Nic Webb Compassionate Counselling

20/03/2026

20/03/2026

🌸HAPPY SPRING EQUINOX

May we enjoy this powerful portal day of Balance and New Life, listening to the light and dark within and without and finding the seedlings who are ready to burst into the sunlight.

Sending magic love and light from all of us at Wildwood Glastonbury

18/03/2026

16/03/2026

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is experienced by 1 in 50 people in the UK.

Despite this, it continues to be highly stigmatised and misunderstood.

Share this post so people get the facts on OCD symptoms.

16/03/2026

14/03/2026

Psychologist says early life experiences can have lasting effects on both mental and physical health. According to psychology and neuroscience research, childhood trauma may influence how the nervous system responds to stress throughout adulthood.

A large study involving 826000 participants found that individuals who experienced difficult or traumatic childhood environments were more likely to report chronic pain later in life. Psychologist says this connection may be related to how the brain and body adapt to long term stress.

According to psychology, traumatic experiences can keep the nervous system in a heightened state of alertness known as survival mode. When the brain repeatedly prepares for danger, stress hormones such as cortisol remain elevated for long periods.

This constant activation can influence how the body processes pain signals. Psychologist says the brain may become more sensitive to discomfort because the nervous system is trained to detect potential threats quickly.

Research also shows that emotional stress can affect muscle tension, inflammation, and the way the brain interprets physical sensations. According to psychology, these factors can contribute to chronic pain conditions.

Understanding the link between trauma and physical symptoms highlights the importance of emotional healing, supportive relationships, and mental health care.

13/03/2026

What’s it like to raise a daughter?
🖤
From my newest book Paper Flowers

06/03/2026

Definitely an experience I see a lot

Many adults with ADHD experience what people call "birthday blues.” This is often linked to rejection-sensitive dysphoria (RSD) and emotional dysregulation, both common in ADHD. RSD can make someone extremely sensitive to feeling ignored or unimportant, so instead of asking others to celebrate or acknowledge the day, they may pretend they don’t care about their birthday at all. Deep down, though, they still hope the day will feel meaningful or that someone will make an effort to make it special.

ADHD can also intensify emotions and make disappointment feel stronger than expected. Birthdays can trigger reflection about life progress, which may make some people with ADHD feel “behind” compared to others. At the same time, many people with ADHD spend a lot of energy masking their struggles in daily life, and the pressure to act happy or excited on birthdays can feel exhausting. The mix of secretly wanting validation, fearing disappointment, and feeling emotions more intensely can lead to that quiet sadness some people notice on their birthday.

06/03/2026

Ever wondered why your brain feels drained after a day on your phone but refreshed after a walk in the woods? 🌿📱

The science is fascinating. Screens require ‘Directed Attention,’ forcing our minds to work hard to filter distractions. This leads to mental fatigue. Nature, however, offers ‘Soft Fascination.’

According to Attention Restoration Theory (ART), natural environments provide a gentle space for our minds to recover. A key reason is Fractal patterns: the intricate, repeating shapes found in things like leaf veins or tree branches.

Our brains are evolved to process these fractals effortlessly, allowing our cognitive resources to recharge. Next time you feel a digital headache, try shifting your gaze from the screen to a leaf. Your mind will thank you for the break! 🌳✨

Do you find that a short walk in nature clears your head? We’d love to hear your experiences in the comments.

06/03/2026

Spring is here!

Hello there 😁

I’m Nic, a lived-experience counsellor based in Thaxted. I have an informal, relaxed, compassionate approach to therapy with a good dose of humour and warmth. I want my clients to feel they have a safe and welcoming space to explore all emotions and experience without judgement.

Trial sessions are £40 for 90 minutes. My particular areas of expertise are trauma, neurodivergent clients (adhd, autism, etc) narcissistic abuse, anxiety disorders, family difficulties and estrangement, depression, parenting worries and menopause issues. I work with 18+ adults only on a face to face basis.

Please do message if you’d like to try a no obligation trial session. I work Monday-Friday, right up until 8pm.

Nic 😁🌟

www.compassionatefocuswdtherapy.com

05/03/2026

One of the worries many families have right now is that children who “seem fine” might be missed.

Masking means hiding how hard things really are. It can look like coping. It can look like being quiet, compliant, or trying very hard to fit in. But underneath, a child may be feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or completely exhausted.

Many children mask because they don’t want to stand out, they don’t want to be judged.

But constantly holding it together comes at a cost. If reform is to be truly inclusive, it must account for hidden needs too.

At our online school The Haven we believe emotional safety comes first. When young people feel safe they can start to unmask, we start to see their authentic strengths, not just their coping strategies.