Dopamine has been dubbed “the reward chemical”. However, neuroscience shows us that the chemical activities that dopamine is involved in is actually more like the train signalling system. Here is the metaphor: In a Neurotypical Brain When a task appears, the brain sends a dopamine signal. That signal says: “This task is worth starting.” The signal turns the green light on. The passengers (AKA: your thoughts, motivation, focus, and emotional energy) get onto the train And the

What Actually Happens in Trauma-Focused Therapy? (Part 4 of 4) When people hear the words trauma therapy , they often imagine talking through painful memories in detail. But trauma-focused therapy isn’t really about retelling the story. The focus is actually about helping the brain and body finish processing experiences that were never fully processed at the time a distressing/traumatic event occurred. When something overwhelming happens, the nervous system moves into a stre

What Therapy to Have When You Don’t Want Therapy (Part 3 of 4) You may not know this- but sometimes people come to therapy knowing they want things to change…but feeling unsure about whether they actually want to talk about the past. That hesitation makes a lot of sense, and is very common. For many people, the idea of revisiting painful experiences can feel overwhelming or simply too much. Some worry it will make things worse. Others already know how intense it can feel when

Why Therapy Can Sometimes Leave You Feeling Tired or Emotional (Part 2 of 4) Another thing people sometimes notice when they begin doing deeper work in therapy is that they feel surprisingly tired, foggy, or emotional afterwards. You might find yourself thinking: "Why do I feel worse?" "Why can’t I stop thinking about what we talked about?" "I went home and fell immediately to sleep" "I don't want to do anything this week- I just want to stay at home" This can be a normal exp

Why Trauma Therapy Doesn't Always Start with the Trauma (Part 1 of 4) Many people come to therapy expecting that healing means diving straight into painful memories. But trauma-informed therapy usually moves a little differently than that. More often, we start by building "a felt sense of safety". This is process is known by lots of names; such as "psychological safety", "resourcing", and the term "pacing" is also used to describe how a psychologist might take things as slowl

I have created a booklet (PDF) to download explaining narcissism and offering education and advice on how to manage these very toxic and...

So often I hear the following from both my neurotypical and ADHDer clients: "I just can't get motivated" "I don't know where to start"...

Let me tell you my top tips for helping to resolve conflict with your child, especially your teenager. Firstly, let me reassure you that...

Here is a quick image to demonstrate where the acupressure tapping points are located for the 'simple recipe' for Evidence Based EFT......

Gratitude is more than a positive feeling. It is a scientifically supported practice that can create meaningful shifts in mental health,...

Practical Sleep Hygiene Tips Here are some evidence-based strategies to help you get better sleep: Stick to a regular sleep schedule Go...

Resistance is often misunderstood. We tend to label it as stuckness, laziness, self-sabotage, or lack of motivation—but the truth is far...

Not all grief is obvious. Some losses aren’t recognised by others—or even by ourselves—as something we're 'allowed' to grieve. Maybe it...

Exploring the hidden emotions that might sit beneath stress, anxiety, or low mood and adjustment disorder… Grief doesn’t always arrive...

The start of a new year can feel like a bittersweet mix of emotions—a fresh beginning, yes, but also a farewell to what’s behind us. For...

As a psychologist, one of the most common issues I hear people struggle with is poor sleep. Good sleep hygiene is essential for mental...

Today, I want to shine a light on the incredible benefits of journaling. Much like mindfulness, journaling offers a space for...

Hello, and thanks for visiting my blog & website! I thought speaking about the power of Mindfulness would be a great first blog post to...

Prefer to read? Get the run down below! Recently I was listening to a podcast by renowned motivational speaker Mel Robbins who spoke...