Being a teen in high school, friendships and your mates are seriously important. High school isn't just about classes and textbooks – it's like this buzzing universe of chatting, chilling with your mates, and building those friendships. The connections you build right now can totally mould who you are, sway the decisions you make, and give you that awesome...
Picture this: You find out your partner has been unfaithful, and your world feels like it's crashing down. The pain, anger, and betrayal can be overwhelming, leaving you questioning everything you thought you knew about your relationship. Infidelity is emotionally devastating, with serious negative consequences for both parties involved. It also raises many questions. Should you stay? Will things...
Do you find yourself anxious about being judged by others? Are you frequently self-conscious in typical social scenarios? Does the thought of meeting new people make you fearful or uneasy? If these emotions have persisted for a minimum of 6 months and are interfering with your ability to perform everyday activities, like engaging with colleagues or classmates, you might...
We all have experiences in life that are difficult, painful, or challenging. Our internal voice can be harsh, judging us for our perceived shortcomings and mistakes. Instead of getting caught up in self-criticism or negative thinking patterns, self-compassion encourages us to approach ourselves with kindness and explore constructive ways to address our challenges. As Dr Kristin Neff (Educational Psychologist) states,...
Are you struggling with falling asleep or staying asleep? Do you find that your mind is constantly racing, making it nearly impossible to get a good night's rest? You are not alone. Research shows that inadequate sleep is a common issue for four out of every ten Australians. Sleep is incredibly important for our physical and mental health. Yet, sometimes...
Mental health stigmatisation poses a significant obstacle for individuals grappling with various mental health conditions, such as PTSD, schizophrenia, severe depression, and many others. Stigma, fuelled by misconceptions, fear, and negative stereotypes, results in discrimination and social exclusion - something we often hear from our clients. Overcoming this challenge and creating an inclusive society demands collaborative efforts from individuals,...
What is masking? Masking is the effort that is put in by people with autism to appear neurotypical – to “fit in”. While masking is very apparent in autism, it is important to note that many other neurodiverse conditions e.g. ADHD etc involve masking too. Some examples of masking include: Forcing or faking eye contact during conversations Imitating smiles and...
When I was first considering occupational therapy as a career, I wasn’t entirely sure what exactly an occupational therapist was or did. My career mentor had suggested it and the respect I had for her meant that I considered it seriously. But what exactly was an occupational therapist and what would I be doing if I ended up there?...
The term self-care has been thrown around by the media for the past decade. According to Google trends, searches relating to self-care have more than doubled since 2015. But what is it? Why does everyone not stop talking about it? And how do you actually “do” self-care? A technical definition for self-care is "a multidimensional, multifaceted process of purposeful engagement in...
How Do I Learn To Live With Bipolar? Practical Steps For Individuals And Families What is bipolar? Bipolar is an umbrella term to describe a group of mental health conditions that cause extreme fluctuations in a person’s mood, energy, and ability to function. If you have bipolar disorder, your mood is likely to go through extreme highs (known as mania or...
