Using the Inner Guide in Therapy One of the premises of Brief Therapy is that clients (mostly) possess their own answers to life’s problems. These answers may be hidden away in forgotten memories, unnoticed experiences or in failures of the imagination. The therapist’s job is to turn around the client’s attention from problems to possibilities … Read more
What is Long Covid? According to a recent study 7-10% of individuals who contracted the Covid virus report continuing health problems up to and beyond two years after becoming ill. In the UK a 2024 House of Commons report concludes that 1.9 million people currently have Long Covid. A common, but debatable, view is that … Read more
Solution-focused therapists look for ways in which their clients have already changed, and utilise that learning in the service of further change. For example, many people have resolved some conflicts with other people; their experiences in the past can be applied to their relationships in the present.
Negative thoughts and the mind Unhealthy thoughts come in many different forms: depressing thoughts, anxious thoughts, guilty thoughts, painful memories, dread of the future, self-judgments, obsessions and suicidal thoughts. Their variety is, in fact, endless. And this fact points to something important about the human mind: that it is a thought-generating machine (it is estimated … Read more
What is Seasonal Affective Disorder? Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a mood disorder that occurs during late autumn and winter. It is characterised by lethargy, low mood, anhedonia, fatigue, and (in some cases) impaired sleep. Due to low energy and the loss of interest in activities the individual may become socially isolated, and prone to … Read more
Understanding relationship breakdown Relationship breakdown can be a complex, distressing experience. This article explores the warning signals of breakdown, and what you can do about them. First understanding the three stages that precede separation or divorce; looking out for signs that your partnership is in trouble; then looking at ways in which you can repair … Read more
What depression is This article explores the five most common signs of depression in its early stages. The advice given here relates to situational depression related to adverse life events. For advice on long-term depression please consult your medical doctor or a psychotherapist. Depression is a mood disorder characterised by persistent low moods; thoughts related … Read more
What is insecurity? Insecurity is a state of dread based on the premise that we are in some way inadequate, emerging whenever we struggle with life changes and setbacks. That could be at work, or in relationships, a break-up, redundancy, moving to a new town or country, the arrival of a child, or the stress … Read more
Focus on the breath. Concentrating on your breathing is a powerful way to promote inner calm. Increase the number of counts as you breathe out, and then in, from 3 to 8. Then reduce the count from 8 back to 3, slowly.
Awareness is a pathless land When Jiddu Krishnamurti was 34 he gave up his position as the ‘world teacher’ his mentors had brought him up be, telling his followers that he was not a teacher, and certainly not a guru. Instead he told them a story about the Devil. “The devil and a friend of … Read more