“Social connection can lower anxiety and depression, help us regulate our emotions, lead to higher self-esteem and empathy, and actually improve our immune systems. By neglecting our need to connect, we put our health at risk.” JS House, KR Landis, D Umberson (2019)Social connection can be … [Read more...]
The Phenomenon of ‘Manifesting – The Law of Attraction’ and the inability to tolerate reality
What is ‘Manifesting’ and The Law of Attraction?Recently a client, somewhat younger than me, described a phenomenon they called "Manifesting". They felt excited and disappointed in themselves in equal measure that they seemed to be failing in using this ‘secret’ method of working with ‘the … [Read more...]
Helping children to ride the waves of big emotions
Quite a few people this week have asked me about tips for supporting children at times of high emotional stress (e.g. anger, rage or anxiety). For this reason, I thought I would share with you some generic pointers for parents that I use in clinic, but which could apply to most children. These are … [Read more...]
Why does the difference between counselling and psychotherapy matter?
What a difference a year makes. For all of us the world is an inconceivably different place to a year ago. Not only are we all living with greater uncertainty, we have all had to enormously adapt to living, socialising, relating working, and not least, having therapy in a different way.Almost … [Read more...]
Helping Children With Loss Through Story Books
Children, like all of us, encounter loss in their lives, temporary and permanent. They may lose a treasured possession, a loved one who dies, a parent who leaves or is imprisoned, a friend who moves away, or a valued teacher in the transition between year groups or schools. Some are unlucky enough … [Read more...]
We are recruiting
Thanks to ever increasing demand for our services, we are now recruiting new associates to join our vibrant and busy practice.Established in 2008, Brighton and Hove Psychotherapy is a practice offering high-quality face-to-face psychology and psychotherapy across the Brighton & Hove area, as … [Read more...]
What is Andropause and what happens to men when their testosterone levels decline?
Schools will soon have menopause on the curriculum. Largely due to the efforts of psychotherapist Diane Danzebrink and her #MakeMenopauseMatter campaign. In 2019 Education Secretary Damian Hinds confirmed menopause will become part of the Sex and Relationships curriculum for teenagers in the UK in … [Read more...]
Why is it hard to make decisions?
‘It's not about making the right choice. It's about making a choice and making it right.’ J.R. Rim Making a decision can be very difficult. Sometimes it doesn’t matter how big or small a decision is: it is the fact that one has to be made at all which engenders an anxiety that can feel … [Read more...]
Why read Nietzsche?
Nietzsche reflected on and wrote much about the lived experience of human beings. He discussed many things that were seemingly in conflict with the last thing he wrote. I have sometimes heard this used as a reason not to read Nietzsche. This apparent paradoxical nature might sometimes leave you … [Read more...]
Am I cracking up or is it my hormones? Pre-menstrual Dysphoric Disorder and the importance of tracking symptoms
It is not comfortable being told that you are feeling the way you do because of your hormones. This kind of biological reductionism is not helpful to any gender but the extremely severe symptoms of Pre-menstrual Dysphoric Disorder are completely aligned to the menstrual cycle. They manifest during … [Read more...]
Supporting children and young people with stress and anxiety
Stress is caused by an existing stress-causing factor or stressor. Stress can be 'routine', related to everyday activities or 'sudden', brought about by a change or transition, or 'traumatic', in relation to an overwhelming event.During stressful events our adrenal glands release adrenaline, a … [Read more...]
Sleep and Mental Health
We all need sleep, and it is a natural part of our life. On average, most adults need around 8 hours of sleep per night although this can vary from person to person. While no one is entirely sure why we need to sleep, we do know that it is significant for brain development, and maintains normal … [Read more...]
Communication, communication, communication
Of all the problems presented by clients when they first attend therapy as a couple, communication difficulties are often to be found as the most pressing. However, our difficulties with communication is not just an issue within a relationship: it touches every aspect of our lives – which makes the … [Read more...]
Taking therapy ‘online’
When Covid-19 started spreading, I didn’t instantly move away from working with people directly in the room. Up until that point I had only provided limited online sessions, usually when people moved away from the area or travelled for work. I was slightly apprehensive about that as an option. … [Read more...]
Fear and hope in the time of Covid
The coronavirus pandemic has interrupted our lives and disrupted the status quo - that which confers normalcy and (feels like) security. As we have in recent months reorganised and adapted our lives to halt the virus in its destructive tracks we have been derailed from our personal and collective … [Read more...]