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Sometimes when life is tough and we're finding it particularly difficult, struggling with low mood or anxiety (or both!) it can seem almost impossible to find things for which to be thankful. When we are overwhelmed by hardships, relationships turn sour, or that awful feeling of dread follows us around, simply getting through the day takes all our energy and an attitude of gratitude seems elusive and ineffectual. I know this and there have certainly been periods in my life wh

How avoiding painful emotions can snuff out joy Photo by Joseph Frank on Unsplash It often begins in childhood when often, well-meaning parents offer sweets to appease an upset toddler or remove favour until a sulking 10-year-old ‘takes that look off their face and cheers up’. This isn’t a post berating parents, most of whom are doing their best often in stressful circumstances. It is merely an observation that from a young age many of us learn to swallow difficult feelings

The therapeutic benefits of writing Photo by Sixteen Miles Out on Unsplash Journaling has long been used as a means of putting down onto paper our thoughts, feelings, and personal experiences. It can also be used as an effective tool for self-reflection, self-awareness, goal setting, and managing stress. Many people have kept diaries since childhood, writing down appointments and what occurred each day, and this is a wonderful way of capturing memories and prompting us to re

Finding your place in nature Sit spotting is a term given to the practice of finding a greenspace that you can visit regularly to sit, be still, and using your 5 senses, experience your natural surroundings. Rather than mere observation the aim is to form a deep connection with nature and this in turn has benefits to your psychological and physiological wellbeing. Of course, we often find places to sit and take the load off when out and about and this in itself can be restful

The healing power of nature The healing power of nature Counselling and psychotherapy have been around for a long time and the benefits of talk therapy are well established (see here ). Many people have long known the therapeutic potential of spending time in nature, including physiological benefits as follows - 1. Better quality sleep 2. Lowers blood pressure 3. Slows down breathing 4. Can lower blood sugar 5. Can ease joint pain More recently some psychological benefits

Surviving and thriving Growing near a bench where I often sit and read is a small acer type tree, planted a few years ago by a member of the public. Although small, it seemed to enjoy its situ and was beginning to flourish. I was sad to notice as I approached the bench earlier this year that someone had damaged the tree, breaking off the branches, leaving just the trunk and jagged edges. It seemed the poor tree's life had been cut short by an act of vandalism. You can imagine