Healthy Relationships and Finding Peace -The Drama Triangle
Opting out of The Drama Triangle Is your energy being drained in certain scenarios and relationships that you can’t work out why? Some of us are addicted to or drawn to subtle and pervading drama but we don’t realise it. If you get tied up in rescuing people, then...
Evaluating Why Complementary Therapies Receive Less Respect Than They Deserve.
Is the UK nearing the turning point for Integrative Health? In 2020 I embarked on a twelve month research project entitled ‘Interdisciplinary Approaches to Psychological Trauma - evaluating different perspectives’ (Donnan 2021, Leeds Beckett). As a clinical mental...
Understanding our own and other people’s nervous systems
Humans are a social species and have a sophisticated social engagement system. Being part of this means we help regulate each other’s equilibrium, we tend to live longer and loving relationships are definitely good for our health. It can be a challenge to regulate our...
Understanding Trauma (Part One)
This is the first in a series of blogs around psychological trauma, memory, the nervous system, the vagus nerve, Polyvagal Theory and getting the right support. What is Trauma? Trauma can be anything that has a long lasting negative effect on your well-being. It is...
The Psychology of Place – A Journey into Nostalgia, Memory and Social Change
This blog looks at the psychology of place and how it influences our behaviour, memory and social change. An earlier version of this blog was born from coursework for my Masters Degree in Interdisciplinary Psychology at Leeds Beckett University. During a lecture on...
Health Information Week – Mindfulness for Health
Mindfulness for health Health Information Week is a national, multi-sector campaign to promote high quality information, the aim of this blog is have an impact on people’s ability to stay healthy, manage illnesses effectively and take steps towards improving their...
Health Information Week – Nourishing our Mental Health
Health Information Week is a national, multi-sector campaign to promote high quality information, the aim of this blog is to impact on people’s ability to stay healthy, manage illnesses effectively and take steps towards improving their mental health. Emotional...
Mental Health Awareness Week – A view on depression
Mental Health Week raises awareness of our mental health and as a survivor who went on to train in the field to support and encourage others to reach out for help to recover, I wanted to write a clear and simple blog to help others who may be struggling with...
Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week 2020
Becoming a new parent is a transition which some of us understandably travel through differently. The exact cause of maternal mental health issues aren’t clear but the contributing factors of my own personal experience of perinatal anxiety and depression were a...
National Random Acts of Kindness Day
In my latest book - The Gateway Junior Edition - improving and supporting children's mental health I have written about National Random Acts of Kindness Day which falls on 17th February. The following is an excerpt from the Mindfulness and Emotions chapter. "Random...
Supporting children and young people’s mental health
This blog explains why I wrote my second book, The Gateway - Junior Edition. Over the last twenty-five years I have studied many healing systems from Japan, India and China which I use and practise today. These are the techniques that I pass on to families and young...
National Stress Awareness Day
Stress is a reaction to the abnormal demands of everyday life. It is a healthy, natural, hormonal reaction that helps us tackle challenging situations. In response to a demand, the body reacts first by releasing the catecholamine hormones, adrenaline and...
Go Sober for October
I am happy to say I enjoy drinking socially, most people who know me will agree. I have always suffered from hangovers and as I approach 50 they are getting worse and lasting longer. I try and avoid drinking in the week on a “school night” but sometimes Friday will...
International Week of Happiness (23-27 September )
We spend a lot of our time at work and our job can have a huge impact on our overall health and well-being. I spent ten years in sales in the corporate world plus eight years teaching in further education and have experienced burn out and unhappiness at work....
How meditation slows down the ageing process at a genetic level
How meditation slows the effects of ageing In 2000 I spent five wonderful years working for a South African anti-ageing skincare brand headed by the renowned plastic surgeon and skin cancer specialist Dr. Des Fernandes. I attended many of his lectures, listening...
My New Blog Post on ‘ProfessionalBeauty.co.uk’
New Bach Flower Essence Therapy
Over the last few months to add to my energy medicine, therapy, counselling and coaching work, I have been training to be a Bach Flower Essence Practitioner to adding to my skills to assist clients with their well-being and aid recovery from anxiety, depression,...
Raising awareness of Suicide
In 2017, 5,821 people in the UK took their own lives (Samaritans). Talk to Us is the Samaritans’ annual awareness raising campaign in local communities. The campaign encourages us to become better listeners by sharing expert tips and facts on suicide on their website...
The benefits of mindful walking
Mindful walking is a Taoist moving meditation which stills your inner compass and lowers brain waves so your thoughts slow down, you feel more relaxed and clear headed. When we are in a highly emotional state we become less able to think clearly as we are functioning...
My journey to become an eco-friendly mum and human
I maybe a bit late to the “eco-friendly” and “zero waste” parties, but what counts is that I have arrived. Like thousands of people, we got to grips with our different coloured recycling bins and started composting a few years ago. We decided to have some rescue hens...
Upcoming Events
Two night & day retreats
High Trenhouse, Malham Tarn, North Yorkshire (2 nights) and Well House Yoga Space, Harrogate (Day retreats) see Retreats page.