Tag: Emotional wellbeing

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Opinionated

Change Therapy

Have you had the experience of being in the company of a person who has a high opinion of themselves? The more they speak, the more you want to scream/run away or argue back. It may be someone you know who likes to take centre stage and get their opinion over with no regard for anyone else’s opinion in the room. Listening to someone who takes over, without giving opportunity for others to speak when talking about a subject can be annoying, as well as being threatening, as a high opinionated person gains more confidence the longer, they are permitted … Continue reading Opinionated

Anxiety, Health, Meditation, Mindfulness, Nature, Neurodiversity, Psychology, Self Help, Wellbeing2 Comments

Modern Art Gallery

Change Therapy

Working in collaboration with Get2gether, we arranged this month’s Mindfulness Walking therapy at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art in Edinburgh. There are two buildings,  named Modern One and Modern Two. Both buildings are impressive examples of neo-classical architecture, with Modern One designed by William Burn in 1825, housing the independent school John Watson’s. Modern Two was designed by Thomas Hamilton in 1831 and was known as the Dean Orphanage in 1833, then became an educational college until 1999 We gathered in mid-afternoon under a warm sun and walked around the grounds with guidance on how to be mindful … Continue reading Modern Art Gallery

Anxiety, Health, Psychology, Self Help, Wellbeing6 Comments

Positive Psychology – Gratitude

Change Therapy

I would like to introduce a friend of mine, Hugo Bennett, a young man who has narrated this article for me. Such is the clarity and expression of his voice, in my opinion, the narration has enhanced this post 10 fold. Hugo is starting out in his career as a Narrator, and I fully support and wish him well in his journey, as I am sure many here will do too. His narration starts at the paragraph entitled: The benefits of practicing gratitude An important part of life when I practice Positive Psychology, is showing gratitude or thanks for everything … Continue reading Positive Psychology – Gratitude

general health, Health, Nature, Psychology, Wellbeing2 Comments

Natural Beauty

Change Therapy

As we come out of Spring here in Scotland, it is very noticeable to see the changes in our natural surroundings; the beauty of trees blossoming, as they stretch their branches out and upwards to the sky. The flowers and plants contributing to the variety of colours which brighten up the concrete roads and walls of a typical semi-rural village. As a Psychotherapist, I plan my typical Walk and Talk sessions with individuals in different locations around Eastern Scotland, where we will not be recognised, which protects the identity of my client. We are just two people going for a … Continue reading Natural Beauty

Anxiety, Health, Self Help1 Comment

Affirmations for anxiety

Change Therapy

These affirmations for anxiety are for you if you struggle with anxious thoughts, nagging worries, or intense moments of fear. We know that constant stress and unease can zap your creative brain power and keep you stuck in life. Do you struggle with social anxiety, or generally battle chronic worry and tension in your everyday life? Social anxiety is very common but can feel debilitating if you live with this specific fear. After all, we live in a society where meeting and talking to people is a big part of work, training, and maintaining both platonic and romantic relationships. I … Continue reading Affirmations for anxiety

Anxiety, Health, Meditation, Mindfulness, Nature, Self Help, Weight and Diet, Wellbeing4 Comments

Walk & Talk March 2023

Change Therapy

Amisfield Walled Garden was our destination for my Walk and Talk therapy for groups. The garden and grounds of are part of the Amisfield House Estate, with the mansion built by the Earl of Wemyss in the 1750s. The garden is tended to by volunteers with the charity Amisfield Preservation Trust and is open to the public. It is early morning, and the sun is out, with a soft glow that is neither warm nor inviting, yet the world always seems more cheerier with this great solar giant so prominent in the sky. It is the anticipation of when the … Continue reading Walk & Talk March 2023

Anxiety, Health, Mindfulness, Psychology, Self Help, Weight and Diet, Wellbeing1 Comment

Body Shaming

Change Therapy

Body shaming is the action of making negative comments about one’s own or another person’s attractiveness or appearance. Body shaming leads to withdrawal, isolation, and is associated with depression, anxiety and a whole host of negative emotions, which have a serious impact on a person’s wellbeing. Why do people make critical comments about the shape or size of someone else’s body? This behaviour is witnessed in the playgrounds of schools and continues through time into the adult environments of work and leisure, where sarcastic remarks are still seen as ‘a bit of fun’, by many, including those in responsible positions … Continue reading Body Shaming

Meditation, Mindfulness, Wellbeing2 Comments

Breathing – Mindfully

Change Therapy

Why not take 6 minutes out of your day, to try out some Mindful Breathing? Make yourself comfortable sitting or lying down, close your eyes and listen to my audio track. If you don’t have time right now, the contents of the audio go along these lines: When you breath air in, you feel and sense the oxygen entering your body, then you breath out the used air. This process of breathing is natural, and one we never really stop to think about. When was the last time you fully concentrated on your breathing? Breathe in through your nose and … Continue reading Breathing – Mindfully

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Anchoring

Change Therapy

A Mindfulness strategy called “Anchoring” can assist us in focusing our attention on the here and now. We may become unaware of our surroundings when we our feelings are overtaken by our emotions and thoughts. “Anchoring” involves pausing for a second to check in with ourselves. If you think of a boat that throws its anchor over the side, this stops the boat from floating away. Similarly with Mindfulness, we ‘Anchor our Awareness’, maintaining concentration on the present time. This is done by accepting these ‘other’ thoughts and allowing them to pass, and re-focus on our breathing. If we focus … Continue reading Anchoring

Health, Self Help, Wellbeing5 Comments

A positive start to 2023

Change Therapy

An important part of my life when I practice Positive Psychology, is showing gratitude or thanks for everything I am in touch with; my emotions, my being and social world that I am part of. Gratitude is something we can overlook and yet it offers such powerful benefits to our mental health. There are many benefits of expressing gratitude ranging from better physical health to improved mental alertness. Let me explain further. The word gratitude comes from the Latin word gratia, which means grace, graciousness or gratefulness (depending on the context). In some ways gratitude encompasses all of these meanings. … Continue reading A positive start to 2023

Health, Meditation, Mindfulness, Nature, Self Help, Wellbeing4 Comments

Botanic Gardens

Change Therapy

Following on from the last Mindfulness Walk in collaboration with Get2gether, we chose Edinburgh’s Botanic Gardens as the ideal location for our Walk in September 2022. This fabulous place is very popular for locals and tourists alike, and has so much space to walk around in, with plenty of benches for the weary traveller too. The massive greenhouses that hold hundreds of species of plants from around the world were closed for maintenance when we visited, yet we found that everything around us in nature was plentiful and free. Some fortunate couples choose this location to get married at, and … Continue reading Botanic Gardens

Meditation, Mindfulness, Nature, Wellbeing3 Comments

A quiet corner in the City

Change Therapy

We had a really nice summer this year, and with it the opportunity to get outside more than usual, as more people were mixing outdoors again. Working in collaboration with the well-known charity, Get2gether, I offer Mindfulness Walks in the Edinburgh area, and these have proved very successful. We have visited the beach at Portobello in June, and everyone really enjoyed a couple of hours of mindfulness meditation, talking, and meeting new people. The added bonus of a free ice-cream helped soothe the sore feet from walking too! The next Mindfulness Walk was arranged for mid August at The Thistle … Continue reading A quiet corner in the City

Anxiety, general health, Health, Psychology, Uncategorized, Wellbeing3 Comments

A fresh perspective

Change Therapy

Recently, a client came to me with a problem; one that was causing all sorts of unrest in their life. They struggled to sleep at night for worrying, and this had animpact on their waking hours, as they were tired and irritable, and they foundthemselves becoming consumed with trying to find an answer to the ‘problem’. Many people, including myself, have had this type of experience before, and it is not apleasant place to be in, therefore I was able to empathise to a degree on the emotions involved. What I believe works for the all of my clients, is … Continue reading A fresh perspective

Anxiety, Health, Psychology, Self Help, Wellbeing2 Comments

Optimism and Wellbeing

Change Therapy

Optimism is about having a positive outlook for the future. Optimism is having the belief that this future will be positive. Optimism reflects hope and faith which in turn promotes a perception that world is and can be a better place to live in. If we focus on what is good about a situation and how to do things better, having this optimism releases stress from within our body. The release of stresses associated with negativity, enables us to live a more manageable existence, confident that the future will be positively good. Are people naturally optimistic or pessimistic and can … Continue reading Optimism and Wellbeing

Anxiety, general health, Health, Mindfulness, Nature, Psychology, Self Help, Wellbeing2 Comments

Post Cardio Therapies

Change Therapy

If you have had a Heart attack or similar cardio event, recovery can be slow and frustrating to many people. You can change your life around and become more optimistic about the future. I am walking breathing testimony that this is possible with some guidance and a determination to succeed! When I first created Change Therapy many years ago, the aim was to provide extra support to survivors of cardio events by introducing gentle therapies that we could work through together, to benefit your overall wellbeing. This includes altering your outlook on life, and learning how to be more positive … Continue reading Post Cardio Therapies

Anxiety, general health, Health, Mindfulness, Psychology, Wellbeing8 Comments

Loneliness

Change Therapy

One of the most frequent issues that clients bring to my sessions is loneliness. One general assumption of loneliness is that you are an elderly person with little contact with the outside world. From my experiences these past few years, the people that are lonely, come from age-groups starting in late teens upwards. One individual’s story springs to mind, where they said they were lonely, and could not fathom out what to do. A young man with a job and a house, with lots to offer, but no-one to share life with. He wanted to go on holiday abroad, go … Continue reading Loneliness

Anxiety, general health, Health, Mindfulness, Self Help, Wellbeing3 Comments

Mindfulness of Anger

Change Therapy

Anger is an unpleasant feeling. It is like a blazing flame that burns up our self-control and causes us to say and do things that we regret later. When someone is angry, we can see that they are in a form of hell, a cycle of never-ending rage. Anger and hatred are the materials in which hell is made. A mind without anger is cool, fresh and rational. The absence of anger is the basis of real happiness; the basis of love and compassion. When our anger us placed under the spotlight of Mindfulness, it immediately begins to lose some … Continue reading Mindfulness of Anger

Health, Psychology, Wellbeing2 Comments

Being Assertive

Change Therapy

Assertiveness is a positive communication style. It’s the ability to stand up for ourselves in an open, courteous manner. Here’s what assertiveness entails: You have the option of expressing your thoughts or feelings. You have the option of requesting what you want or require. You can respectfully disagree. You have the ability to speak up for someone else. You are welcome to provide your thoughts and suggestions. You don’t have to feel bad about saying no. How to become more Assertive takes practice and committment. Sometimes assertive and aggressive behaviours get mixed up. The main difference between assertive and aggressive … Continue reading Being Assertive

Health, Inspirational, Mindfulness, Self Help, Wellbeing3 Comments

Distractions

Change Therapy

How many of you reading this get distracted? Whether you are reading, talking or listening, many a time you will have experienced being distracted. It can be annoying, frustrating and takes you out of your stride until you can focus again. What about when we are listening to someone speak. It can take a lot of concentration to hear their voice and what subject they are talking about. Listening takes a lot of effort, and sometimes it is hard to shut out other noises. Can you think of times this happens to you? Sometimes it is not just noises that … Continue reading Distractions

Psychology, Wellbeing4 Comments

Children learn what they live

Change Therapy

The subject of Child Development was one of my favourite parts of learning while studying Psychology, and to this day, I continue to seek out different ideas from Therapists around the world to continue my development in this field. I believe that our childhood interaction with parents/carers contributes to the way in which we behave as an adult. As children are growing up, positive parenting improves their cognitive, social, and problem-solving skills. Positive parenting also influences the child’s reactions and helps them become more self aware adults. Therefore, in my opinion, positive interaction and stimulation are essential in the early … Continue reading Children learn what they live

Inspirational, Self Help, Wellbeing2 Comments

What are you worth?

Change Therapy

A speaker started off his seminar by holding a £20 note in the air. In a room of 200 people, he asked, “Who would like a £20 note?”. Hands started going up. He said, “I am going to give this note to one of you, but first let me do this…” He proceeded to crumple up the twenty pound note. He then asked, “Who still wants it?” Still hands were up in the air. “Well, what if I do this?” He dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it … Continue reading What are you worth?

general health, Health, Psychology, Wellbeing8 Comments

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Change Therapy

Abraham Maslow was a psychologist in the twentieth century who pioneered the humanistic approach to psychology. He is best known for his hierarchy of needs. Maslow believed that human wants may be structured into a hierarchy, in order to better understand what motivates people. This hierarchy includes everything from basic needs like food and water to more complex ideals like self-fulfilment. When a lower need is met, the following needs in the hierarchy become our centre of attention, according to Maslow. These are the five categories of needs according to Maslow: Physiological Physiological needs – these are biological need for … Continue reading Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

general health, Health, Psychology, Wellbeing12 Comments

Age is just a number!

Change Therapy

Recently, I was going through the family photo album with my children. “Who was that young man with the flared jeans and long hair” they asked? I remember the style of that era very well, and yes that was me alright – it seemed like not so long ago, maybe a couple of years at most?! We carry on looking through the photo album and come across another person I could not quite fathom out who, but it was familiar.. When I look at the old man in the photos, with receding hair and plain looking clothes, I stop myself … Continue reading Age is just a number!

Anxiety, Health, Neurological, Psychology, Self Help1 Comment

Imposter Syndrome

Change Therapy

I feel like a Fraud. I am not good enough to do this job. They will find out. I don’t deserve to be in such a good job. Imposter Syndrome is a Psychological expression for a suppressed feeling that someone is undeserving of the position they are in and that they will eventually be exposed.  Imposter Syndrome is the persistent feeling that you’re a fraud and a fake and that someone is going to figure out that you don’t know half as much as you pretend to. This pattern of behaviour affects their performance and there is no let up … Continue reading Imposter Syndrome

Anxiety, Health, Mindfulness, Psychology, Self Help, WellbeingLeave a comment

Strategy for Panic Attack

Change Therapy

The following exercise is suggested for anyone that needs help in coping with a Panic Attack. This also works for Anxiety Attacks. This strategy is one of the best and comes with the best intentions to alleviate the stress. Being aware of your Five Senses. Look around you. Name 5 things you can Hear Name 4 things you can See Name 3 things you can Touch Name 2 things you can Smell Name 1 thing you can Taste. You can feel your Senses at work, reinforcing that you are very much alive and making connections to the world you live … Continue reading Strategy for Panic Attack

Anxiety, general health, Health, Mindfulness, Psychology, Wellbeing3 Comments

Panic Attack

Change Therapy

Experiencing a panic attack is not simply about experiencing a moment of severe fright or nerves. They run much deeper than that. Contrary to popular belief, experiencing a panic attack is not simply about experiencing a moment of severe fright or nerves when you are about to make that speech in front of five hundred people or the morning of that important meeting or exam you have been preparing for. Panic attacks run much deeper than that. Some symptoms of panic attacks include: Out of body feeling Breathlessness Chest pains Palpitations and racing heart Feeling of impending doom or death … Continue reading Panic Attack

Anxiety, Autism specific, Health, Mindfulness, Psychology, Self Help, Wellbeing4 Comments

Items to help Cope with anxiety

Change Therapy

At first glance you may see a person squeezing a bunch of grapes, yet on closer inspection, you can see that these are not real fruit. I see adverts regularly while surfing the internet, for toys that help calm your kids down. Squishy balls, Chewy toys, Spinners, Fidget toys in fact anything to keep the hands busy. There are many different types of toys which are predominantly meant to distract the user from the anxieties they experience in their minds. Are they aimed at children only? No, is the short answer. They look like something that you would amuse a … Continue reading Items to help Cope with anxiety

Anxiety, general health, Psychology, Wellbeing2 Comments

Our Nervous System – Fear

Change Therapy

When we are afraid of a situation, the brain sends a signal to the body to prepare itself. Have you ever wondered at the complexity of the processes involved? I don’t imagine we have time to think about the goings on inside, when faced with Fear, however it is worth knowing more if only to understand what really goes on “behind the scenes”. First of all, it is useful to know how our Nervous System actually works. The Nervous System consists of 2 parts known as the Voluntary and Involuntary Systems. The Voluntary Nervous System controls the movement of our … Continue reading Our Nervous System – Fear