Songbird Coaching & Support Services

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Songbird Coaching & Support Services

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🎓Teacher, SENDCo and Deputy Head 20+yrs
🧠Specialist Mental Health Lead
🚸Qualified Child & Teen Mental Health Coach

✨Providing a safe space for children & teens to develop the mental health skills they need to T H R I V E ✨

31/12/2025

Why I’m “Interviewing” My Kids This New Year’s Eve 🎤🧠

Reflection isn’t just for corporate performance reviews or New Year’s resolutions—it’s a superpower for our kids!

In the coaching cycle, the Review & Reflect stage is where the magic happens. By asking our children & young people to look back at their year, we are helping them build metacognition—the ability to think about their own thinking & is the bridge between simply having an experience & actually learning from it. 🧠

Why does this matter? When children reflect on their “wins” and their “tricky moments,” they aren’t just telling stories; they are strengthening the neural pathways in their prefrontal cortex. This is the part of the brain responsible for emotional regulation, problem-solving, & self-awareness.

When we help our children visualise a “Brave Thing” or a “Magic Word” for 2026, we are engaging the brain’s Reticular Activating System (RAS). This acts like a filter, helping their brains notice opportunities that align with their goals. Research shows that the act of considering and naming a goal increases neuroplasticity, making the brain more flexible & resilient when facing future challenges.

By adding questions about colours and body sensations (Emotional Literacy), we help them move from “big, scary feelings” to “nameable, manageable feelings.”

This isn’t just an interview; it’s a toolkit for their mental well-being. It teaches them that they have the agency to grow, the resilience to bounce back, & the vocabulary to understand their own hearts.

Try it! Swipe left for the list of questions I’m using with my children today. Let’s help them start 2026 feeling seen, heard, and ready for adventure! ✨

30/12/2025

2025 ✨You will always be an unforgettable year for me.

Looking back at these photos, I’m struck by the contrast of the last twelve months. This year has been defined by some incredible highs—opening my new coaching business, 40th birthday bucket list experiences, travel & qualifying as a CAMH coach. But it was also marked by significant lows, from the loss of my Gramps, having to delay qualifying, broken bones and setbacks that come with a busy, full life.

But what I’m taking away from it all is that without the lows, we’d never truly value the highs. While our comfort zone feels safe, it isn’t where we evolve. Real growth requires us to step out and embrace the challenges, even when they’re uncomfortable. “Growth doesn’t come from staying in my comfort zone” is officially my mantra for 2026 and I can’t wait to push myself personally and professionally to achieve the goals ive set out for this next year and share them all with you.

The last 12 months would have never looked like this without your trust and support.

Thank you for being a part of it! ✨

25/12/2025

While this season is often filled with excitement, it can also be a lot for young nervous systems to process.

As we move through the festivities, here are a few gentle ways to support your child’s mental wellbeing (and your own):

🎄Co-regulation over expectations: If the excitement leads to big emotions or “acting out”, remember it’s often just a sign of an overstimulated brain. They don’t need more discipline in those moments; they need your calm to help them reset.

🎄Keep the “Anchors”: Amidst the travel and the parties, try to keep one or two small daily rhythms the same—like a bedtime story or a familiar breakfast. These small anchors provide a sense of safety when everything else feels different.

🎄The Gift of “Nothing”: Build in some intentional downtime. A “pyjama morning” or a quiet hour with no expectations can be the best antidote to holiday burnout.

🎄Validate the “Not-so-jolly” feelings: It’s okay if they feel overwhelmed, shy around relatives, or even sad. Letting them know that all feelings are welcome—even at Christmas—takes the pressure off having to “perform” happiness.

And a reminder for parents: You are the engine that makes the magic happen, but you cannot pour from an empty cup. Your mental health is the foundation of your family’s wellbeing. Give yourself the same grace you give your children today.

Merry Christmas to you and yours. 🤍

23/12/2025

Festive reflections & a heart full of gratitude✨

I started this practice to bridge the gap between school and external services, and thanks to your incredible support, I’m heading into 2026 with a full heart and diary and so much excitement for what’s next.

Thank you for every recommendation and for trusting me with your children’s wellbeing. It truly means the world.

I’m off to enjoy some magic with my own family now. See you for Chapter 2026! 🥂

14/12/2025

The goal of coaching isn’t to be needed forever; it’s to build independence. 🌱

Today’s parent meeting was a special one. As we come to the end of my sessions with this young person, its all about summarising the wins, reviewing the strategies that have worked and to make sure parents feel confident supporting their child solo.

It’s bittersweet to close a chapter, but seeing parents ready to take the wheel is the best part of this job - you’ve got this! ✨

17/11/2025

Regulation isn’t just about stopping big emotions; it’s about giving your child the tools to navigate them and the beautiful truth is, you are your child’s first and best regulation tool! ✨

As a child and adolescent mental health coach, I see the huge relief parents feel when they shift from feeling like a referee to a co-regulator.

I’ve put together 6 practical, daily tips that can help shift your home from chaos to calm. These aren’t complicated tricks—they’re simple shifts in how you connect. 🤝

👉 Swipe to see the tips and start building better regulation skills today!

#̭parentingtips

09/11/2025

Nurturing a positive mindset is the foundation of resilience at any age. ✨

This week in a 1:1 session, I introduced a personalised Inner Coach Diary, a fun and simple way to listen in on our own minds.

The journal tracks two vital voices: the Negative Inner Critic and the supportive Inner Coach (aka our Brain Bestie! 🤗).

The Key to Shifting Thought Patterns:
🧠Observe the Critic: When we acknowledge those negative thoughts, we can start to rationalise them. We create space between the thought and the reaction.

🧠Amplify the Coach: By consciously recording the supportive thoughts, we help them become more subconscious and more likely, the automatic voice in the background.

It’s not about silencing the critic, but about strengthening the coach. This is how we build true resilience and step into our full potential, and this is somethig we can all do, whether we’re 8 or 48.

💭Take a moment to check in today. Which voice has been louder in your mind? Your Inner Coach or your Inner Critic? 💪🏼😕

🌱

27/10/2025

You can’t pour from an empty cup. ☕️

As a CAMH Coach, I often take on big emotional loads from the families I support. The only way I can keep showing up fully is by fiercely protecting my own energy ✨

My secret weapon? Nature’s own dose of dopamine. . .🚶‍♀️‍➡️🚶‍➡️🚶‍♂️‍➡️

Walking is my non-negotiable mental reset (and if Ruby’s with me, the effects are ten fold 🐾) It helps me regulate my nervous system and replenishes my compassion reserves so I can continue to hold valuable space for others. 🧠

In coaching, we get to know our own cups, what fills them and what depletes them. Its one of the first ways we can introduce children and teens to boundaries and self care. Prioritising your peace isn’t selfish—it’s a non negotiable gift we can all give ourselves each and every day.

How have you filled your cup today? ☕️

26/10/2025

The Iceberg Shift: From Assumption to Understanding 🧊

In coaching, we use icebergs to better understand the connection between behaviours and needs. It’s easy to feel personally attacked when someone demonstrates unwanted or unexpected behaviours. It can feel targetted or deliberate.

The iceberg helps us remember that all behaviour is communication and that we must always try to understand what unmet needs may be driving these unwanted or unexpected behaviours.

When creating icebergs we consider:

💧Above the water: What we see (the actions we want to stop).
💧Below the Water: The needs the child doesn’t have the words for (stress, confusion, a need for co-regulation, etc.).

If we know all behaviour is communication, then the most important question we can ask is:
W H Y ? 💭💭

Asking this shifts our thoughts from instinctive reaction to intentional understanding and when we understand the “why,” we can respond with connection, rather than correction.

During coaching sessions we often explore our own icebergs. We consider what warnings our bodies may be giving us (the behaviours we show) and why we might be reacting in these ways. This helps each child/teen to begin to build their own roadmap 🧭 to their hidden needs, replacing feelings of shame and confusion with clarity and control.

Give it a try! ✨What would your iceberg tell you? What might others be communicating through their behaviours? 🧠

23/10/2025

The start of a special kind of partnership ✨

The foundation of my work is the child’s own experience, but open, honest conversations with parents provides vital external insight. It gives me a clear window into the dynamics of the home and the daily environmental experiences a child has outside of my coaching room.

We look at the behaviours parents might be seeing, and together, consider the potential triggers. Why? Because all behaviour is communication, and the actions observed are just the symptom, not the underlying cause.

Collaborating with parents allows me to share practical advice and tools, enabling them to continue the essential support at home. 🏡

22/10/2025

When I first founded Songbird, I searched for quotes that could encapsulate the work I aimed to do with each and every individual that came through my door.

And then there was this one ✨

Coaching is not about becoming someone’s branch. 🌳 Life’s “branches” will inevitably shift and sometimes break, but those who trust their own “wings” are truly free.

Coaching helps individuals focus on building internal strength: the self-awareness, skills, and tools that translate into unwavering self-belief.

My aim is to help each individual build unwavering confidence and fly through life knowing they have everything they need within themselves.

We aren’t here to hold them up; we’re here to teach them how to soar and what a perfect quote to frame my entire vision. 🕊️🌱✨

20/10/2025

“What can my child or teen expect from a session? “ 👀🔎 ⏱️ ⁉️

This is a question frequently asked during discovery calls and the answer is, it depends.

Every child or teen comes to a session with their own expectations, needs, interests and goals and this is what drives the direction of a session. Its their time, their space and their aspirations, so I guess my answer should be “ask them”

What I can say for certainty are what every child or teen will be offered as part of their sessions 👇🏼My non-nevotiables are:

✔️ A safe, confidential space to be seen, heard and empowered.
✔️ Emotional literacy support
✔️Practical skills building
✔️Fun & hands on activities
✔️Resilience building
✔️Confidence and self-esteem support

I also work build strong relationships with parents to provide, where needed, consistent support abd guidance.

✨Still have questions? DM or email info@songbirdcoachingandsupport.com to find out more ✨

Address

Bedford

Website

http://songbirdcoachingandsupport.com/

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