Blog
Finding Strength in Community: How Mental Health Awareness Week 2025 and the New Mental Health Act Empower Us All
Hello. I’m Debbie, a counsellor based in North Wales. As we embrace Mental Health Awareness Week 2025, running from 12 to 18 May, I find myself reflecting on the profound impact of community on our mental well-being. This year’s theme, Community, resonates deeply, emphasising the importance of connection and support. Let me share a story […]
How to Know You’re Ready for Therapy?
Have you ever found yourself wondering, “Do I really need therapy?” or “Is this just a rough patch I can get through on my own?” The truth is, therapy isn’t just for when life falls apart — it’s a courageous, proactive choice for anyone who wants to understand themselves better, heal old wounds, and live […]
Ketamine: From Healing to Harm – Navigating the Dual Realities of a Controversial Drug”
As a UK-based counsellor, I’ve observed the evolving narrative of ketamine from its origins as a medical anaesthetic to its current status as both a therapeutic tool and a substance of abuse. This duality presents both opportunities and challenges in the realm of mental health. The Medical Genesis of Ketamine Ketamine was first synthesised […]
Emotional Hijack
When we encounter certain situations, our emotional responses can sometimes feel disproportionately intense. This phenomenon, often referred to as an “emotional hijack,” occurs when our brain’s amygdala the centre for processing emotions—reacts swiftly to perceived threats, bypassing our rational thinking processes. Such reactions are frequently rooted in unresolved experiences from our past, particularly from childhood. […]
The Power of a Smile: Science, History, and the Secret to Feeling Happier
We may never know the exact moment the first smile appeared, but we can take an educated guess—and that guess takes us back an astonishing 30 million years. That’s long before humans ever walked the Earth! It suggests that smiling isn’t just a human trait—other species must have been smiling long before us. Researchers discovered […]
Love and Gender Roles: Navigating Relationships in a Changing World
The roles of men and women have undergone a seismic shift since World War II. In our grandparents’ time, men were the providers, the protectors, the ones who pursued. Women, meanwhile, were expected to nurture, support, and, when it came to romance, wait patiently to be chosen. These roles were reinforced by societal norms and […]