Picture yourself sitting silently in a meeting or a busy café when out of nowhere, you feel a sharp, stabbing pain in the middle of your chest. Your heart beats quickly, your palms sweat, and it feels like the walls are closing in. It feels like you have tilted too far back in a chair, but instead of stopping, the...
Going back to school can be stressful for everyone in the family. New faces, new rooms, new teachers, etc. For some children and teens (and adults too!), change can be incredibly difficult to move through. Sometimes it can be useful to sit down with your child or teen and discuss what might feel scary or difficult about returning to school and figuring...
‘Wear it Purple” Day (based in Australia) occurs this year on Friday 25th August and is a day for the whole community to go purple in support of LGBTQIA+ youth, and to stand out against bullying and discrimination. It was founded by 2 students Kate Hudson & Scott Williams who saw the high rates LGBTQI+ people at risk and has changed...
In a world where unprecedented connectivity allows plans to be made, rearranged, or cancelled within minutes through texting alone, and the ability to converse with loved ones even continents away, occurs simply via “WhatsApp or Messenger”, the irony remains that a significant prevalence of social isolation and loneliness persists among elderly Australians over 65yrs.
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 be...
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, "Self-compassion...
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, communities,...
