Your Journey Counselling

07/04/2026

Not my own words, but I couldn’t agree more.

Any relationship, friendship, dynamic, you name it, needs time, patience and understanding. If someone has to shrink themselves, their needs and minimise their boundaries just to keep a connection going, it’s simply a house of cards. It will crumble and fall apart.

Rupture should eventually deepen a bond, not create distance.

Communication can help bridge the gap and not create a reason to critique nor belittle another.

It’s down to us all to do the work we need on ourselves. To meet others fairly and to be honest and true to ourselves.

Emotional maturity matters.

03/04/2026

‘Aurora’s Wish’

Acrylic on 8 x 8 Canvas

So what inspired me to do this particular painting?

The first quarter of the year is never an easy time for me. There are reminders of personal loss and it just hasn’t been an easy time in general. I wanted to paint this as an anchor of hope through endings, through change, and even when the journey feels difficult. Like the Aurora Borealis, life moves in cycles and whatever is being felt or is happening right now, it can and will change. Interestingly, the Northern Lights are often at their brightest and most frequent around the autumn (September) and spring (March) equinoxes.

I wanted to create a contrast of emerging light within the darkness.

This painting is my way of expressing that even in the darker seasons of our life, that we have the capacity to find, or create our own light and to wish for better and brighter times ahead. ✨ 💫

03/04/2026

I’ve been really getting into art lately. It’s a great way to decompress but also discover new things along the way. I have in the part integrated art within therapy as it can also help clients who struggle to verbally name their experiences and feelings to express themselves in other ways. I love getting creative!

I mainly work with watercolour and acrylic. Watercolour can be especially helpful in seeing what naturally emerges on paper without having to control it too much. It helps for better mindfulness as well as giving you little surprises along the way 😁

04/02/2026

Knowing our own boundaries can be half the battle.

Often our biggest warning system is this: if it doesn’t feel ok, it means it’s not ok.

When we feel pressure to conform to something that goes against our values, that’s a red flag 🚩

Peace isn’t something that just happens; it’s something you actively curate.

Setting boundaries can feel uncomfortable at first, especially if you’re a people-pleaser. But the “hard truth” is that the people who benefit from you having no boundaries are often the ones who will complain the most when you finally set them.

It’s not being “difficult”. It’s being self-protective. If you don’t decide where your line is, someone else will decide for you.

29/01/2026

Life.

We all carry pain, difficulties, baggage, memories and most of all, our unique selves.

Sometimes we are all just trying to survive.

29/01/2026

There’s something about life lessons which can teach us to be a little more grounded.
A little more self protective.
A little more discerning about how much energy we give to others.

When you start to notice that another is not matching your energy, your time, your input…

Take a pause.

Ask yourself this.

“If I stopped putting in this level of work, this level of energy, this amount of myself in a connection, would the bond survive, would it thrive even? Or does it simply fade away.”

So if your intuition tells you it’s the latter, it’s time to say ‘no’ and hold your head up high and walk on by.

27/01/2026

27/01/2026

People come and go in life to teach us lessons, spark growth, or reflect one’s own journey,

Quite often we are taught themes include letting go of those who choose to leave, but allowing the space to surround oneself with positive influences, and understanding that only those meant to stay, will. ✨

02/09/2025

If ever you need to reach out there is always help available.
https://www.thecalmzone.net/feeling-suicidal
https://www.papyrus-uk.org

07/09/2024

Where will your counselling journey take you?

Seeking therapy and asking for help has typically been viewed as a sign of weakness.

In fact, the opposite is true. It is far easier to avoid the underlying issues that might be affecting someone on a day to day basis than to face things head on. The hardest part for many is the process of acknowledging that there might be unhelpful patterns of behaviour that no longer serve them. Or facing hard inconvenient truths that can be uncomfortable to process.

Talking to a qualified professional can help to face anything you might be struggling with in a safe and non judgmental environment. No matter what your journey brings, knowing that you are not alone in facing what you need can make the difference.

03/06/2024

Pride Month is an opportunity to highlight the unique challenges and stigmas that LGBTQ+ individuals face and how it affects their mental wellbeing.

Here are just a few of the many stigmas that the LGBTQ+ community face and how it impacts mental wellbeing:

Internalised Homophobia or Transphobia: Society’s negative attitudes and stereotypes towards LGBTQ individuals can lead to self-doubt, shame, and self-hatred within the community – This can contribute to anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem.

Discrimination, prejudice, and marginalisation can lead to chronic stress, anxiety, and feelings of isolation.

Bullying and Harassment: The q***r community are at a higher risk of experiencing bullying, harassment, and violence due to their gender identity or sexual orientation. This can result in increased rates of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Minority Stress: The constant need to navigate societal stigma and prejudice can lead to chronic stress known as minority stress.

🌈

08/11/2023

Brilliant work!

We are super excited and grateful to share that Braunton Fireworks 2023 raised over £3,000 for Ask for Jake!

Thank you to our wonderful Braunton community who came out in the pouring rain, to Braunton Cricket Club for letting us turn your field to mud, to DMR Pyro for the best fireworks display, to Seb for organising the event, to Benny's of Braunton, J & S Wensley Newsagents and Braunton Cricket Club for selling so many tickets, to Kat Grant Photography for taking some amazing pictures, to AW Photographic North Devon for capturing the evening on video, our brilliant volunteers for giving up their time, and to everyone else who helped to make the night so special.

We will be working our way around the village removing the posters, but if you see one that we miss, it would be hugely appreciated if you could take it down for us please 😊

We hope you enjoyed the night as much as us, and we hope to see you next year! If you would like to be part of the team for 2024, please let us know and we will add you to the list 🎆