Eleanor Catchpole Counselling

31/01/2026

31/01/2026

"When we can find a way and a therapist to explore our thoughts, our feelings and our behaviours, we can then begin to understand what our challenges are, and then it gives us choices and directions."

Fantastic to see Odette Hamilton and Julia Samuel on BBC Breakfast this morning. They raised so many important points about therapy and encouraged women over 50 to seek professional support if they're struggling, as part of our No More Stiff Upper Lip campaign.

Odette spoke about her own experience of therapy, how it helped her to a 'better place' and why it's a good idea to get help when you need it and not leave things piling up on you.

Julia told viewers how speaking to a therapist is different to talking to friends and urged people to look for a therapist from a professional body, such as BACP.

Watch the full interview on BBC iPlayer here (from 7:20) https://orlo.uk/ndbFC

23/01/2026

Due to my history of child sexual abuse, I found being asked the question 'What do you want?' extremely challenging. I didn't trust that it was safe for me to express my needs, because of how I'd been groomed and taken advantage of in childhood. Being asked years later in therapy what I wanted also prompted a deep sense of grief, not just at the bad things that had happened, but at all the good things that I'd missed out on too. It was therefore a profoundly painful question.

But what I experienced in therapy was a therapist who helped me to grasp the concept through some very careful and measured self-disclosure, where she showed me what it's like to have and express needs and even wants – without shame or fear.

—————

I’m Carolyn Spring and I’m an author, trainer, consultant and Founder of the Trauma Recovery Community (www.carolynspring.com/community). I help counsellors and therapists help their clients recover from complex trauma. Over 47,000 people have accessed my live or online training , and I’ve provided hundreds of hours of 1:1 consultations with therapists to unpick the really tricky aspects of working with complex trauma.

I combine perspectives from both the clinical literature and research with the first-person insight of someone who’s actually been there, and I make the complex simple … but without ever being simplistic. I believe in hope for recovery from even the most appalling suffering … but only with the right support. I support the supporters.

Learn more about me and my work here: https://linktr.ee/carolynspring

Free trauma resources. Get one of these two guides delivered to your inbox:
- 'Guide for Therapists: A Three Phase Approach to Trauma Treatment' (50+ pages). A must-read for anyone working therapeutically with trauma.
- 'Trauma Survivors’ Resource Guide' (100+ pages). Neurobiology-based, practical advice to help with flashbacks, triggers, and managing our mental health after trauma.

Find out more and sign up to the mailing list here: https://www.carolynspring.com/subscribe/

11/01/2026

08/01/2026

Here at Norfolk and Waveney Mind, we believe no one should have to face a mental health problem alone.

Whether it’s you needing support, someone in your family, a friend or a work colleague, we are here for you.

Take a look at all of the ways you can access our support and services.

For more information, please visit our website: norfolkandwaveneymind.org.uk

08/01/2026

08/01/2026

Our Nature Connect team our kicking off 2026 with a range of workshops and outdoor sessions to enjoy throughout January.

Meet new people, learn new skills and explore how connecting with nature can improve our wellbeing!🌳🪴

Find out more at: norfolkandwaveneymind.org.uk/nature-connect or email natureconnect@norfolkandwaveneymind.org.uk

08/01/2026

07/01/2026

The story of the inception of the 12 steps beautiful told.

Addiction & Recovery Films. ''When Love Is Not Enough: The Lois Wilson Story'' is a historically rich and psychologically layered film that sheds light on the lesser-known narrative behind the founding of one of the most impactful recovery movements in the world.

©Addiction Actually

The 2010 drama offers a compelling portrait of Lois Wilson, whose quiet but revolutionary role in addiction support history was long overshadowed by that of her husband, Bill Wilson, co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Spanning several decades of the 20th century, the film documents the rise of AA against the backdrop of Bill’s devastating alcoholism and ultimate recovery.

Yet rather than centering on Bill, this film focuses sharply on Lois—a woman whose identity and emotional well-being were gradually eroded by her husband's drinking and his all-consuming devotion to helping other alcoholics.

Through meticulous storytelling, the film explores the psychological toll of being the spouse of an addict: the self-sacrifice, codependency, confusion, and isolation that often go unspoken.

Lois, played with depth and vulnerability by Winona Ryder, begins as a supportive partner, full of hope and determination. But as Bill spirals deeper into addiction, their finances crumble, their social life deteriorates, and their emotional bond begins to fray. Even after Bill’s sobriety is secured, Lois is left wrestling with feelings of neglect and abandonment. She realizes that though Bill is no longer drinking, her pain has not disappeared—it has merely transformed.

07/01/2026

New years intentions
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