Alana Breen Psychotherapy

26/11/2025

And my passion for my work only grows stronger! ❤️

P.S.: Now you all know my full my name. 😅

02/11/2025

03/10/2025

https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/counselling/alana-breen-psychotherapy-edinburgh/1089041

01/10/2025

Couldn’t resist the ‘hugging your younger self’ trend 🥹✨

So today, I want to hug my 5-year-old self.
I want to kneel down, look her in the eyes, and tell her: I see you!

I see the little girl who was so quiet, so well-behaved, so careful —
hoping that being “good” would make her feel seen.

I want to validate every feeling she held in — the big ones that felt too much for her little body, and the small ones she thought weren’t important enough to matter.

I want to whisper to her that the beliefs she started carrying — that she was too sensitive, too ‘weak’ or not enough to be noticed —
weren’t true.

Even if the world around her was too distracted, too busy, too loud —
she still mattered.

I wish she never felt the need to dismiss her own needs just to feel safe and loved.

I wish she didn’t think being quiet was the only way to be loved and to be safe.

I will be here for her now — every day.
To remind her how loved she is.

How her smile warms up a room.
How her little jokes are still magic.

I’ll tell her how proud I am of her heart, her unique way of seeing the world, her courage.

I’ll help her carry the fears and her frustrations — and gently teach her it’s safe to let it out.

And I’ll remind her: just because others hurt too, it doesn’t mean her pain matters any less.

I’ll be the one who cheers her on to following her dreams, who sees worth in her interests, and who will always believe in her.

I’ll sit beside her and listen, really listen.
I’ll be the voice she needed, the comfort she never asked for.

I love you, little one.
You never had to do it all alone.
And now, you never will again. 🤍

05/09/2025

It was an absolute privilege and honour to meet and spend time with Professor Paul Gilbert, founder of Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), at the EABCT Congress. 🩵

CFT workshop presented by Dr Deborah Lee: Compassion Focused Therapy for Complex PTSD ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️👏

05/09/2025

EABCT European Congress 🤓💭🤔

29/08/2025

24/08/2025

No feeling is final. ❤️

⚠️ If you find that stress, anxiety, or emotional overwhelm is persistent or difficult to manage, the 90-second rule may not be enough. Seeking guidance from a qualified mental health professional is strongly recommended.

16/03/2025

According to the *DSM-5* (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition), depression is characterized by symptoms that persist for at least two weeks and significantly impair daily functioning.

Key symptoms include persistent sadness or a depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure in activities, changes in appetite or weight, sleep disturbances (insomnia or hypersomnia), fatigue or low energy, feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt, difficulty concentrating, and recurrent thoughts of death or su***de.

At least five of these symptoms must be present, with at least one being either depressed mood or loss of interest/pleasure.

If you require urgent support please immediately contact your GP in working hours or one of the numbers below:

NHS 24: Tel 111

Breathing Space: Tel: 0800 83 85 87(Mon-Thur 6pm-2am, Fri 6pm-Mon 6am)

Samaritans: Tel: 116 123 (24 hr Freephone number)

Shout: Text 85258 In a crisis? Get help 24/7

16/03/2025

Poor sleep significantly impacts mental health, potentially leading to increased anxiety, depression, irritability, and difficulty with concentration and emotional regulation, as well as potentially worsening existing mental health conditions.

Improving your sleep can improve your mental health.

Resources:
https://sleepaction.org
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/insomnia/