ShellyTherapy

15/02/2026

The arrival of Ramadan is often met with a mixture of spiritual excitement and a quiet, underlying hum of anxiety.

While we look forward to the reset, the reality of sleep deprivation and shifted routines can be incredibly taxing on the nervous system.

As a therapist, I see how easily the perfectionist trap takes hold this month - feeling as though you aren’t doing enough if you are struggling with low energy or racing thoughts.

It is important to remember that your body’s physical response to fasting, such as increased cortisol or lightheadedness, can often mimic the symptoms of anxiety.

In this carousel, I’m sharing five ways to protect your mental well-being and find your inner tranquility while navigating the change in routine. From differentiating between physical and psychological stress to embracing the “Basics Only” rule, these shifts are designed to help you ground yourself.

Ramadan is a journey of the heart, not a performance. If you are feeling overwhelmed, please hold your heart gently and know that protecting your peace is a valid act of worship.

🔗 Read the full therapist-led guide via the link in my bio.

09/02/2026

Is it just me, or does the week leading up to an anniversary alway feel… tense? 🕯️

As a therapist, I see it every year. We put so much pressure on these “Milestones” to fix months of disconnect. We want the day to be a reset button, but often, it just highlights the resentment we’ve been tucking away.

If you’ve ever ended a romantic night in tears or a cold silence, you aren’t failing. You’re just paying the “Milestone Tax.”

True intimacy isn’t a performance - it’s the result of emotional safety built on the other 364 days of the year.

Swipe through for why this happens and how to break the cycle.

07/02/2026

Ramadan is a sacred annual reset, time for mindfulness, reflection, and spiritual auditing. But for many, the hustle nature of the modern workplace can make this sacred time feel like a balancing act.

As a Muslim therapist, I believe inclusion starts with empathy. Supporting your Muslim colleagues isn’t just about tolerance, it’s about understanding the physical and psychological shifts that happen during this month.

I’ve put together this guide to help teams move past the awkward questions and toward meaningful support.
Inside the carousel:

🌙 Why Ramadan is a spiritual reset for the mind and soul.

📉 How to manage the afternoon energy dip in your scheduling.

🚫 Why we should avoid asking personal questions about why someone isn’t fasting.

✅ Practical ways to offer flexibility and quiet spaces.
Small, intentional shifts in our work culture can make a world of difference for mental well-being and team connection.

🔗 Read the full therapist-led guide on my blog, link in my bio.

Ramadan2026

04/02/2026

Ramadan is starting around mid February and I’ve been thinking a lot about the balance between faith and the daily 9-to-5. 🌙

For many, Ramadan is a beautiful, sacred time of reflection, but it can also be physically demanding when you're balancing it with a busy career.

How can we, as friends and colleagues, show up for each other in a way that’s actually helpful?

I’ve put together a guide to help navigate this:

✅ Why it’s more than just "not eating."

✅ How to handle food/drink etiquette at work.

✅ Practical ways to support your team's mental well-being.

Let’s make this month a little easier for everyone. If you have any tips for Ramadan or questions, please do let me know. You can read my full guide below.

https://www.shellytherapy.com/ramadan-in-the-workplace-a-therapists-guide-to-supporting-muslim-colleagues/

Ramadan Explained: Understanding a Sacred Time for Your Muslim Friends and Colleagues. Welcome to my Ramadan series, where I aim to gently bridge the worlds of faith, psychology and everyday working life. As a British‑born Muslim and therapist, I’ll be exploring what Ramadan means spiritually an...

04/02/2026

You wouldn’t leave your nutrition to chance, so why leave your mental health to it? 🥗 ➡️ 🕊️

We’ve all been there on a Sunday evening. The kitchen is full of containers as we prep our meals for the week.

We do it because we know “Wednesday Us” will be far too tired to make a healthy decision from scratch.

But what about your mood? ☁️

If you’re feeling that mid-February “grey-sky fatigue,” you don’t just need a healthy lunch - you need Mood Prep.

Mood Prep is my fresh take on mental wellness. It’s the intentional act of “batch-cooking” your resilience and setting up your environment before the stress hits.

Swipe through ➡️ to see how I’m prepping my peace this week, including:

✨ The Environment Reset (your “recovery zones”)
✨ The Menu of Joy (Decision protection)
✨ Emotional Batching (The calendar audit)

Don’t ask your stressed, overworked self to come up with a plan on a rainy Tuesday. Let your “Sunday Self” do the heavy lifting. Ready to start?

I’ve posted a full deep-dive and a FREE downloadable checklist over on the blog at Shelly Therapy to help you navigate the final stretch of winter.

🔗 Link in bio to read the full guide!

Which slide resonated most with you? Let me know in the comments! 👇

02/02/2026

We all know the Sunday ritual. Kitchen counters lined with matching containers, roasted veg cooling on the side, and the methodical chopping of greens. We meal prep because we know that “Monday You” will be far too knackered to cook a healthy dinner from scratch.

Move over meal prep! Discover 'Mood Prep', a proactive mental health ritual designed to help you beat the February blues and build emotional resilience.

02/02/2026

There’s a kind of productivity no one talks about,
the kind you need when your confidence is low and life has changed.

After divorce, burnout, or emotional overload, pushing harder often makes things worse.

What actually helps is rebuilding trust with yourself in very small ways.

One tiny task.
One gentle pause.
One day that doesn’t feel like failure.

That’s how confidence slowly comes back.

Comment CALM if you’d like my free guide:
Simple productivity tips for your everyday 🤍

Take care, Shelly x

01/02/2026

Habit stacking is everywhere right now because it gives people something practical that works when life is busy or mentally loud.

You’ll see athletes, founders, and therapists talking about it, not as a productivity hack, but as a way to stay grounded without forcing change. It works by linking one small action to something you already do, so the brain doesn’t have to work harder than it already is.

This is especially relevant if you’re capable, high-functioning, and quietly exhausted. You don’t need another routine. You need approaches that fit into real life and support you where you already are.

If you like practical psychology, calmer ways to cope, and honest conversations about what actually helps, you’re in the right place. Follow along for more.

Take care, Shelly x

27/01/2026

I’m Shelly, a therapist, and my work is about helping people feel calmer, clearer, and less crushed by the constant pressure of life. Not fixing you, not analysing you to death, and definitely not telling you to ‘just breathe’. It’s real support for real stress, the kind that builds up when you’ve been holding everything together for far too long.

We slow things down, make sense of what’s going on, and create space so you can think more clearly and feel more like yourself again. That’s why trust matters here. This is a place where you don’t have to perform, explain yourself perfectly, or be ‘strong’.

If you’ve been thinking about therapy, even quietly or on and off, you’re welcome to book a friendly chat via the link in my bio. Or you can stay for now, read along, and get a feel for my work. There’s no pressure and no rush.

Take care, Shelly 💫

Shelly Dar: Qualified & Registered therapist for your peace of mind. Counselling & Psychotherapy Private Practice.