Let’s be honest—perimenopause can feel like your body has been hijacked. One minute you’re fine, the next you’re peeling off layers during a surprise hot flush, snapping at your partner over nothing, or lying awake at 3am with a racing mind. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone—and more importantly,...

In today’s fast-paced world, anxiety and stress have become common experiences for many people. Whether it's due to work pressures, personal relationships, or financial concerns, stress and anxiety can significantly affect mental and physical well-being. While there are many methods to manage these issues, one highly effective yet often overlooked...

Mindfulness is about living in the present moment, without judgement and appreciating what is happening and enjoying the simple things in life.  You might take notice and be aware of your mind, body or surroundings. Mindfulness can help us to feel calmer, reduce stress or anxiety, sleep better, cope better...

“Anxiety is a feeling of unease, worry or fear, that can be mild or severe”  NHS Most of us know how it feels to be stressed, worried or nervous about something. Usually, these feelings come and go quickly.  However if these feelings last longer and are more intense, you may...

With the ever increasing costs of mortgages, food and of course the cost of energy (which is slightly better than last year), it all certainly contributes to raising our levels of anxiety and stress!  I had a problem with my electricity bill last year for a few months during the...

Stress and anxiety are both perfectly normal human reactions to threatening or worrying situations. It is something everyone experiences at times.   There is a difference though between stress & anxiety Stress is a reaction to a situation where we feel angry, anxious, frustrated or in pain – usually a clear...

Alcoholism can and usually does have a significant effect on family and friends The most recent statistics show that nearly 30 million drink alcohol each week. That’s more than half of the adult population. One in four of us regularly drinks more than the recommended 14 units of alcohol per...

November 13th is World Kindness Day.  Kindness is defined by doing something towards yourself and others, motivated by genuine desire to make a positive difference  It can boost our mental health and wellbeing. How can Kindness help? Kindness helps us feel more connected to other people. It helps to release...

What led you to become interested in hypnotherapy? I was an international business consultant focusing on the China market and visiting there around 6 times each year. I had done quite a few projects on the healthcare sector in China over the years and this involved visiting and meeting doctors...

This year’s Mental Health Awareness Week is focusing on loneliness. BBC’s Tim Muffett reported that experts claim that loneliness can be twice as deadly as obesity.  And Mind recognises that loneliness can have a significant impact on mental health and it can contribute to mental health problems, such as anxiety...

Negative thoughts are associated with negative feelings such as sadness, anxiety, anger, low self-esteem, stress, social anxiety and hopelessness.  We’re not always aware of our negative thoughts as they occur automatically and they can seem reasonable and believable.  Worrying about financial or relationship problems or feeling sad about something is...

I’m so excited that after 2 years of not leaving the country because of the pandemic, I’m flying with my youngest daughter and 2 eldest grandchildren tomorrow, to go to Disneyland Paris for a few days. I had spent 30+ years travelling overseas for my work pre-Covid doing both long...

Did you know that our REM stage of our sleep helps to empty our metaphorical ‘stress bucket’ and make us feel more relaxed?  It also helps us to manage our weight, sleep better, improve our memory and process emotions.  What Is REM Sleep? (REM) Rapid eye movement sleep is one...

There are two days in every week about which we should not worry, two days which should be kept free from fear and apprehension. One of these days is Yesterday with all its mistakes and cares, its faults and blunders, its aches and pains. Yesterday has passed forever beyond our...

Blue Monday falls on the 17th January this year and is believed to be the most depressing day of the year.   It’s at the time of year when we’re thought to be susceptible to feeling down because the weather’s usually cold, we’re back at work, we’ve get the Christmas credit...

One of the hardest things that we had to endure during lockdown and the pandemic was not being able to hug family and friends. Hugging is universally comforting. It makes us feel good.   According to scientists, the benefits of hugging go beyond that warm feeling you get when you hold...

  This is Sally, my sister … She died in 1987, age 28 years old  She was diagnosed as a chronic alcoholic       This week (15-21 November) is Alcohol Awareness week and the theme this year is Alcohol and Relationships. As a family it is tough when you...

Between one and two in 10 people in the UK are thought to have IBS Women are twice as likely as men to report having symptoms of IBS  You can develop IBS at any age, but it’s most common for symptoms to start between the ages of 20 and 30...

Breathe in and out deeply and evenly – This will help slow down and centre your mind Follow the 3-3-3 rule – Look around you and name three things you see, name three sounds you hear and finally, move three parts of your body – fingers, arm or leg …....

Hypnobirthing helps you prepare for the birth of your baby and cope with labour calmly and confidently.  Hypnobirthing techniques can be learnt online but also in group classes or individual sessions. It is good to start from 20+ weeks which gives you plenty of time to practise the skills learned...