Altum Health is an independent practice of Registered Psychologists and allied health professionals
02/01/2026
Starting therapy can feel like a big step, so we made this short video to show you exactly what it’s like to arrive for your first session with us. From the moment you walk through the door to the moment you settle into the room, our aim is to help you feel comfortable, supported and never rushed.
If you’re thinking about reaching out this year, we’re here to make those first steps feel a little easier.
As the year shifts, it’s easy to feel pressure to reinvent yourself overnight. But you don’t need to meet January with a plan, a promise, or a perfected version of who you are.
If you are moving through recovery or simply feeling tender, slow is allowed. Small steps count. You are not something to fix, and you don’t need to earn your place in the new year.
24/12/2025
The pressure to create a perfect Christmas can make this season feel heavier than it needs to be.
But perfection isn’t the goal. It never was. Remember:
👉 You’re allowed to show up as you are.
👉 You’re allowed to do less.
👉 You’re allowed to prioritise steadiness over sparkle.
A gentle Christmas is still a real Christmas and often a far more peaceful one.
23/12/2025
If Christmas brings more tension than cheer, you’re not alone. Pressure, expectations, family dynamics, food, routines changing all at once can stir up a lot.
Here are five questions to help you pause, check in, and find a steadier place to stand. Sometimes a small moment of reflection is enough to soften the overwhelm.
Worried you might upset the day?
Worried they might expect too much?
These fears are incredibly common when a young person is living with - or recovering from - an eating disorder. A gentle conversation before Christmas can ease the pressure for everyone involved.
When someone is recovering, the picture of Christmas Day in their mind may look very different from the one their family imagines. Talking through expectations in advance can help you meet in a place that feels safer and more supportive.
You might agree together on things like:
• What meals might look like on the day
• What support feels helpful — and what doesn’t
• How to handle comments about food, fullness, or appearance
• A plan for stepping away if things feel overwhelming
If you’re the young person, phrases such as:
“It would really help me to know what the plan is for meals,” or
“If I get quiet, I might need a few minutes,”
can gently open the door.
If you’re a parent or carer, you might try:
“What would make Christmas feel manageable for you this year?” or
“How can I support you without adding pressure?”
Setting boundaries isn’t a sign that things are going wrong.
Often, it’s what protects relationships — and helps the day feel more connected, not less. 💛
22/12/2025
Holiday Opening Hours 🎄
Our team will be taking a short break over the festive season. The Altum Health offices will be closed on:
24th, 25th, 26th and 31st December
1st January
If you find yourself needing support over the festive period, the following services are available 24/7:
📞 Samaritans are open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Call 116 123 to speak to someone.
If you are experiencing a mental health emergency, please call 999 or go to your nearest A&E.
You are not on your own. Support is always there if you need it 💙
17/12/2025
Receiving gifts sounds simple, but for some people, it can feel unexpectedly uncomfortable. Gifts are meant to be gestures of care and connection, yet low self worth or a sense of being undeserving can make that moment feel tense rather than joyful.
You might find yourself minimising the gesture, over-gifting in return, or feeling pressure to prove you were worth the effort. These patterns are common, and they often have roots in long held beliefs about value and belonging.
Some relatives have a way of touching every nerve, especially when it comes to your body. If this is something you dread each year, you are not alone. These five gentle strategies can help you protect your boundaries and stay grounded.
For more support and guidance, you can read the full blog on our website.
Christmas can feel intense, especially when food and family pressures pile up. A simple grounding breath can help your body settle and give your mind a little space.
Try this: breathe in for four, hold for two, out for six. Repeat a few rounds.
You can return to this whenever you need a pause. 🙏
14/12/2025
Christmas can stir up all sorts of feelings around food, even when you’re doing your very best. If this time of year feels a bit much, you’re not alone.
👉 Swipe through for gentle reminders that can help you steady yourself. And if you’d like more support, our blog has plenty of seasonal guidance to explore at your own pace.
12/12/2025
Therapists by day… karaoke stars by night 💃 🎤
We celebrated with a Muppet Christmas Carol singalong, a gorgeous Chinatown dinner, and the kind of karaoke that brings pure joy.
Heart full. Voice gone. Team = spectacular
11/12/2025
For many families, Christmas centres around food. For someone with ARFID, this can make the day feel stressful rather than festive. 🙏
Our new blog offers gentle guidance for anyone supporting a loved one, helping you understand what’s going on beneath the surface and how to ease the pressure.
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Altum Health is an independent practice of Registered Psychologists and allied health professionals dedicated to providing you with the highest quality mental healthcare.
Our skilled team of clinicians are here to help you with a wide range of conditions including anxiety, depression, and stress-related difficulties.
We are also proud to be specialists in the treatment of eating disorders, obesity, and body image problems.
We are uniquely positioned to offer an ‘across the lifespan’ treatment service, working with adult sufferers, as well as children, adolescents and their families. Our adult treatment team works closely with our child & adolescent team to facilitate tailored, unified, and evidence based treatment plans.
Altum means to ‘nourish or support’ and our hope is to empower our clients to live more fulfilling lives through nourishing and supporting their minds and their bodies. We do this through providing a broad range of therapies based upon the latest findings from research, clinical experience and holistic approaches to healing.
Please take a look around our website to find out more about us and how we can help you to a better quality of life. If you want to know more, please send us a private message.
