Pippa Counselling

12/02/2026

Another day, another book recommendation!

I had to get myself another copy of one of my favourite books, Circe by Madeline Miller, I’ve given away copies to friends and family as I want everyone to read it!

Not your average retelling of a Greek myth, it’s narrated through the eyes of Circe, daughter of Helios, god of the Sun, and a mother who is distinctly lacking in maternal instincts where her daughter is concerned. It’s just so vividly written and manages to be funny and heartwarming, despite being a devastating indictment of narcissistic families and other businesses.

The cruelty Miller paints is very uncomfortable to read at times, as it should be, but it’s always brought back to Circe and her story, forging her own extraordinary path as she explores her gift of witchcraft.

There are so many characters you’ll probably remember from books and films - memorable mentions include Prometheus getting his liver plucked out daily for eternity, or Odysseus’s encounters with the horrifying Charybdis and Circe’s love affair with Hermes on the island of Aiaia, one of the slightly more likeable gods who nonetheless can’t get past his own ego.

It’s described as ‘blisteringly modern’ in the blurb on the cover, and that’s very apt. It feels incredibly relevant, particularly pointed at what’s going on in our current world of gender politics.

I’d love to know your thoughts if you’ve read it… any and all book recommendations hugely welcome!

Pippa x

09/02/2026

I love books — and I love using them as tools in therapy. 📚

I've put together book recommendations for people dealing with self-esteem struggles, narcissistic or coercive relationships, autism, ADHD, and nervous system regulation. Short reads, compassionate guidance, and practical strategies you can use alongside therapy.

Read the full list and find a title that might help: https://wix.to/d8tX4Uc

As those who know and work with me will know - I really 💛 books!It stems from being a (often) shy bookworm as a child, then doing my first degree in English literature, followed by my first career in publishing. I thought I’d share a selection of some of the books I’d recommend to clients who...

19/01/2026

I've been a bit quiet lately, but I'm still here! In my latest blog post, I reveal a bit about what self-esteem therapy looks like and the specific tools I use with my clients. You can read more here: https://wix.to/Ki0ulVK

I've realised I've been a bit quiet on social media recently, so wanted to reassure you that I'm still here! I've had lots of enquiries and new clients booked in this month, so I thought it could be helpful to answer some of their questions about me and how I work.I'm going to go into more detail ab...

02/01/2026

Such insightful words, I’m sure they’ll resonate with all those women going through this journey with a narcisstic ex partner and father of their child/ren. I know what an incredibly difficult time the Christmas holiday can be, so sending love and support to anyone who’s going through that right now x

Narcissistic fathers will exploit their son's need to bond with them. The narcissistic father will offer their sons gifts that he knows their mother cannot afford to give them, especially during a divorce or separation. The son will jump at the chance to bond with their father, and sadly, may push their mother away to appease the father.

This is abuse. This is emotional and psychological manipulation. To the narcissistic father it is all a game, but their son may never recognize this to be true. His relationship with his mother may be damaged for years, or maybe even a lifetime.

To the mother and wife who has escaped, especially if she has struggle with self love, codependency, and setting healthy boundaries, this time in her life will be wrought with insurmountable pain. She can see the game her ex is playing. She can feel her son's need for connection. She will know her son is innocent, even in his pushing her away and there will not be a damn thing she can do about any of it, except hold onto herself while the plot unfolds.

If this is you, Dear One, consider this your chance to practice healing the wounds of the past, that may have been part of the reason this relationship came to be.

https://www.lisaaromano.com

10/09/2025

Feeling newly inspired and topped up with the latest knowledge and frameworks to work with my wonderful clients who are going through the often extreme pain of narcisstic abuse by a partner, family member, friend or in the workplace.

This PESI course, which included some fascinating content on gaslighting and codependency, was led by a raft of incredible speakers including the brilliant Dr Ramani Durvasula, with her pioneering work supporting adults and particularly those going through divorce or separation. She shared the latest guidance on issues like parental alienation and strategies to use with clients who are going through the family courts (which are frankly not fit for purpose).

Dr Ramani advocates using the term Antagonistic Relational Stress over narcissistic abuse. I love this as it brings the focus back to the client, the person who is on the receiving end of this mistreatment, through absolutely no fault of their own.

Dr Lindsay Gibson shared some fascinating insights into emotional immaturity and working with systemic abuse from family systems and ways to support clients who’ve experienced a childhood marked by abuse and/or control from their family of origin.

As a therapist with both lived and professional experience of this incredibly damaging and insidious form of abuse, I feel privileged to be able to work with and support my clients in the best and most informed way possible.

I work with a framework to help clients explore and navigate issues around attachment, inner child healing and nervous system regulation, as well as working with them somatically to release stored trauma and emotions.

Please reach out via pippacounselling.com or reply Call if you’d like a free 15 minute call to see if you think we’d be a good fit for therapy.

30/07/2025

Self abandonment can be the result of core beliefs such as 'I'm not good enough' or 'I'm too much.' Understanding this protective pattern is the first step towards healing and finding a sense of meaning and purpose in your life.

*New post alert!* I've written a piece to help you learn how to reconnect with your inner child and shift these beliefs. Read more here:

What is self abandonment?Self abandonment is often one of the reasons my clients come for therapy, though they may not initially be able to pinpoint it. It’s the unconscious way we disconnect from our own needs, boundaries and emotions in order to feel safe, accepted or loved.It might look like: ....

08/07/2025

Do you feel it's time to prioritise your mental health? Perhaps you've been struggling with anxiety, challenging relationships or low self esteem. Or maybe you want to learn about nervous system regulation, attachment or inner child healing?

You can now book and schedule therapy sessions in the comfort of your own home at pippacounselling.com/booking

06/06/2025

Have you ever felt guilty for saying no? Discover how boundaries aren’t barriers but a powerful tool for healing attachment wounds and honoring your inner child. Read the full post and download a free inner child boundary worksheet at pippacounselling.com

05/06/2025

23/01/2025

You’ve probably heard or read about inner child work and may be curious about what it is.

You inner child represents the part of you who feels misunderstood, pushed down, criticised, emotionally unsafe.

Think of those time when you’ve responded with deeply felt anger or emotion to a seemingly innocuous comment, tone of voice or felt belittled or upset by someone. It’s a sense of feeling powerless and profoundly misunderstood, which can leave you in tears, shut down or filled with wordless rage.

In the therapy room, I may notice you laugh with delight when recounting something, or catch my eye to collude with a sense of mischief. I see it so often when I see clients for their first therapy session: looking at me with such hope but also self doubt. Will she be able to understand me? Or will she treat me like everyone else treats me? It’s about stripping back the layers of conditioned coping mechanisms to help you be/see the person you’ve always been.

These can be signs that your inner child is present and has a strong voice which it’s desperate and determined to express.

When this part can’t express itself, your body tries to convey this need through physical symptoms (such as chronic fatigue, anxious looping thoughts and skin conditions.

l’ll be honest: it’s not always an easy process and there’s no quick fix. This is about the end goal, wanting to feel more of the good stuff like joy, connection, curiosity, self love.

For me, inner child child work was the missing piece to really unlock my authentic self and to better understand myself, my emotional responses and all my relationship patterns from friendships and colleagues to partners and family members.

In sessions, this may involve an inner child meditation, story writing, visualisations and reparenting work. It’s always about helping you to feel safe, connected and truly seen and heard.

If you’re interested in booking a free 15 minute call, please reply with “intro call”.

21/01/2025

How can therapy improve your self esteem?

Investing in your self esteem isn’t selfish - I believe it’s fundamental to living a fulfilling life. Every step toward better self worth, no matter how small, creates ripples that positively impact all areas of your life.

I believe that these different therapeutic approaches - attachment work, inner child healing, and nervous system regulation - create a powerful framework for building lasting self esteem.

My experience - both personal and professional - has led me to specialise in these areas, so I best support you in your journey to healthy self esteem.

I’ve written a (long, sorry!) post about this, going through the signs of low self esteem and explaining how each of these therapeutic approaches is key to understanding and healing the parts which are keeping you feeling stuck, misunderstood and with persistent anxious, looping thoughts.

Have a read at pippacounselling.com or comment “self esteem” and I’ll send it to you.