Feeling overly busy, tired and irritable? Eating too much or too little? These are all signs we may be suffering from the bugbear of modern life: stress. But what if there was a positive way to look at stress? Rethinking stress. How many times this week have you caught yourself saying, “I’m stressed”? Chances are…
Here’s a simple but effective way of thinking about which direction you are travelling in, with each choice you make. It comes from “The Weight Escape” by Ciarrochi, Bailey and Harris (2014), a book I use a lot with clients who have difficulties with food, but this diagram can used with any decision. Download the…
“Well, I just feel confused. I’m not sure where to go from here. Last week we had such a hopeful session and this week has left me feeling stuck.” This is a direct quote from a client at the end of a session with me in the last couple of months. I used to be…
Websites: A site for “Mindfulness: finding peace in a frantic world” including free meditations you can download. My favourite is the chocolate meditation. A UK site that has a program and an app (headspace) and the first 10 mindfulness exercises are free Helpful podcasts on meditation and relaxation can be found at Computer assisted learning for the…
While it’s easy to have the best of intentions when it comes to changing behaviour, sticking at it can be tough. Sue hates flying. She commonly feels fearful from the moment she is seated on the plane and doesn’t fully relax until the moment the plane touches down at the other end. Because of her…
Keeping love alive Desire in relationships is increasingly a hot topic, as many of us struggle to balance work, children and romance. What makes a good relationship? Is it more important to have passion and fireworks or companionate love and friendship? Can you have both? How do you make sense of being married and reasonably…
Psychology of beauty In a society obsessed with beauty, millions of dollars and hundreds of hours are ploughed into the pursuit of flawless looks. But what is the psychology of beauty? It was Joan Collins who said, “The problem with beauty is that it’s like being born rich and getting poorer.” Certainly my client Natasha…
How to change your habits Routine, ingrained actions can have a powerful impact on our lives. Psychologist Mary Grogan explains how to take control and change your habits. Around this time of year (December), people start reflecting on the year that was and making plans for the coming year. Many articles start appearing in popular…
The psychology of boredom In adulthood, boredom can signal a lack of meaning in your life. But we show you how that frustrating feeling can be used to spark creativity and act as a catalyst for growth and change. Who has had this experience? Wandering into the kitchen, starting to do the dishes, leaving them…
Developing a healthy relationship with food When I used to give seminars on how to develop a healthy relationship with food, I would often take in a packet of chips and some chocolate and place them at the front of the room. Comments from the participants would start: “Don’t let me see that chocolate,” “Oh…