Carmel Catanuto Psychotherapy

05/01/2026

05/01/2026

What therapy with me feels like

Hi, I’m Carmel, a counsellor helping empathic women reduce emotional discomfort and find their voice.

You can be where you are at, there’s no need to ‘have it all together’

Start where you want to start
Slowing it down and notice the nuances
Connect with what’s happening on the inside

We meet with curiosity and no judgement
The pace is steady and consistent
There is no force to get somewhere

Here’s where insight emerges

Listening to your thoughts that lead to beliefs
Feeling feelings that may come up
Connection with your body and truth

Insights that resonate with you
Support that feels safe
Choice to make change

Therapy isn’t always about fixing what’s wrong.

It’s creating a space where safety is felt and trust in yourself is reinforced.

If you’d like a safe space to explore. Reach out for a free 15-minute consultation, and we can talk about what working together might look like.

29/12/2025

Do you find that your partner yells at you, talks down to you, or tells you what to do?

But how do you know when it crosses the line into being abusive?

You already have a sense of asking the question. Your body is already telling you that that behaviour isn’t okay.

What’s the difference between control and conflict? Differences, or two people disagreeing, are healthy.

What’s not healthy is a power imbalance that turns into control.

You feel less than, smaller, and the other person seems bigger.

That’s a power imbalance, not an equal interaction.

If you feel discomfort, fear, or adjust who you are to keep the peace, that’s something to notice.

You’re not just having an off day; it’s actually a pattern.

Your experience matters. Abusive behaviour is not acceptable.

You have the right to feel safe within yourself, just as you are, without adjusting yourself.

If you feel you need support to experience feeling safe in a relationship, reach out for a free 15-minute consultation, and we can talk about what working together might look like.

27/12/2025

When you're focused on other people, and if you've been doing that for a long time, your body learns to stay alert, to brace for something to come. It feels tight and ready for action. It feels unnatural.

Out of sorts and out of rhythm, the flow has dimmed and almost gone.

Getting back to your own rhythm and flow isn't about making something happen.

It's about understanding yourself, your body, and creating safety for yourself.

A place to start is to turn your curiosity to your sensations.

Notice yourself without judgment. Let yourself focus on your feet to feel the ground beneath you.

Connect with the rise and fall of your breath as you move into presence.

When you bring awareness to what's been tightly held, your body begins to acknowledge, and movement — physical and emotional — begins to happen. Flow and rhythm return when you stop efforting or trying to fix yourself.

When you listen to your body, you raise awareness and tune into what your body needs.

24/12/2025

Does prioritising yourself at Christmas feel stressful?

Does it feel like the holiday season is stressful, to get it all right, and then thrown into the mix, forced family or friend catch-ups?

The lead-up to the holidays can be a stress in and of itself.

The to-do list is growing by the minute. The tension in your body is growing. You can feel it in your shoulders. It’s real and not imaginary.

The pressure of expectations, to show up when you don’t want to, to give more than you can. It’s actually okay to go at your own pace and protect yourself.

Your mind might be saying I should, but your body is saying something different, like Let’s rest. You’ll find yourself in this contradiction and confusing position. So you can’t make a decision, but you go against yourself anyway.

Here’s how you can say no without guilt. Before you respond, allow some space to pause and take a breath. Say out loud what you need. Simplify. There’s no need to explain yourself.

It might be like, I need some time out and will rest this weekend. I won’t be able to make it, and I hope you enjoy the event.

Then take another nice breath in. Putting your needs first isn’t selfish, and prioritising peace is totally okay. Your nervous system will thank you.

If this resonates with you, follow along for more tips on boundary reminders.

22/12/2025

What does empathy look like for me? People often comment on my calmness on the outside.

What’s not showing is that there’s a lot of feeling happening on the inside.

If you relate as an empath, sounds and sights can feel louder and more intense, along with the emotions and feelings on the inside, and how they impact you and your body.

How do I help others understand? I tune into what I’m feeling, and then I invite you to share your experience. Not what should or could be said, but naming the sensations as best as you can, and what your unique experience is.

Sensitivity isn’t a negative attribute. It’s actually an ally. It’s about having tools and techniques to soothe yourself when it gets too much.

Your sensitivity is unique.

The way you move through the world, sensing and feeling, isn’t too much; it’s how you feel.

If you need space for your sensitivity to express and be felt, you may need support. Reach out for a free 15-minute consultation, and we can talk about what working together might look like.

20/12/2025

When you’ve been hurt in relationships, it’s natural to fear choosing someone who might harm you again. Fear is experienced in the body. It can be a memory or a remembering of what you survived.

Fear isn’t a weakness. It’s information that helps you protect yourself. Protection carries wisdom and awareness, as you’re now attuned to signs that perhaps weren’t there for you before.

This doesn’t mean destiny dictates a repeat of the past. Boundaries are a way to protect and contain what you’re experiencing. Slowing down to make decisions helps you choose differently.

Empowerment is self-respect, safety, and self-care. Confidence is then supported and grows through new experiences., reach out for a free 15-minute consultation, and we can talk about what working together might look like.

18/12/2025

When you think of past relationships, you get emotional and regretful.

Your thoughts turn to the past, and you go over scenarios in your head.

You might say things like, “I wish I’d done things differently.”

When you feel calm, it’s easy to replay those moments in your mind — the things you said, or perhaps the things you didn’t say, how it all ended up.

You start to take on the responsibility and a story of “I didn’t get it right,” and there’s a feeling of not being enough.

Relationships are co-created, and we are shaped by them.

They highlight needs, boundaries, and what’s ready to heal.

Therapy makes space for healing.

Wounding happens in a relationship, and healing also happens in a safe relationship.

Here, you learn compassion and understanding for yourself.

Therapy shows where there’s possibility, and that all parts of yourself are welcome.

16/12/2025

You are worthy of being seen and valued as you are.

Growing up, you got the message: I’m too much, so I’ll stay quiet.

Adjusting your vibrancy and your self-expression. That was the truth at the time to go unnoticed, but now it’s not true for you.

You are worthy of being yourself, not parts of you, not the best versions of you.

Worth is not earned or a performance to gain attention.

Your very existence is enough as it is.

So for today, risk-taking up more space where you remain quiet. Say what’s important for you.

Where you hide yourself away, let yourself be witnessed.

You are worthy just as you are, and it’s a non-negotiable.

13/12/2025

When we feel flat, it isn't always about depression or sadness.

It can be our need to survive. It might be that the internal script is running: Is there something wrong with me? So I had better adapt.

What if your body were doing the wisest thing it knows to do?

Toning it down, numbing out to avoid sharpness, laying low.

It's a strategy that protects you from harm.

Perhaps feeling wasn’t allowed back then.

So not feeling is the answer.

And it’s safe to stay flat.

Flat is a place to be quiet.

Bunker down within yourself.

And that sounds like survival mode.

And you're shaping to the environment.

Safety within yourself — your thoughts, your emotions, your relationships — is different from survival.

You don’t have to mould yourself to the environment.

You can use your breath to make contact with what feels grounded and safe.

The strategies can be undone.

If you feel you need support with a new way of being, reach out for a free 15-minute consultation, and we can talk about what working together might look like.

11/12/2025

Does making too many decisions leave you feeling overwhelmed?

Your mind is trying to work it out.

Your belly tightens, your throat constricts, and making choices feels like it’s too much.

You’re actually not wrong.

Your nervous system is on alert and trying to protect you — keeping you safe from getting it wrong, making a mistake, being judged, or disappointing someone.

Before you make the decision, pause and notice your breath.
Take a deeper breath.
Put focus on your feet and feel the ground beneath you.

You’re helping your body and your nervous system calm down and feel safe to make your choice.

Tuning into your body helps you get clear.

Slowing down and returning to yourself first is your priority.

Gestalt therapy helps you reconnect with your body so decisions feel grounded, not overwhelming.

If you’re ready to begin therapy, you’re welcome to book a free 15-minute consultation to discuss what working together might look like.

09/12/2025

Sometimes grief from the past comes to visit without notice.

The past draws you in from a memory long gone, and the feelings are just as you experienced them. Like it was yesterday.

Unprocessed grief doesn't follow a timeline. It waits until you're safe enough to feel it.

When grief visits, it's not wrong or bad. It's your body saying, I'm ready now.

Grief needs space, care, support, and importantly, a witness, a trusted friend or a counsellor.

When grief visits, you're not broken. It's information and a message to heal.

If you need trusted support, reach out for a free 15-minute consultation, and we can talk about what working together might look like.