So, recently I have been thinking about developing my own self-compassion…. After all I know I’m a work in progress! I believe we ALL are! Self-compassion is often spoken about as “being kind to yourself” but that isn’t the whole meaning of compassion. I don’t think compassion just happens; it’s a practice that can be developed and research is suggesting that compassion and mindfulness can actually make changes to the brain that helps improve our stress response. Compassion is about connecting with another human being on an equal footing and we also know that connection with others is a fundam ..read more

The festive period can be fraught with anxiety and stress. We can feel under immense pressure to create the perfect Christmas and with already busy lives and financial constraints, the commercialism that encourages more doesn't make it any easier.  We should  ​also remember that its not always the most happy period of time for everyone and that even the pressure to be "joyful" is sometimes too much pressure.  Follow over the next 25 days for my Top Tips for alleviating your stress levels heading toward Christmas Day.... Click through each number 1-25 for each day's ..read more

Oh my goodness how miserable am I if I don't get enough sleep?!! We can all have trouble sleeping occasionally but persistent sleeplessness affects our mood and ability to cope with stress. Of course our mood and stress levels can also affect our sleep  pattern, but there are some things we can do to that can help improve our chances of getting a good night’s rest. These include making changes in our Environment, Behaviour and Thinking..... There's no one magic panacea unfortunately but a combination of factors can make a difference. Check out the followin ..read more

 Self-care (including diet, physical activity and sleep) is an important aspect of recovery in depression but one that is often neglected generally despite it being an important factor in maintaining good health and more often than not, issues in these areas, also show up as a symptom of depression.  ​Scroll to the end for your list of dietary recommendations to support mental health..... ​Our body, including our brain inevitably deteriorates a little with age! Some of us seem to “age better” than others. Some of this will be about genetics, however, like a car, i ..read more

Listening to Mandie Holgate from The Business Womans Network talk this morning about how important ​​reviews are to local businesses has made me think about not just how often I write reviews myself for the businesses I use (and who frankly  ??? ??? ??? deserve my feedback!), but about what I actually put in my reviews.... AND its also had me considering how writing a service review could actually be a useful process of therapy for the therapy client and certainly how it might help others even if they don't use my service! Negativity... ​Many people can be quick to co ..read more

​Stress is a normal part of day to day life and not all stress is bad stress! Some stress is actually helpful..... it can be motivating and exciting. It can prompt us in to action e.g. on a basic level hunger could be classed as a stress. Natural hunger is our body telling us it needs nutrition and prompts us to eat which is kind of useful in terms of survival. ​But generally when we think about stress we think about the negative aspects. We're usually referring to excess stress - the kind that eventually leads us to feel exhausted, irritable, miserable  etc..... Sympto ..read more

,Today is #nationalpuppyday so lets talk dogs! Animals can help us with our mental well-being and there IS actually research out there that supports this long held belief! All of us, but perhaps especially those suffering from stress, depression and anxiety can benefit. Any pet can have benefits though most of the research has been done with dogs, cats or horses. As it’s National Puppy Day lets talk dogs….. Your dog can give you…. Motivation – when you need a reason to get out of bed, its licking you in the face! Even if you don’t feel like facing the day, eating or going out ..read more

People ask, "What does Hathi mean?" and "Why Hathi Therapies?" - Hathi (formally pronounced hah-tee but we say Hatti!) is the Hindi word for elephant; an animal highly regarded for its memory, wisdom, and strength. For many years I've had a fondness, even  affinity for elephants, admiring their natural intuition and empathy. Daphne Sheldrick of DS Wildlife Trust, describes elephants as: "human" animals, encompassed by an invisible aura that reaches deep into the human soul in a mysterious and mystifying way. They share many human traits; the same span of life, (three score year ..read more

YES! When we're stressed, when we're anxious, when we're angry AND in fact EVERY day. Let me explain.... Our brain is hard wired to protect and survive; a small primitive but powerful part of our brain, the amygdala, is constantly alert for signals of danger. It's the part of our brain which kick starts the "Fight/Flight/Freeze" survival response. It works amazingly!! And the physiological process occurring in the survival response is truly incredible! Unfortunately the amygdala, whilst it's looking out for us, is not a rational part of our brain and can kick off in a split second when it ..read more

New Year and many people are thinking about how to “improve themselves”, whether its “dry January” or starting a new exercise regime or eating plan. New Year resolutions are generally made to better ourselves or our situation….. Mine, if you’re interested, is to keep up my mindfulness meditation and to practice gratitude daily….. well actually that isn’t really a “New Year” resolution, just a resolution that I still need to keep reminding myself in a compassionate and encouraging way, until it becomes a good-enough-habit, that it’s an old habit! Whenever you decide to make change, New Year or ..read more