A Listening Ear - Counselling and Psychotherapy

06/11/2023

Unsure what to expect when first meeting a therapist? I try to give a little insight into what our work might look like when we start. What are things you'd like to know in your first session?

So, you've decided to book in your first appointment! Maybe this is your first time ever receiving psychotherapy or counselling, or perhaps your first time with me. I will say I can't speak for all therapists for starting counselling, as there is a lot of variety in how we prefer to begin working wi...

22/11/2022

I love being creative - putting effort into creating and having something to show for it feels so good! But I get stuck sometimes from worrying about it not being perfect, or not good enough. Sometimes I don't have the energy, so sitting in front of the telly feels easier. But taking some time to make something, or to learn something, can be incredibly fulfilling, can make us feel good about ourselves for achieving something, and can help us express our feelings. Here are some ways creative stress can manifest, and a few suggestions on how to relieve it. As always, I'll be posting stories in the day of how I express myself creatively.
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www.alisteningear.co.uk

19/11/2022

I tend to have a very small social battery, so I usually need more time alone, not less. But sharing experiences, feelings and fun with others can lighten our load, not just by giving us a place to express our feelings, but by offering distraction and a positive space when we might be feeling low. We can meet our social needs by getting involved in our community, writing or speaking our feelings (to someone or not), or taking the time to spend with friends doing an activity. This usually helps some of our other needs, too!
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There might be some reasons why you don't feel able to be social, or where it might be draining rather than restorative. If you want to explore this, get in touch for counselling at www.alisteningear.co.uk .

18/11/2022

Spiritual stress is the hardest in my opinion to describe - we are such a small part of a vast universe, and it can sometimes feel like the world is uncaring, evil, or lonely. Addressing our spiritual needs means connecting with things outside of ourselves, be it humanity, nature, or a higher power of your choosing. It's finding the things in life that give us meaning - this can be as big as finding someone to share the battles of the world with, or as small as appreciating an experience like a cup of tea.
Finding meaning and purpose in life helps us feel better about our situation, and gives us motivation to keep on going. Finding pockets of time to take part in things that make us happy, even for 5 minutes, can give us that connection to a wider experience and make us feel less stressed and less lonely.
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If there's anything in this that you're struggling with, please get in touch for counselling at www.alisteningear.co.uk .

17/11/2022

I know I definitely feel stressed out when my home isn't as clean or tidy as I want it to be. But especially if I'm working, or stressed, then a vicious circle begins where I feel stressed out about the mess, but feel too stressed to clean!
Taking small steps to making a safe and comfortable space for yourself can reduce sensory overload and relieve stress. I think we tend to want to get stressors over and done with, but cleaning the whole house is a lot more effort than just clearing the couch area so I can sit quietly. Here's some tips on what environmental stress might look like for you, and how to alleviate some of it.

www.alisteningear.co.uk

16/11/2022

If you're coming to counselling or psychotherapy, emotional stress will likely be the one you're most familiar with. Feeling stressed in other ways can make us feel emotionally stressed, or feeling emotionally stressed can lead to us being unable to cope with other life stresses. It can be led by past traumas coming up, current stresses bogging us down, or worries about the future. I've written some suggestions for dealing with emotional stress, which can either be for relieving the fight-or-flight response we can sometimes get, or giving ourselves space to feel our emotions once we're ready for it.



If you feel like you need support in dealing with your emotional stress, get in touch or check out my website at www.alisteningear.co.uk

15/11/2022

Especially in the winter, we can struggle to stay active enough - I've joked more than once about needing to hibernate. But when we're also stressed in other areas, this can manifest in our bodies. Here's some ideas of what this might look or feel like, and some small ways you can alleviate the physical side of stress. This can look different for everyone, so I'll be posting some examples of my own ways of managing physical stress on my instagram ( https://www.instagram.com/alisteningear_counselling/ )

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To book an introductory counselling session, check out my website www.alisteningear.co.uk

14/11/2022

How many times do you have a day off, thinking of all the possibilities, but then spend it doing nothing and feeling guilty for it? So many clients (and me!) will say "I need a break!" or "I just need to stop ___ but I don't know how". Taking time to look at what we're actually needing in that break or change in routine helps us to fulfill our needs better. For the next week I'll be using each day to talk about our different kinds of needs, how we can recognise that we need to address them, and a few ways of how to do this.

http://wix.to/RR9jp6g
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12/11/2022

Stress awareness week has just passed, and I can already hear the jokes that we don't need an awareness week for this, as I think most of us are already pretty aware we're stressed!
With so many difficulties going on in the world, nevermind our own lives, it can be paralysing - we want things to change, but don't have a way forward, and can feel powerless to help our situation or the situation of the world. I sometimes really relate to Frodo's frustration and despair in the quote.
But the response is equally important - we are unfortunate to be born in a time where we are bombarded with bad news, where the most powerful people don't seem to care about our most vulnerable, and where money wins over kindness. But an unkind, unhappy world doesn't mean we can't offer it kindness and happiness, or offer this to ourselves.
Stress can be caused by lots of things, and can impact us both physically and emotionally. Next week, I'll be looking at what causes stress and how we can attend to these needs. A lot of the time, big stress can be helped with little actions - we can't always fix a big stress all at once, but we can make things easier in smaller ways to help us to keep going.

https://www.alisteningear.co.uk/

03/11/2022

The irony's not lost on me that it's taken me some time to actually get around to posting this - constantly fiddling, wanting the best photos, the right words! But, better late than never. Sometimes we really struggle to get started, especially if the task feels daunting. But knowing how to make it easier for ourselves can help taking that first step just a little bit better.

If you really struggle to start things, so do I (including this website!). Let's explore why we can't motivate ourselves, and how to make it easier

13/10/2022

The irony's not lost on me that I'm posting this late for . In a very busy week, it's not always easy to find the time for restorative and restful activities, and easier still to feel the fatigue and that we just don't have the energy to commit to good things for ourselves. Today, my rest was a bubble bath and a solo karaoke session! What have you done for yourself lately? If you find you struggle with prioritising your mental health in each day, get in touch for or

29/09/2022

What better way to start then at the beginning! If you are struggling to find the right therapist for you, follow the link below for 5 things to consider when looking. What else do you think is important for an introductory session?

Looking for the right therapist can be a daunting task, but here are some ways to make the search a little easier. Searching for a therapist can be such a struggle - there are so many directories, different approaches, and financially it can feel like a big commitment. Here are five ways that you fe...