Anyone who has experienced severe anxiety knows the anguish and the feeling of isolation this can bring. This can include social anxiety, phobias, generalised anxiety, posttraumatic stress, panic attacks, mild to moderate Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and other anxiety disorders. Our clinicians have extensive training and experience in strategies to address your panic and anxiety. Amongst others, these include Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Schema Therapy, Compassion Focused Therapy, and Trauma-focused strategies. Your practitioner will assess your unique personality and anxiety presentation to evaluate which approach to adopt for your particular needs.

Grief can manifest in a variety of circumstances – divorce, a job loss, migration, the loss of a pet and, of course, the loss of a loved one. It is a natural response, that can evoke powerful and extreme emotions – sorrow, regret, anger, guilt, physical pain, feelings of emptiness….or perhaps feeling nothing at all. It seems that, no matter how prepared we may think we are for the loss of a loved one, it is still such a jarring experience. In his opening line of “A Grief Observed”, CS Lewis wrote, “No-one ever told me that grief felt so like fear”. Grief can be experienced in a very personal, and sometimes surprising, way by each individual.

Although going through a bereavement can be one of the most painful of life experiences, if one can remain open to honouring and sharing their unique grieving process, it can also be a healing, life-defining and transformative journey.

Most people are likely to experience traumatic events in their lifetime, and many will tend to recover well, with time and adequate social support. However, for some individuals, the experience of a traumatic event or ongoing exposure to trauma can result in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD refers to a set of symptoms that can emerge after exposure to a potentially traumatic event involving actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence. Exposure to such events may be through a direct experience, learning that the event has happened to a close family member or friend, witnessing a traumatic event happening to a person, or repeated or extreme exposure to the aftermath of trauma, for example, in the case of first responders. The onset of symptoms may occur immediately, or much after the event, even many years later. The symptoms experienced may include:

• Flashbacks or “re-experiencing” ie. Feeling as if the event is happening again
• Angry outbursts
• Feeling hyperaroused, or agitated, with exaggerated startle reaction
• Difficulty sleeping or experiencing nightmares
• Feeling worried, guilty, or sad

There are many approaches to dealing with PTSD that can be tailored to your specific presentation and your personality. Call us and we can chat further with you about your needs.

Any ongoing situation or event that causes distress, fear, and a sense of helplessness qualifies as trauma. Repeated exposure to traumatic events can result in complex traumatic stress. Researchers have distinguished between “Little T Trauma’s” and “Big T Trauma’s”. An example of a Big T Trauma is a natural disaster, a violent crime, or a serious car accident, the death of a parent, or ongoing abuse. Little T Trauma refers to events that typically don’t involve disaster or violence, but that create significant distress. For a young person this may include the loss of a pet, getting bullied, losing a job, or suffering rejection. Being in a relationship with a narcissistic individual can also cause Little T Trauma. There is now evidence that repeated exposure to Little T trauma can cause more emotional harm than exposure to one big traumatic event.

Becoming a parent is a life-defining experience, daunting and exhilarating all at once. The primary focus of attachment parenting is to provide a safe and secure emotional environment for the child’s development.

John Bowlby, the first attachment theorist, in his groundbreaking Theory of Attachment described our intimate attachments to other human beings as “the hub around which a person’s life revolves, not only as an infant or a toddler or a schoolchild, but throughout adolescence and years of maturity as well, and on into old age”. Here he demonstrates how secure attachment relationships with parents and caregivers are fundamental to providing the foundation for social competence in the young person, and to promoting the effective functioning of the emotion regulation and stress response systems.

We understand, too, that therapeutic change in the child occurs from within the secure base of a healthy attachment with the parent. When the parent can develop specific relationship competencies through therapy, coaching, and guidance from the psychologist, lasting change can occur in the attachment relationship.

Parenting pre-teens and teenagers is often a surprising challenge for any parent. Just when things seemed to be traveling along fine, one can suddenly feel that the relationship is fraught with new challenges to one’s patience, assumptions, and closely held values. The ability to regulate one’s own emotions, and to handle ambiguity, with a healthy dose of humility and humour, can be invaluable skills to employ in the journey of parenting your teenager. These emotions and personal values can also be challenged when the teenager becomes an adult and naturally finalises the work of separation and individuation that began during their preteen years.

There may be times when a person may need increased support in their parenting journey. They may need to develop strategies for their self-regulation, to be grounded and present in a positive and constructive way for their child, whether a young child, a teenager, or an adult. If this describes you, then reach out to a suitable practitioner who may assist you to develop the appropriate strategies for your situation.

A diagnosis of a chronic disease can have impacts emotionally, socially, and occupationally. Symptoms like tiredness and aches and pains are generally not visible so others cannot appreciate their effects. It is not just physical symptoms that can affect an individual, but the limits on lifestyle and living with constant pain, that can take a toll mentally.

Worrying and thinking negatively about possible situations adds to your anxiety and can affect your overall health. Poor mental health can worsen your symptoms. If you are feeling overwhelmed or isolated, it is important to speak to your doctor or another healthcare professional about your feelings. Staying as well as you can when living with a chronic condition or long-term illness will give you the best quality of life.