Tag: Psychology

Mental Health, Neurodiversity, Psychology, Wellbeing8 Comments

The Limitations of IQ Tests

Change Therapy

What does your IQ tell you? The perception of the general public is accepting of the idea an individual’s intelligence can be measured through an IQ test. IQ tests are mainly mathematical and logic-based tests. A high IQ presumes that you are a very smart person and are therefore provided with certain opportunities in life to succeed, while an individual measured as having a low IQ, usually means that restrictions are placed upon their pathway to education. Children throughout their academic years are filtered into certain categories depending on the measure of their IQ. Intelligence Quotience, also known as IQ, … Continue reading The Limitations of IQ Tests

Acceptance, Inspirational, Mental Health, Nature, Wellbeing22 Comments

Dogs are Family too!

Change Therapy

The Big Black Labrador Sometimes a story appears which gets my attention, and this particular one whether true or not, has an uplifting theme about friendship and belonging. This story starts somewhere in a small college town in the USA… They told me the big black Lab’s name was Reggie, as I looked at him lying in his pen. The shelter was clean, and the people really friendly. I’d only been in the area for six months, but everywhere I went, people were welcoming and open. But something was still missing as I attempted to settle in to my new … Continue reading Dogs are Family too!

Anxiety, Mental Health, Psychology, Wellbeing16 Comments

Procrastination

Change Therapy

Recently, I was contacted by an independent radio station in London, England to take part in their ‘live’ Breakfast Show, which periodically covers current topics of interest in Mental Health. The subject for the planned show was Procrastination, and the organisers invited a clinical psychologist, myself and another psychotherapist to take part in a Q&A session, allowing 10 minutes for each of us to take questions and answer using our previous experience when helping clients overcome procrastination. Personally, I found the experience to be exhilarating, with no nervous feelings at all. Knowing that my voice and opinions would be broadcast, … Continue reading Procrastination

Mental Health, Neurological, Psychology, Self Help, Wellbeing9 Comments

Be smarter for a longer life.

Change Therapy

Andrew Lim and colleagues at Toronto University carried out tests on 3000 ‘older’ participants at different times of the year to assess cognitive functioning, measuring thinking and concentration skills, as well as physiological tests to look for early signs of Alzheimer’s disease. The outcome was that people who tested in Summer and early Autumn obtained significantly higher scores, than those tested in Winter and Spring. “There may be value in increasing dementia-related clinical resources in the winter and early spring when symptoms are likely to be most pronounced,” the authors say. “By shedding light on the mechanisms underlying the seasonal … Continue reading Be smarter for a longer life.

Acceptance, Mental Health, Neurological, Psychology, Self Help, Wellbeing21 Comments

Understanding 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/needs 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 Understanding Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Meditation, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Wellbeing2 Comments

Set an Intention

Change Therapy

Setting an intention for the day is a great habit to get into. I do this as part of my daily morning meditation. I also visualise what I would like to happen during my day. Being thankful for everything that I have experienced, even the negative ones, as they are life’s lessons to be learned from so as not to repeat them. Think of an important goal that you have for the day, anything at all, and focus on that goal.  See it, by visualizing the goal and tell yourself how you are going to achieve what you set out … Continue reading Set an Intention

Anxiety, Diabetes, Health, Inspirational, Meditation, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Nature, Neurodiversity, Psychology, Self Help, Weight and Diet, Wellbeing8 Comments

Mindfulness Walks

Change Therapy

The work I do every day makes a difference to others – mostly, I hope, for the better. Take a break from your routine and practice slowing down during this unique Guided Mindfulness Session. I was the first therapist to offer Mindfulness Walks in this part of the UK and many others continue to follow my lead in this field, which began around the start of the 2003. There is a difference having someone who is a highly qualified Psychotherapist and Counsellor by your side. I have a Bachelor of Science degree, with Honours, in Psychology and Counselling, and I … Continue reading Mindfulness Walks

Anxiety, Health, Meditation, Psychology, Self Help, Wellbeing1 Comment

Blood Test Phobia

Change Therapy

Personally, I used to find the experience of having a blood test quite uncomfortable, and at times found that the journey there could be unsettling to say the least. It has only been through using distraction techniques, like playing music or mindfulness meditation that have got me over the fear, and over time, it is became much easier. Blood tests at your medical practice can be quite uncomfortable to some, neither here nor there to others, but to around 20% of the population, a very nervy experience. It is the latter category that concerns me, and I include some suggestions … Continue reading Blood Test Phobia

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

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction

Change Therapy

“Mindfulness is about being fully awake in our lives. It is about perceiving the exquisite vividness of each moment. We also gain immediate access to our own powerful inner resources for insight, transformation and healing” – Jon Kabat-Zinn. Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction comes under the umbrella of Mindfulness Based Interventions (MBI’s) which are intended on helping people improve their health and wellbeing. Change Therapy delivers MBSR Certification courses – get in touch for more information, using this link. Intended to increase consciousness and encourage the connection between your body and mind, MBSR uses techniques that target negative subconscious thoughts, behaviours … Continue reading Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction

Anxiety, general health, Health, Neurological, Psychology, Wellbeing6 Comments

Exercise over Medication?

Change Therapy

Chronic pain sufferers should take exercise, not analgesics/medication/prescribed drugs says NICE. Medicines watchdog recommends physical and psychological therapies when treating pain with no known cause. People suffering from chronic primary pain which is labelled as having, no known cause, should not be prescribed painkillers, the medicines watchdog has announced, recommending such patients be offered exercise, talking therapies and acupuncture instead. In a major change of pain treatment policy, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) say that in future, doctors should advise sufferers to use physical and psychological therapies rather than analgesics to manage their pain. Medical teams … Continue reading Exercise over Medication?

Acceptance, Health, Psychology, Self Help, Wellbeing7 Comments

Jar of Life

Change Therapy

I came across this short story about prioritizing life which I want to share with you. It helps me throughout my life, as I often have to remind myself what is important in my world and needs more attention. Sometimes I can spend too much time on the less important things, when I should be looking after the main things like my health, partner and children. The story There was a philosophy professor who was giving a lecture to his students. In front of him, he had a big glass jar, a pile of rocks 2” in diameter, a bag … Continue reading Jar of Life

Acceptance, Inspirational, Self Help, Wellbeing5 Comments

Growing Up is Optional

Change Therapy

Every so often I come across an inspirational story, and as such, I would like to share this particular one with you, with the aim to hopefully brighten your day. This is a sweet tale of a senior college student. Her message that “Growing Old is Mandatory, Growing Up is Optional” is unique. Hopefully, we’ll live to a ripe old age as she did. Our professor greeted us on the first day of class and urged us to get to know someone we didn’t previously know. When a soft hand brushed my shoulder, I got to my feet to take … Continue reading Growing Up is Optional

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

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

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

Calming anxiety quickly

Change Therapy

Anxiety. A word that I hear more and more of as each week passes by. Some people have common anxieties about the cost of living or the plethora of viruses circulating in the community. Some have anxieties concerning their own lives and how they can deal with things troubling them. There are self-help books, websites and experts all over the place that promise to help you deal with your anxiety, but what if you do not have ready access to a book, website or a professional to talk you through what to do in the moment that anxious thoughts appear … Continue reading Calming anxiety quickly

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

Autism specific, Health, Neurological, Psychology4 Comments

Sensory Processing

Change Therapy

We have heard that people associate Sensory Processing difficulties with those on the Autism Spectrum. While this is often true, that senses become overwhelmed quickly, and the brain cannot manage or process the sensory information in the ways that neurotypical individuals can. Typically, a meltdown occurs as the mind seeks a way to self-regulate. These Sensory difficulties can affect anyone, although it is very common for individuals on the Autism Spectrum. So, if you have Sensory Processing Disorder, this does not mean you are on the Autism Spectrum. Everyone has differing experiences, and this is measured on a scale, or … Continue reading Sensory Processing

Mindfulness, Nature, Wellbeing2 Comments

Non-judgemental

Change Therapy

Being non-judgmental implies not seeing things as ‘good’ or ‘bad,’ ‘right’ or ‘wrong.’ Instead, you simply witness or experience it; you are not obligated to make sense of a situation, your own ideas, feelings, or behaviours, or the behaviour of others. It is difficult to remain non-judgmental all of the time. We make snap judgments about people based on their look, conduct, and words from the moment we first see or meet them. And that is perfectly fine. Perhaps you see a person dressed in a way that makes you feel insecure, or they have a voice or look which … Continue reading Non-judgemental

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!

general health, Health, Psychology, Wellbeing4 Comments

Good friendship qualities

Change Therapy

What are good friendship qualities? It comes down to 5 crucial qualities in my opinion, yet there may be more. Anyone wish to comment? Nourish. The friendship nourishes both individuals. Each feels supported and cared for and both look forward to each other’s company. Trust. Each knows they can count on each other to be honest and accepting, even when one or both change. Commitment. Both are prepared to put time and effort into the relationship even when physically apart. Balance. The give and take of a relationship balances out over time, as each provide support when required. Relationship. This … Continue reading Good friendship qualities

general health, Health, Psychology, Weight and Diet, Wellbeing14 Comments

Adolphe Quetete and BMI?

Change Therapy

Today is World Obesity Day (4th March 2021) Body Mass Index (BMI) is a calculation of body fat on the basis of height and weight applying to adult men and women. Your Body Mass Index score indicates whether you are underweight or overweight. Based on the score that you get, you may be advised to bulk up or lose weight. It is done to ensure that you maintain a bodyweight that may be healthy, and you may be advised to change your lifestyle to attain a healthier BMI. The BMI scale was developed in 1832 by a Belgian mathematician named … Continue reading Adolphe Quetete and BMI?

general health, Psychology, Wellbeing4 Comments

Are you being nudged?

Change Therapy

Do you make choices of your own free will, or are you being nudged along by an unseen force to comply? The Government, Retail and Medical professions, amongst many other industries employ strategies to shape your behaviour. Nudge theory is the science behind subtly leading people to the ‘right’ decision. It works on the principle that small actions can have a substantial impact on the way people behave. For organisations wanting to drive positive behaviour change, it’s a handy concept to know about. Nudge theory is also concerned with the design of choices, which influences the decisions we make. Nudge theory … Continue reading Are you being nudged?

Autism specific, Neurological, Wellbeing3 Comments

Autism and Meltdowns

Change Therapy

Most parents are familiar with a child’s temper tantrum and the disruptive, angry outbursts where the child demands attention, including getting their own way. In contrast, when a child or adult on the Autistic Spectrum has a Meltdown, they are reacting to emotional overload, and their brain struggles to make sense of a situation or behaviour. Ultimately, a Meltdown is a loss of control brought about by changes to the routine or expected behaviours, resulting in the senses being over stimulated all at once. Explosion of emotions! The Meltdown responses displayed by the Autistic person may include verbal expressions, of … Continue reading Autism and Meltdowns

Inspirational, Nature, Wellbeing5 Comments

Time is like a River

Change Therapy

“Time is like a river. You cannot touch the same water twice, because the flow that has passed will never pass again. Enjoy every moment of your life!” “For what it’s worth… it’s never too late, or in my case too early, to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit. Start whenever you want. You can change or stay the same. There are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you … Continue reading Time is like a River

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Walking in Nature – Walk and Talk

Change Therapy

Massive thanks to Stephen Newlin at Business Gateway for publishing an advert promoting Change Therapy in the Buzz (Business News) magazine. Did you know?  The NHS in various regions around the UK are suggesting to GP’s that prescribing ‘walking in nature’ is more beneficial that pills, for certain issues, like anxiety, OCD, sleep disorders, headaches, depression and a whole host of ailments? Work/Career problems, Not sleeping at night, Weight concerns, Relationship help, these are typical areas that can be improved upon, by joining me for a Walk and Talk. Some people just want to ‘get away’ from their lives for … Continue reading Walking in Nature – Walk and Talk