Megan Wright Psychotherapy

21/03/2025

I'm really pleased to have passed my Level 5 Award in Trauma-Informed Therapy!

Over the last six months, I've been deepening my knowledge about the brain and body's responses to developmental, complex and shock trauma. I've learnt the power of breath and movement. And I've learnt the importance of resourcing and pacing. It has taken a lot of reflection to bring more psychoeducation and somatic exercises into therapy, while retaining my person-centred way of being.

Though I've got a lot more 'tools' under my belt, I'm more convinced than ever that the therapeutic relationship is the foundation to healing. I love how experiential learning tends to follow these cycles: you end up back where you started, but with so much more understanding. And the learning continues!

I'm hoping that now I've got some more time on my hands, I'll be able to give more regular updates and blog posts.

P.S., my biggest revelation has been that so many audiobooks are free with Spotify Premium. I genuinely could not have done so much reading without this! Happy to share recommendations 😊

23/10/2024

Hey, it’s been a while!

I have some updates about my practice. I am reducing my hours, and will only be able to offer sessions on Fridays moving forward.

There are a few reasons for this change. I go into them properly in my new blog post, which you can read here: https://www.meganwtherapy.com/post/some-updates

I’m hoping the change will help me take better care of my own mental health, and will give me more opportunities to grow in my other job.

It also means that I will have less time to be active on social media. I think this is a good thing for me - I have not found it easy to be present online at the best of times. However, I’m keeping everything open for now, to see how things develop over the next year.

I hope you are taking good care of yourself, too 💚

It's been a while since I last wrote about my practice. Mostly this is because I have been waiting for some things to be confirmed, and in that time I have been thinking about my practice and its viability in the long-term. Now I'm in a better position to see how things will develop, here are some '...

09/08/2024

It has been a tense few weeks in the UK. The country's ugliest and most violent racism has been on full display. I feel ashamed and sorry.

Nobody should be made to feel unsafe in their community. You should be able to travel without being harassed. You should be able to worship in peace. You should be able to trust in the police to protect you. You should not be vilified for seeking safety from violence or deprivation.

This week I have donated to the Anthony Walker Foundation and Stand Up To Racism. Both of these organisations do fantastic work combatting racism and hatred. Here are their websites if you'd like to know more about them:
https://anthonywalkerfoundation.com/
https://standuptoracism.org.uk/

I hope it goes without saying that if you are a refugee, an immigrant and/or a person of colour, you are welcome in my therapy space just as you should be welcome anywhere. However, if you would like to access specialised support, you may wish to look at the sites below:
https://mentalhealth-uk.org/black-asian-or-minority-ethnic-bame-mental-health-support-services/

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/racism-and-mental-health/useful-contacts/

https://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/service-category/mental-health/

All the best ❤️

If racism is affecting your mental health, this page has details of organisations who may be able to help.

31/07/2024

How are you getting on in this heat?

Are you firing on all cylinders, with a window open?

Perhaps you feel sluggish and tired, but can’t get comfortable when you rest.

Maybe you feel pressure to make the most of the summer, but really want to hide from everything. Maybe you’re stuck at work anyway.

I’m checking in with myself after an incredibly busy month. I have moved house, and am playing a long game of Tetris with bags and boxes while we redecorate. It’s been so exciting but most of the time I’ve been too tired to feel it.

For me, summer sunshine magnifies emotions. It can feel euphoric, oppressive, expectant, sensual, abundant, dangerous, clarifying and inconvenient. Often it gives me a vague feeling that I am wasting time.

That’s why it felt important to take some time to reflect, this morning. Our moods are not ‘all in our heads’. We’re shaped by the seasons and the weather just like we’re shaped by relationships, diet and sleep. And yet our modern lifestyles expect us to perform the same routines all year round.

I wonder if I can give myself permission to let my body lead me today, and find comfort and rest in the cooler rooms of my house. I might get some lemonade, and put ice cubes in.

What comes up for you when you check in with yourself today? What is your body asking for?

Do you have time for some gentleness? Because I know you deserve it. And also, remember to wear sun cream! 😊

P.s. here’s a picture of my apple tree. She is magnificent.

08/07/2024

✨I'm so excited to share that my original research has been published!✨

For my dissertation project, I asked trans and non-binary person-centred therapists what it was like to encounter transprejudice from clients. My participants were so generous with their time and their thoughts, and I learnt a lot about what it means to be person-centred as a non-binary person.

The article is open access, so you can read it for free! It's available here

Aims This qualitative study aimed to explore what it is like for trans and non-binary (TNB) person-centred therapists to be exposed to transprejudice in their client work, and how they navigate such...

03/07/2024

✨Time for the fifth and final part of my Mindfulness blog series✨

I thought I'd round off this series by talking about some mindful practices that I've found helpful when I'm feeling dysregulated.

The first two combine breathing with some touch-based grounding. I like to pace my breathing using a finger from one hand to trace around the fingers of my other hand. You can breathe in as you trace up each finger, and breathe out as you trace back down. Or, I prefer to trace all my fingers really quickly one way, and then slow right down as I trace the return. You can play around with this one, and notice the texture of your knuckles and different skin surfaces.

I also like to breathe directly on to my hand after breathing deeply in through my nose. I've heard this being called 'dragon breathing' because the aim is to focus on the transfer of heat from deep in your belly, out into the air, and back into your body through your hand. You can imagine you're breathing fire if it helps!

Experimenting with heat can be very soothing. I like to press my hand against an area of tension and imagine the heat refuelling my muscles and allowing them to relax. You can try doing this on different parts of your body as a way to wind down before bedtime.

My last two recommendations are less body-focused and more about putting self-compassion into practice in ways that can feel challenging. I've written before about 'speaking to the feeling' and I think it can be so helpful. The key is not to judge or preach, but to try and be empathic towards yourself. Sometimes it can help to picture the emotion as a person, even a child. Most of us would not want to purposely hurt another person, so personifying your feelings can help you to adopt a gentler attitude.

Finally - and this is something I've worked hard at - is recognising when it's 'game over' and time to step away. Sometimes it is helpful to push through and find a rhythm, but sometimes it's better to listen to your body and brain and switch things up. Try to celebrate when you are able to recognise and respect this boundary, rather than focusing on failure. This takes some commitment and time. But in doing more to align with your brain and body's needs, I have found it a lot easier to access authentic and sustainable sources of energy.

I'd love to hear about more tips and techniques! How do you practice awareness and compassion towards your brain and body?

Thanks for reading, stay tuned for new content soon 😊

27/06/2024

✨Part 4 of my mindfulness blog series✨

I always want to know the 'why' of things. When I believe in the foundations of a thing, I understand how to make it better, and how to fix it if it goes wrong. In that spirit, I thought I'd write a bit about the 'why' of mindfulness: why it helps us to feel more at home in our bodies.

Anyone who's struggled with their mental health will agree that it sometimes feels more like a physical illness. You may struggle with chest pains and a racing heart, or you may feel exhausted for 'no reason' and even struggle to keep your balance.

These symptoms are our bodies' reactions to perceived danger. Our ancestors evolved 'fight or flight' reflexes, as well as 'freeze' and 'flop' reflexes, among others. These responses helped to keep our species safe against predators. Nowadays, we're not running from sabre-toothed tigers, but our brains retain the same architecture.

All this may give you disdainful feeling - like our brains and bodies should get with the program, and stop making us feel bad. But frustrating though it can be, it doesn't help to struggle against ourselves. The only way to get your nervous system back to regulation is to convince it that you're safe.

One powerful way to regulate yourself when you are hyper aroused (a.k.a, chest tight, heart racing, restless) is to focus on your breathing. The 'in' breath is stimulating and will increase your heart rate, but the 'out' breath is soothing and will signal that it's okay to relax. So if you can, it helps to make your 'out' breath longer.

On the other hand, if you find yourself feeling hypo aroused (a.k.a., slumped, exhausted, spaced out) mindfully engaging with your senses can encourage your nervous system back to a place of regulation. Gentle movements such as wiggling your toes or progressively tensing and relaxing your muscles can also help.

However you're feeling, adopting a curious and compassionate attitude towards yourself is the key to creating a sense of safety. Try pairing the techniques above with some affirmations, such as 'I'm safe, I'm okay, this won't last forever.' Or, if you can, try and introduce a sense of play to your mindfulness. See how it feels to blow raspberries, or to pull funny faces! Don't be afraid to experiment.

I hope this has been interesting for you! I'd love to hear more ways that you've been able to get yourself regulated.

Have a lovely day 😊

21/06/2024

✨Time for part 3 of my mindfulness series ✨

This one's a bit deeper, and more personal. I've been reflecting on the reasons that I have felt resistance towards mindfulness. In particular, I want to focus on the 'self-compassion' part. It touches on the foundations of personality development, including our cultural context.

Something that has been present both for my clients and in my own thinking, is the idea that we should just 'push through' when we're feeling bad. There's a feeling that if we just get organised enough, tick all the items off the to-do list, smile a bit more, dig deeper for more courage, calm, enthusiasm, focus... We hope that things will get easier, and we punish ourselves when they don't.

This way of treating ourselves mirrors patterns in interpersonal relationships. Think of traditional parenting styles in White, Western society. A child who is expressing difficult emotions is scolded or isolated, conditioning them to behave differently. Later in life, when we experience the same emotions, we inwardly replicate our carers' actions towards ourselves. So, it becomes very difficult to adopt an attitude which turns towards and nurtures these parts of ourselves.

Even with the gentlest parenting, capitalism conditions us to prize productivity. Throughout school we are taught to follow other people's rules and routines. Then, as adults, the idea of reducing the quantity or quality of our output can create a visceral sense of unease.

So, we get trapped in dislike and disregard for the parts of ourselves that get angry, overwhelmed and exhausted. But as these feelings become adversaries, they also become more intense. We then have a dilemma, where self-compassion is the most difficult thing, but also the most essential.

Does this strike a chord with you? I wanted to highlight why mindfulness can be very hard work, and why it is nonetheless an helpful way to break harmful patterns in our relationships with ourselves. I hope you can take a minute today to reflect on how you feel about different feelings.

Perhaps you can make a small change - let yourself be 'difficult' or 'lazy' just for a minute. Try to be gentle with your feelings. If you treat them like messengers, you might find that they have valuable things to say.

Thanks for reading. Have a great weekend 💓

14/06/2024

✨Hey! Here's Part 2 of my blog series on Mindfulness✨

When I suggest mindfulness to clients, I often get a reluctant, or resistant response. Of course, when you're already stressed and overwhelmed, another task is the last thing you want. It's another thing to tug at you; to feel you have failed at.

Something that I found revolutionary, though, was the suggestion that mindfulness might be something that doesn't need any time or energy set aside. Any task can be performed mindfully - no calming music or candles necessary.

For example, why not try eating something mindfully? For example, an apple - try to concentrate on finding out as much as you can from each of your senses while you eat it. What colour is it? If it's red, is it more pink, or brown? Is it shiny or dull? How does it smell? Do new smells appear after you've bitten it? What is the texture like against your tongue, teeth and cheeks? Is it sharp and crunchy, or mellow and soft? Can you picture it filling some space in your stomach, and the nutrients providing fuel for your body?

Small acts like these can be incredibly grounding, and help to build appreciation of small pleasures.

You can also turn mindfulness towards your emotions. I often realise, during my morning routine, that my thoughts are racing, and I feel quite flustered. In these moments I will ask myself if I can leave those thoughts for a second. I visualise it like sweeping objects off of a table. I ask myself how I am feeling, and if there's anything I can do in that moment to give myself some ease. Almost always, I realise that my lungs would like a deep breath and my shoulders would like to drop. Then I try to give myself some acknowledgement, validation, and affirmation. Something like, 'Thanks, brain! I know you're trying hard to keep me safe and well. These thoughts aren't helping me right now, though. I'm actually okay. I'm safe, and I can handle what the day brings.'

Sometimes, if I spend a second thanking and reassuring myself, I can feel a physical shift, like a fist unclenching around my chest. These moments make me feel like I am getting into the drivers' seat, and having a say over my feelings and my actions.

Integrating these practices takes a bit of time, and it's worth beginning when you're feeling on top of things, so it doesn't feel like the final straw when you're already struggling.

Here are some more everyday tasks that can be done mindfully without breaking your stride:
- making a cup of tea/coffee
- showering
- brushing your teeth
- hanging out or folding up laundry
- doing your make-up
- cooking or chopping up vegetables
- playing an instrument
- stretching or working out.

Why not give it a go and see how it makes you feel? I would love to hear about any other ways you have found that mindfulness helps you day-to-day 😊

31/05/2024

✨Woo it's Friday! That means it's time for a blog post!✨

I've decided to write a series of posts about mindfulness. We talk about it a lot in mental health settings but is not well understood. I certainly used to feel oppositional about it. It was the kind of topic that I'd see on a print-out given to me by a mental health professional, which actually communicated 'I don't know how to help you - try this I guess!' (See also: sleep hygiene, exercise, journaling, etc.)

Now I'm on the other side, trying to support my clients, and the last thing I want to do is give advice that invalidates their distress, or to give people 'homework' which adds to their feeling of overwhelm.

On the other hand, I do think mindfulness can be an important part of your mental health 'toolkit'. So I'm going to start this series of posts by explaining what it actually is - to me at least.

Here's a definition: 'mindfulness is awareness, combined with compassion, put into practice.'

It's a habit of checking in with, and then showing up for, yourself. It can look like lots of different things. It's definitely doesn't mean that you have to drop everything to meditate for half an hour every day.

Also, it's not something that just kicks in when you're already struggling. It's something that can reduce your stress, to prevent it sn*******ng.

Mindfulness can take 30 seconds, a couple of times a day. But all the acts of attention and kindness you show yourself can have a huge impact.

Stay tuned for more tips on why mindfulness works, and ways you can experiment with it!

Have a restful weekend 😊💕

24/05/2024

✨What does it mean to have an LGBTQIA+ safe space? ✨

It's easy to say it, but what does it look like in practice?

A colleague of mine reflected "Sometimes it's like... 'I'm not sad because I'm gay. I'm sad and I'm gay.'"

Minority stress is absolutely a thing, and sometimes therapy can be a vital space for processing experiences of discrimination. It can also help if you are questioning your gender or sexuality, and want to talk it through with someone who understands.

On the other hand, your gender and sexuality might be incidental to your reasons for coming to therapy. They may not be the 'headline' issues that you need support with, but you still want them to be acknowledged and welcomed into the room, as part of the rich fabric of your life!

It might be as simple as your therapist checking your pronouns, or referring to your partner with gender neutral terms until you say otherwise.

Your therapist should also be able to hold all the complexity of your identity without judgement. There is no right way to use therapy, and there is no right way to be LGBTQIA+. They should be able to recognise when they need to educate themselves. And they should apologise when they get things wrong.

So to me, offering a safe space means that I strive to see and accept my clients' whole selves.

03/05/2024

Ever wondered why trans people are more likely to be autistic, and vice versa?

Back in November, I attended The Person Centred Association's Gender, Sexuality and Relationship Diversity Conference. I have been thinking about Sam Hope's keynote speech ever since.

In short, Sam asked us to reflect on our own assumptions regarding the overlap between the trans and autistic communities. They also drew attention to the overlap between transness and other characteristics, such as left-handedness, fibromyalgia, hypermobility, dyslexia, to name a few.

Sam pointed out that (at least in recent years) no one would ask what 'went wrong' to make a person left-handed. So why do we do this for trans and autistic people? It is entirely arbitrary what we consider to be a 'natural' difference - just the way someone is - and what we demand a causal story for.

The talk showed me that I need to constantly fight the narrative that trans, neurodivergent, disabled and chronically ill people are 'attention seekers' or playing out a trauma response. It's so prevalent and easy to internalise. And I know that it has held me back in exploring my own gender and sexuality identities over the years. At best it is patronising and invalidating. At worst, it presents a barrier to people accessing the resources and care they need to flourish.

Sam wrote a blog post summarising their talk, which - along with a recording of the talk itself, which costs £10 - can be found here https://www.the-pca.org.uk/blog/how-trans-people-are-failed-by-medicine-and-therapists-alike-sam-hope.html

I would highly, highly recommend!

Have a good bank holiday weekend ✨

The Person-Centred Association website. Information for members and visitors about the Person Centred Approach in the UK with therapist and counselor listings.