Reflections

Faith doesn’t have to mean religion or having all the answers. It can be found in hope, nature, quiet moments, connection and the search for meaning. In this reflection, I explore why spirituality may simply be part of what it means to be human.

Do positive affirmations really work? Discover why your brain may resist them and how to create positive affirmations that feel believable and helpful.

A few weeks ago, I finally had surgery to repair a large abdominal hernia. It wasn't something I particularly wanted to do. In fact, I'd managed to put it off for several years, which is quite impressive considering hernias are not generally known for responding to denial. I kept hoping it wouldn't get any worse. Of course, it did. Eventually, I reached the point where I permanently looked several months pregnant and no amount of strategically chosen clothing was going to dis

Why does your brain notice the bad stuff first? Discover the psychology of negativity bias and practical ways to gently shift your attention towards a calmer, more balanced life.

Discover how creative hobbies can improve your mental wellbeing through mindfulness, confidence, creativity and connection, with practical insights from a psychologist.

We often think of silence as simply the absence of noise, but what if it's actually one of the most powerful tools we have for improving our wellbeing? In this week's blog, I explore how quiet moments can reduce stress, spark creativity, help us reconnect with ourselves and become better listeners. If life has been feeling a little too busy lately, perhaps this is your invitation to pause, take a breath and rediscover the surprising power of silence.

The future will always be uncertain. Discover why that's okay and learn practical ways to find calm, confidence and resilience in everyday life.

A simple comment in a podcast I was listening to recently stopped me in my tracks. The conversation was about healthy ageing, morning routines and the everyday habits that seem to make the biggest difference over a lifetime. In amongst the discussion came a simple observation that has stayed with me ever since. We often don't value the things that cost us nothing. If something is free, uncomplicated and available to everyone, we somehow assume it can't possibly be that import

This week has felt... noisy. Every time I opened the news there seemed to be another crisis unfolding somewhere in the world. One headline warned about war. The next predicted that artificial intelligence was about to replace humanity. Then came another YouTube video confidently explaining why the end of civilisation was apparently just around the corner. After a while I noticed something happening inside me, not panic or anxiety exactly, just that familiar feeling of uncerta

I've always considered myself a people person. One of the things I've loved most about being a psychologist is having the privilege of sitting with people from every walk of life. Every day I meet people with different stories, personalities, beliefs and life experiences and I genuinely find human beings fascinating. I can happily spend hours talking to someone I've only just met, whether it's a light-hearted conversation about the weather or sitting alongside them through so

This past month has been full. Not the exciting kind of full, but the kind where life quietly piles one thing on top of another until you suddenly realise you've been carrying a lot more than you thought. My teenage son has been recovering from surgery. My elderly dad had a fall and broke his arm, so there have been hospital visits and helping my parents when they needed an extra pair of hands. At the same time, I've been organising my own surgery, something I've been putting

How spending time outdoors can help calm your nervous system and restore perspective A few weeks ago, I found myself standing in the backyard staring at a hole. Not just any hole. One of dozens of mysterious little holes that had been appearing throughout our lawn for months. Every few days I'd walk outside and discover another patch of freshly dug earth. Some holes were shallow, some were surprisingly deep and others appeared in clusters as though whatever was responsible ha

The freedom that comes from finally being yourself. A few weeks ago, I caught sight of myself in the bathroom mirror while I was getting ready for work and found myself studying the unfamiliar face looking back at me. There were the fine lines around my eyes that seemed to have appeared overnight, despite the fact that I've spent years faithfully applying moisturiser and sunscreen. There was the softer jawline that gravity has been quietly negotiating with for some time now,

Have you ever found yourself snapping at someone you love over something completely insignificant? Maybe someone asked you yet another question when you'd finally sat down for five minutes to relax. Maybe the dishwasher needed emptying and it was left up to you.....again. Maybe somebody was breathing a little too loudly and, for reasons you couldn't fully explain, it felt like the final straw. If so, you're not alone. As a psychologist, one of the most common things I see in

Do you ever sit down to rest… only to feel uncomfortable, restless, or guilty? You might notice your mind immediately jumping to what still needs to be done. Tasks unfinished. Messages unanswered. Responsibilities waiting in the background. Even when your body is tired, slowing down can feel surprisingly difficult. This experience is often referred to as rest guilt, and it is far more common than many people realise, especially for capable, high-functioning women who are used

There’s a particular kind of pressure that many women carry, often so quietly that it goes unnoticed for years. It doesn’t always look dramatic. From the outside, life can appear to be working well. You’re capable, organised, thoughtful. You keep things running, anticipate what others might need, and step in without being asked. You say yes when it would be easier not to, smooth things over when there’s tension, and make life feel a little easier for the people around you. Th

Do you ever feel completely exhausted at the end of the day… but your mind just won’t switch off? You lie in bed, ready to rest, and instead your thoughts start racing. You replay conversations. You think about what you said… what you didn’t say… what you should have done differently.Then your mind jumps ahead to tomorrow — what needs to be done, what might go wrong, what you need to remember. And no matter how tired you are… it just keeps going. Your body is ready to rest.Bu

How expectations and comparison keep your mind busy, even when life looks under control Many high-achieving women feel mentally exhausted, even when life appears to be under control. If you often feel tired but wired, struggle to switch off, or find it difficult to truly relax, the issue may not simply be a busy mind. It may be something deeper invisible mental load. This is the ongoing mental responsibility of keeping life running smoothly, often without realising just how m

You’ve had a long week, and a lot has happened. In fact, it might feel like it’s been that way for quite some time now. Just as things begin to settle, something else comes up—often not dramatic, just enough to keep things moving—and that sense of life finally easing is quickly replaced by the constant, low-level buzz of doing, planning, and simply getting through. You achieve a lot, both at home and at work, and sometimes you even surprise yourself with just how capable you

You’ve finished for the day. The tasks are done, the house is quieter, and you finally sit down with the intention of relaxing. And yet, instead of settling into a sense of calm, something in your body still feels slightly “on.” Your shoulders remain tense, your mind continues ticking over, and there’s a subtle sense that something else might be coming or that you should be doing something more. You feel tired, but not fully at ease. If this sounds familiar, there is a very r