Arise Counselling

29/10/2025

Love this quote from Andy at Silver Seas Counselling.

The most important thing in therapy is the therapeutic relationship. In therapy speak we call it the 'vessel of change' which means before what the therapist say, the techniques you learn, etc, the relationship itself is the transformative thing in therapy.

If as therapists we don't show up authentically in the room, we are doing clients a disservice.

A thoughtful quote for me to reflect on my self-care so that I can fully be there for my clients.

Self-awareness and self-care are ethical acts - not indulgence.

16/10/2025

I don't know about you but certainly on gloomy days I don't feel much like going outside these days! I know it's good for me but it take extra energy to get the jackets 🧥and boots 👢👢on and sometimes the motivation is just not there.

What I find helpful is focussing on things I get to do when I am outside. Here is where mindfulness may come in.

Your walk can be fully enhanced if you fully attend to your surroundings: the crispy sound it makes when you step on a dry leaf, the crunch of an acorn under your boot, the swirl of colours in the trees when a squirrel leap from branch to branch, the smell of autumn, the touch of moss as you run your fingers along it... the list goes on.

Here's me enjoying a moment of rare sunshine when it broke through the clouds.

13/10/2025

Grieving can be such hard work.

The weight of the grief itself, but also feeling under pressure to mask, or pretend we are ok. Whether it is because we don't want to worry those around us, or the need to simply survive, we do oscillate between grieving and functioning.

Often the energy spent on pretending can be so draining. Thus making us not want to be with people, but then isolation is also hard.

If you are grieving today, do you have that space you can go to, where you don't need to pretend, or suppress?

30/09/2025

On Sunday I did something new for the first time! A little while ago I had seen this retreat advertised in the New Forest.

The title 'Composting for the Soul' 🍁 really caught my attention, as I had been getting into my garden this summer, the idea of composting and seeding was not new, but for the soul? Now that's intriguing. I decided to go for it.

In a small group with 3 others, the brilliant Lucy from facilitated a reflective, and therapeutic day that involved different activities, the most impactful was the sits spot: sitting in silence by myself in the forest for 30 mins at a time, and just taking in my surrounding. The more I did it the more I craved it. I could have spent my whole day there. Watching the acorns fall without apology. Noticing the different trees in their glory, with no pressure to be a certain way, they just are. Hearing the birds call out their various tunes. I thought about God, the creator of all this beauty.

My soul was fully restored! I promise myself I will try and spend time outdoors every day, I learned that I need it for my wellbeing 😌 Just a little reflection I thought I'd share.

22/09/2025

So pleased to announce that I have been approved by both Aviva and Bupa to be their vetted providers. This means that if you have a private health insurance with either, you should be able to see me under your policy, saving you some £££.

Email me at arisecounsellinguk@gmail.com to find out more.

18/09/2025

🧠 Did you know...? That women going through infertility had equivalent anxiety and depression scores to someone diagnosed with cancer? This was demonstrated in a study by Domar and colleagues in 1993.

If you are struggling with infertility grief, please know that it is heavy, it is real, it is not all 'in your head'. Give yourself grace and space to process your feelings 🧡

12/09/2025

As we are heading into Autumn, just like the trees letting go of their golden brown leaves, we too, can reflect on what to let go of and what to hold on to.

Here are 4️⃣ things to think about letting go of this season ⬇️⬇️

11/09/2025

Here's your reminder to PAUSE.

Take a breath. Look away from your screen and look around you. Notice the temperature you feel. Become aware of the sensation of your body as you breathe in and out. Notice the taste in your mouth.

Have a mindful moment.

10/09/2025

Today is World Su***de Prevention Day.

In 2025, it's time to bust these myths.

If you find yourself struggling, or know someone who is, please don't ignore this post. Reach out to one of the helplines there or text SHOUT on 85258.

***de ***deawareness ***depreventionday

04/09/2025

A really beautiful template to remember your child.

I know how triggering it can be to see all the school photos when you’ve lost a child. It is that gut wrenching moment when you’ll never get another one again. You not only grieve that they passed but for all the lost years as well.

To remember your child we have found this and would love for you to complete it and share it in the comments as we don’t think any child should be forgotten.

Sophie would be starting year 10, her favourite colour used to be yellow, her favourite foods were Wagamamas, cinnamon swirls, dirty rice, fajitas, hot dog etc, favourite things were dancing, Roblox, reading, being around people and liking boys a bit too much 😂.

02/09/2025

This first week in September can be tough.

Look after yourself.

02/09/2025

I now have a physical venue!

So pleased I can now also offer in-person therapy as well as online.

I have joined The Counselling Space in Eastleigh and look forward to meeting you where you are at.

Meet The Team!!

We would like to welcome Cherry 🥰

Cherry is a counsellor, we asked her some questions and this is what she had to say...

What do you do?

I am an integrative therapist and EMDR therapist in training. I specialise in working with adults who have experienced trauma and loss. I tend to attract people who have been the strong ones in their families for too long, coping with lots of difficulties and finding that they can’t hold it together anymore. It is at this point that often people reach out, and precisely it is also at this point where we can explore in therapy what hasn’t worked, and how we can rebuild in a way that feels healthier.

My approach can be described as integrative, which means I choose from a range of theories and tailor my approach to each client’s unique situation. Having said that, I find the Internal Family Systems (IFS) approach really effective for trauma, and I often blend this in where appropriate.

Why do you do, what you do?

My pull to therapy training largely came from my own experience of having therapy in my 20s (and ongoing!). There was a lightbulb moment after a session where I went ‘I really want to be able to offer this to other people who are going through the same thing’. This was 15 years ago and it was the best decision I have made.

I truly believe in the power of therapy. Not only do I have first hand experience of how much it has helped me with my lived experience of grief and trauma, but I have seen this in my work with clients time and time again. I describe my work as not so much a job but more like a calling, to offer this therapeutic space to others.

When you don’t do, what you do. What would we find you doing?

I’m most likely having a cup of tea, lost in a good book! I have gotten into gardening recently, so in the summer you’ll find me checking on my tomatoes and beans, or looking up the next thing to grow. I also enjoy learning languages, and my inner child definitely likes to indulge in some Cantonese TV dramas from time to time!

What was the last great tv show, movie or book you watched/read and why did you like it?

‘When Breath Becomes Air’ by Paul Kalanithi- I am late to the party with this one, but I liked its candid look at death in the first person - as the author chronicles his journey from being diagnosed with terminal lung cancer in his thirties, to his final moments. The searching questions he asked, as someone faced with limited time, are ones that I think we should all answer. ‘What makes life worth living?’, ‘What does it mean to be fully alive?’. As a society we are not very good at talking about death, so I found this book an impactful read.

Learn more about Cherry via our website -

https://www.thecounsellingspace.info/cherry

Arise Counselling