If you are considering counselling, particularly for the first time, you could find yourself overwhelmed by all the different options available to you. Conventionally when people imagine counselling they might envisage two or more people sat in a room conversing. However modern counselling takes many forms and one such form is email. Perhaps you have […]
Bereavement and Emotions
Generally people expect to feel sad following a bereavement but many are surprised by some of the other emotional and physical manifestations. This article looks at some of these in more detail. This article does not cover complicated or unresolved grief. “Will I ever feel normal again?” is a question you may be asking after […]
Mindfulness
Mindfulness means paying attention to our thoughts feelings, body sensations and the environment. This way of being can help us to bring our experiences into the moment and in doing so can enable us to feel more in control and less anxious. It can be practiced by children, young people and adults. There are various […]
The Importance of Good Relationships
There are basically three types of intimate relationships that shape our personal life – close friends, romantic partners and family. However, the success of any of these, or of other relationships which we may see as less significant depends on what we as individuals are prepared to invest in them. The key ingredients for any […]
Online security and counselling
Online security and counselling For the past three years I have attended the OCTIA annual conference, either in person or online. This is an annual conference for counsellors who work on the internet. This year there was a lot of talk about security and protecting our clients’ confidentiality online. Part of this was a discussion […]
Therapeutic Writing Groups
Therapeutic Writing Groups Bereavement Therapeutic Writing Group – on Tuesdays, from 27th January 2015 fortnightly Time: 11.30 – 1.30pm (6 sessions) – Free General Therapeutic Writing Group – on Tuesdays, from 3rd February 2015 fortnightly Time: 11.30 – 1.30pm (6 sessions) – £6 per week, see below To be held at Breaks Manor Youth Centre, […]
Mindfulness
I recently attended a short workshop on “Recovery through Mindfulness – based cognitive therapy”. A representative of Mind ran the workshop. Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way in the present moment and without judgement. Following introductions we did a group exercise called the ‘Raisin Exercise’. It was incredibly relaxing and we concentrated on […]
Questions clients ask – ‘Supervision’
In the second article in this series, we are talking about supervision and what it might entail. When we outline our confidentiality policy with new clients, we inform them that we may talk about their case in supervision. As a new client you may be wondering what happens in supervision. We hope to answer this […]
Free Drug and Alcohol Awareness Workshop
All parents are invited to attend a free workshop on Drug and Alcohol Awareness at Oakmere School, Potters Bar next Tuesday evening, 25th March from 7 to 9pm. The workshop will be run by Nicola Halls of Druglink Limted UK. If you would like to come along, please call Patricia on to book a place. […]
Questions clients ask – ‘Confidentiality’
“I would like to try counselling but my privacy is very important. Can you guarantee that anything I might say will be kept confidential?” There has been much discussion and concern about today’s ‘big brother’ society and whether our privacy can be protected. Sometimes people who are considering counselling feel concerned that the things they […]