrate therapy into today’s modern lifestyle.

However, are we likely to see changing counselling in Bristol? In my opinion, Bristol isn’t quite ready. Bristol already embraces counselling. As a city, we seem to prefer not to be anonymous service users but value knowing and recognising people. This aligns with my belief in the power of building a healing relationship through personal interaction. Please leave a comment or contact me if you would like to find out more.

Teacher’s Mental Health: Many Do Not Plan To Stay in the Profession

New Teachers are Struggling

A recent study by Leeds Beckett University suggested that less than half of new teachers had definite plans to stay in the profession. Surprisingly, they had come to this conclusion after only a year in their new jobs. Given the time and money they have invested, their experiences must have been quite bad! As a result, new teacher’s mental health declines rapidly.

A happy new teacher with good mental health - in the minority?

This article by the Independent newspaper expands on some of the reasons behind this worrying statistic. Anxiety or panic attacks seem to be the most commonly reported symptoms. Depression and late night self-medication of alcohol are rarer. However, given the relatively small size of the study I imagine the national figures would be very concerning.

The Responsibility of the Next Generation

Why are the people that have taken it upon themselves to follow a career developing our next generation are so badly supported? In Bristol and South Gloucestershire, teachers can choose to receive short-term counselling through the council. This is a good initiative, however managing anxiety and panic attacks can be a longer term process. Furthermore, depression tends to come in cycles and can be very difficult to shake off.

In other areas of the country, teacher’s mental health is supported by regular counsellor visits to schools. This is a time in which any teacher can confidentially speak to someone. Normally once a month, this concept of regular drop-in sessions is inspirational. Results speak for themselves with these schools often seen to maintain consistently high Ofsted ratings.

Proactive Options

New teachers struggle with mental health issues in the absence of a professional support network. Of course, by researching online one can find a plethora of information. Much of this advice is valid and generally suitable. For example, CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) is successful in combating symptoms of anxiety. However, this should be facilitated by a trained professional.

Mindfulness can often provide good results. This can be as simple as concentrating on yourself for a couple of minutes several times a day. It’s a bit like retraining yourself or learning a new skill. In other words it takes a bit of practice. However, the rewards of learning to be more grounded and present in the ‘here and now’ hold great potential. The grip of anxiety is reduced by spending less time concerned with the future.

Mindfulness can be learnt individually or with the help of a professional counsellor. Please contact me if you would like more information or to arrange well priced sessions to work on these or similar issues.

Social Media and Teenage Suicide

How Social Media and Teenage Suicide are Linked

Previously, I have written about the use of screens. My concern is how they can negatively influence the mental health of all of us, especially teenagers. Recently, it has been revealed that this is becoming a matter of life and death. More specifically, how social media and teenage suicide are being linked.

Image of a meadow on a summer's day

Alarmingly, around 200 British schoolchildren take their own lives each year. At a rate of more than one every other day, I was shocked to read this on the BBC website in this article. Another stand-out piece of information from the BBC is as follows. Due to the private nature of mobile phone use, parents are not up-to-date with the online persona of their children. As such, the type of content they are viewing is unknown. The video on the above BBC web page makes the point that disturbing self-harm or suicidal content is still freely and easily available to all.

Therefore, in some cases parents and friends of suicidal teenagers have no idea of deteriorating mental health. One cannot begin to the imagine the shock of discovering a dead child. So what can be done? How can we understand social media and teenage suicide?

Ways to Approach the Problem

To me there seem to be a number of different corners to the problem to smooth off in order make some headway. Initial thoughts might be to blame the social media companies – we live in a blame culture after all! Yes, there is definitely much they can do to improve the way in which harmful material is so readily available. As an optimist, I am sure there is plenty of work behind the scenes but it needs to be quicker and more effective. With all of today’s technology, how is it that a 14 year old can access suicidal images? Unacceptable.

However, can a teenager’s mental health deteriorate that quickly that parents and friends have no idea? Despite the confusing whirlpool of hormones that swish frequently through a young person’s body, we must regularly keep maintaining contact. By that I mean face-to-face interaction – let them know we are available to listen. Try to understand. It might appear to fall on deaf ears or is received with a grunt but on some level it will go in. Furthermore, there are always ways to connect with a teenager. As unlikely as this may seem, each personality will have a unique way in. This could be a board game, eating pizza in the car on the way home or buying an ice cream on a snowy day.

Conclusion, with Extra Awareness

Finally, by reading this article you are now hopefully a little bit more aware of the potential issue. Just this information will likely start-up your radar for signs of problems at home. Furthermore, if things seem unmanageable it is important to address issues through an open, sensitive and non-judgmental discussion with your teenager.

More help is available through the BBC Action Line, the Samaritans or personal counselling, please get in touch here.

Changing Mental Health Awareness

Changing Mental Health Awareness

Yesterday the BBC wrote about changing mental health awareness – have a read here. They published a kind of ‘top ten’ chart outlining the current view of the problem. One of the headline statistics is that one in six of the population have a ‘mental health problem’. This seems to be part of the issue to me. The problem being that if we are seen to have mental health issues, we are labelled in a different category to the rest of the population. The fact of the matter is that we all have mental health. Furthermore, it varies day-by-day and even during the day. It is OK that the quality of our mental health changes. That is part of being a human being.

 

Severe Mental Health Issues on the Rise

Mental Health Awareness imageLooking at those with ‘severe’ mental health issues, it does appear that cases are on the rise over the last 20 years. However, it is acknowledged that with a greater awareness of mental health, will come a greater reporting of the problems. Nevertheless, modern life is also quoted as having a responsibility in the increase of mental health issues. It seems, young people are especially vulnerable (read my post here) and many mental health problems become well established in youth.

As I have also written about here, male suicide is a major issue. It is perhaps the culmination of many years of severe mental health issues. Astonishingly, there are 6000 suicides in the UK each year. This high number can surely be reduced by raising the importance of discussing mental health and thereby reducing the associated stigma.

 

What is the Solution?

The BBC also report that antidepressant prescriptions are higher than ever. Furthermore, people are being left on the drugs for long periods of time. Subsequently, it is extremely hard to come off even to assess how the individual is feeling. Of course, prescriptions are far cheaper than the talking therapies but what good is being done in the longer term? That remains to be seen. As I mention here, diet and lifestyle are now being touted as effective in the treatment of depression. Also, I am a great advocate of physical exercise wherever possible.

Of course, being a counsellor I genuinely believe that talking (or counselling creatively) about our problems goes a long way to feeling better about ourselves. A positive knock-on is the changing mental health awareness within the client. Counselling may not always be the easiest route but often it can be the most effective and permanent solution. One aim of counselling is to help supply the individual with a set of tools that they can apply to life. Therefore managing most things that are thrown at that person is a matter of adapting the right ‘tool’, thought or action. Many times these become so instinctive they happen even without a second thought.

Please contact me if you would like to find out about having counselling sessions in Fishponds, Bristol.

Considering Moving Back Home?

A young person looking unhappy to be living back home with parents.Considering Moving Back Home?

The Independent newspaper reports here that young adults considering moving back home to live with their parents are likely to suffer from depression. The page refers to recent research that looks at the reasons a person might make this move. Furthermore, an investigation into lesser known information such as the affect on mental health has been carried out. As a counsellor I know how critical it is for a young person to transition into an independent adult. A successful early adulthood relies on this independence. Major signs of success come from financial, social and residential security.

Therefore, if these parts of a person’s life come under scrutiny or fail altogether, the results could be overwhelming. Potential examples are the loss of a job, breakdown of a significant relationship or loss of accommodation. Considering these in greater detail reveals that the individual may or may not have been able to influence the outcome. In other words, it may be that the loss of a job is due to redundancy. Alternatively, behaviour at work may not have been acceptable. People deal with different events in their own personal way. Our upbringing can heavily influence these reactions. 

 

The Importance of Being Independent as a Young Adult

Either way, at this key stage of developing independence, the expectations on a young person are very high. Young adults desire to be accepted by society, which goes some way to explain why this type of life event can have such a large impact. Nevertheless, I find that young adults are incredibly resilient and determined. Counselling can provide the opportunity to reconnect with these attributes. Importantly, it can be a time in which the young adult can feel what it is like to exist without the pressure and expectations of society. Learning to feel like this in sessions is the first step towards being able to apply these sensations to life outside the counselling room.

If you are or know someone struggling in this way or considering moving back home, please get in touch for a free consultation.

 

Counselling Social Anxiety

Counselling Social Anxiety

Counselling Social Anxiety and Awareness

Social anxiety is a serious condition that I am passionate about helping clients to manage. The news and society frequently pay no regard. My experience counselling social anxiety has shown that the talking therapies can be very successful. Counselling aims to raise awareness of oneself and empower the client to choose change. Awareness is so important to us as human beings. Without it, we can find ourselves meandering through life wondering why we don’t seem to have much control. However, once we are able to start noticing how we are feeling or checking that what we are about to do/say is what we want – then we have choice.

 

Choose Change

With choice, we can choose a different course of action. In the case of social anxiety this can take time. Generally, I find that clients need to build up to choosing change at their own pace. They need to feel sufficiently fed up with living within the constraints of social anxiety that change becomes the favourable option.

At this stage of counselling, there will be great trust in the relationship with the counsellor. It will be feeling safe enough to discuss things that have not felt possible until now. The openness and ease of sharing these parts of one’s life is where the understanding and potential change lies. This is the time, as hard as it may feel, to become fully committed. Supported by your counsellor, you have the opportunity to explore unreached parts of yourself. The opportunity to break free and become the person you would like to be. 

 

Read More in My Article on the Counselling Directory Website

My article, published on the Counselling Directory website can be read here. In it, I discuss counselling social anxiety in more detail with the hope that more people may be inspired to conquer this major mental health condition.

Please contact me directly if you would like to discuss any aspect of counselling social anxiety.

 

 

World Mental Health Day – 10th October 2018

Half of all Mental Illness Begins at 14

Yesterday (10th October), the World Health Organisation (WHO) recognised World Mental Health Day 2018. This year the focus gave special consideration to young people in a changing world. Their page here makes interesting reading, with a headline being that ‘half of all mental illness begins by the age of 14’. Surely this puts parents and caregivers in a position of great responsibility.

Phone use on World Mental Health Day 2018

Helping a young person manage mental illness can be very challenging. However, having an awareness of the child’s mental health and taking some steps to help are a must. The WHO go on to comment that a young person’s online presence adds a burden to their existence. Unlike a couple of decades ago when social interactions between groups of teenagers stop for the day when school finishes, online activity takes place 24 hours a day.

Nevertheless, should we switch off the internet at night? This would surely increase conflict. There must be many solutions involving guidance and a good listening ear.

 

One Possible Solution

Find out what really matters to the young person. Try to empathise with how important the social interactions are. Also, peers see the young person as involved and up-to-date. Considering how important physical health is to the well being of adults (see my post here), surely the same can be said for young people. However, taking this further makes me wonder why mental and physical health are still viewed independently. Maybe some day, in the not too distant future, we will just consider a person’s health – mental, physical and spiritual – as a combined entity. However, I applaud the WHO for raising this important subject in World Mental Health Day 2018.

If you have enjoyed reading this post, please have a look at my home page and the rest of my blog. I offer counselling sessions, based in Fishponds (BS16) and central Bristol (BS2), at a pace that feels comfortable and safe.

Can Diet Help With Depression?

Is it all ‘old wives tales’?

A person’s health is strongly influenced by their diet. Slogans such as ‘you are what you eat’ help emphasise the importance of thinking about our food. Furthermore, where it comes from. For generations our ancestors have used the saying ‘everything in moderation’. Unfortunately, many ignore the ‘old wives tales’. However, these phrases originate from someone’s experience. They tend to have a significant element of truth. Sometimes we only need to think about the words to realise what they mean.  Consider the moderation example.  Maybe it is common sense that an excess of anything could be damaging to our health. However, can diet help with depression?

Beautifully ripe tomatoes, part of a Mediterranean diet. However, can diet help with depression?

One aspect of the age of research in which we are currently living is that more often than not these phrases, suspicions or best guesses of our ancestors are being proven empirically. As written here, by The Independent newspaper, the Mediterranean diet is now being linked with prevention of depression. Whilst the exact ‘old wives tale’ relating depression and extra virgin olive oil escapes me, I remember since my childhood much talk about this diet ‘being good’ but no-one really knowing why.

 

Or can evidence prove what people have known for centuries?

As evidence for a particular diet goes, this is a fairly small scale study. There is a long way to go before we are adopting the Mediterranean way of life, however it is a start. In the meantime, maybe we should all check in with some of those phrases we remember and wonder what truth they may hold for us today. For the time being, it appears that the answer to ‘can diet help with depression?’ is a tentative ‘yes!’.

If you have enjoyed reading this post, please have a look at my home page and the rest of my blog. I offer counselling sessions, based in Fishponds (BS16) and central Bristol (BS2), at a pace that feels comfortable and safe.

Male Suicide Rates Falling

Unfortunately, there are many suicides around the world. Nearly three quarters of all suicides in the UK are from males, especially those in their late forties. However, whilst every death is ‘one too many’, the BBC report here that numbers are at their lowest since 1981. Male suicide rates are falling – this good news is very welcome. However, as a population more work is required to raise awareness of male mental health. In the past, society has dictated that men should ‘put a brave face on’ and ‘bottle-up’ strong feelings. Challenging this belief is a starting point to reduce male suicide.

If you are struggling, the Samaritans can be contacted 24/7 on 116 123 (UK and Ireland), jo@samaritans.org or their website.

If you have benefited from reading this post, please have a look at my home page and my blog. I offer counselling sessions, based in Fishponds (BS16) and central Bristol (BS2), at a pace that feels comfortable and safe.

Exercise and Mental Health

Recently, a study published by the World Health Organisation (WHO) observed that about one fifth of the world’s population are not getting enough exercise. Notably, in the UK this figure rises to one third! Click here to find out more from The Independent. Importantly, the benefits to physical health are manifold and outlined very well in the article. However, there is no comment on the benefit of exercise and mental health.

Exercise and mental health. It is easy to see why this bike ride to a remote lake could be beneficial.

It is worth bearing in mind that there is plenty of evidence supporting the link between physical activity and mental health. The NHS give some great pointers here. From personal experience, I would also recommend activity that is appealing and within your abilities. Activity can be a great way to mentally reset yourself and help to put things into perspective.

If you have enjoyed reading this post, please have a look at my home page and the rest of my blog. I offer counselling sessions, based in Fishponds (BS16) and central Bristol (BS2), at a pace that feels comfortable and safe.