Alana Breen Psychotherapy

27/01/2026

How comfortable do you feel asking for clarification if something isn’t clear?

16/01/2026

You probably already know that paced breathing helps regulate our emotions… but the next powerful step is self-compassion.

25/12/2025

May 2026 bring moments of rest, clarity, and the support you need to move at your own pace.

18/12/2025

This time of year can be loud, busy, bright, and full of expectations. For many people, that combination creates sensory overload, emotional fatigue, and a sense of being stretched too thin.

If you’re noticing that in yourself, it doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong — it means you’re human.

Here are a few reminders as you move through the next couple of weeks:

👍It’s okay to step back from the noise and choose quiet when you need it.

👍It’s okay to say no, leave early, or create boundaries around your energy.

👍It’s okay if your body feels tired or your mind feels full — that’s a natural response to overstimulation.

👍It’s okay to make this season smaller, slower, or simpler than others expect.

Try to give yourself permission to pause, breathe, and reconnect with what helps you feel grounded. A short walk, a moment of stillness, a familiar routine, or simply acknowledging “this is a lot” can make a meaningful difference.

You deserve to move through this season at a pace that feels safe and manageable for you. There is no “right” way to do the holidays — only the way that honours your wellbeing.

Stay gentle with ourself. 🌹

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.