MindingYou

26/02/2026

René Descartes, a French philosopher, pointed out the importance of internal growth for our mental health state.

He was of the opinion that personal fulfilment stems from our ability to control our emotions and desires because they are within our control, as opposed to going after external things that may not be within our control to affect change.

His quote invites us to strive to achieve inner peace and resilience by changing our negative thoughts, because thoughts are within our control to change if we chose to do so and they can make us feel better.

19/02/2026

Eating Disorders Awareness Week 2026 is organized by Beat Eating Disorders (BEAT) and runs from 23rd of February to 1st of March 2026.

The theme this year is ‘Community’ and it was chosen because eating disorders can often lead to profound feelings of loneliness and isolation, whether for those experiencing them directly or for loved ones supporting thier recovery.

By focusing on community, BEAT aims to empower various groups to spot early signs of eating disorders, encourage seeking help, and foster environments that promote recovery and overall wellbeing for those suffering with this issue.

This Eating Disorders Awareness Week 2026 we are raising awareness about the important role Community plays in helping someone feel supported.

12/02/2026

Self-Limiting Beliefs are unhelpful ways of thinking which can keep us stuck in negative emotions such as anxiety, depression, or anger.

CBT therapy can help identify and challenge rigid belief systems, and change them to more flexible and compassionate ones, to overcome negative emotions and behaviours.

It is my experience that within six to twelve sessions of CBT therapy people can make significant progress on most issues, and thrive.

05/02/2026

I find this article fascinating. It has a good insight into how our brains work, and it makes suggestions as to what we can do to keep them working well, throughout life.

Challenging the brain by exposing it to new situations, tasks and skills can improve its efficiency, much like strength training does for our muscles. But maximum efficiency requires optimal rest.

30/01/2026

One of the greatest challenges for us all is to live without knowing what our future will be like.

Uncertainty gives rise to speculation of the future, and in the absence of not knowing for sure, our minds can’t help but see negative scenarios which can give rise to anxiety.

Teaching our minds to stay in the present can help reduce this anxiety.

22/01/2026

Vitality is a Health Insurer that provides cover for CBT Therapy through a simple and quick process.

If you have cover with Vitality, just get in touch with them to have your sessions pre-authorised, and then you are ready to start therapy.

15/01/2026

Often people suffering with anxiety or depression tell me that they are broken, as in something is terribly wrong with them and this should not happen.

In actual fact, we are not broken, we experience these negative emotions when we are stuck in unhelpful ways of thinking, and we can learn skills to become unstuck.

Thinking that we are broken only detracts from the work we need to do to get better, wastes our energy, and is therefore an obstacle in our way! Becoming aware of this helps us to direct our energy where it serves us, correcting our thinking to get better!

08/01/2026

Anxious patterns are unhelpful, biased ways of thinking: ‘If I suffer with anxiety, I’m weak’ or ‘If I make a mistake I will lose my job’.

CBT therapy starts with identifying these patterns and changing them so that the anxiety can subside.

Changing thoughts and beliefs from unhelpful to helpful, allows us to unlearn anxiety by weakening neural pathways associated with it and strengthening the helpful ones which we create.

01/01/2026

Our minds and bodies are connected and affect each other greatly, so this year make it your priority to look after your emotional wellbeing, just as you would look after your physical wellbeing.

If you feel anxious, depressed, angry, hurt, guilt, shame or jealousy, listen to your thoughts to find out what’s bothering you.

Work on these to reduce the intensity of your feelings, or if these feelings persist and interfere with your life, give CBT a try.

24/12/2025

18/12/2025

Christmas is known as a time we spend with each other, and it is this togetherness that makes us feel connected, and that is special.

Christmas can be magical when we focus on sharing, connecting, and creating meaningful moments. Whether with family, friends or strangers, reach out and connect!