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Dr Helen Blake

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Pocklington
Dr Helen Blake

Counselling Psychologist

12/06/2025

How do you relax? How do you self-soothe? This is my red fox lab Douggie - for him it's a run in a sunny field.

23/09/2023

When you have Complex PTSD - trust can be a big issue. You have been betrayed by those closest to you and you have experienced trauma 'in relationship'. You may therefore find that problems occur in your relationships when it comes to trust.

An example could be when you interpret the actions of others - do you immediately think that others don't care, that they have an ulterior motive or perhaps they can't be relied on? Maybe you're confused about how to behave in friendships and relationships - am I too much or do I pull away too soon? It can be so confusing.

Therapy can help you to reflect and navigate not just your trauma but also how you relate to others.

As a Counselling Psychologist I use a range of approaches to trauma that include more formal methods such as EMDR as well as the therapeutic relationship itself to help you re-learn how to navigate relationships.

04/07/2023

Do you rest? What are your views on resting?

I've always been fascinated by the differing views on rest and what different people see as acceptable when it comes to taking a rest.

What beliefs do you hold about resting? Do you know when you need to rest and when it would beneficial? What does resting look like to you? And do you prioritise rest for yourself and those around you?

If you were not able to rest in childhood, chances are you hold a belief or view of the world where rest is not prioritised or seen as beneficial. It may even be viewed as a weakness. But what might NOT resting cost you?

Take time today to reflect on what how you can rest both the body and the mind.

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02/07/2023

Many women, and their partners, can experience a traumatic birth. This could be because of unplanned or unexpected changes to the birth plan and you felt out of control, you were left in pain for hours or didn't feel listened to by medical staff.

Whatever your story, a difficult experience during birth can leave some mothers, and sometimes partners, with symptoms such as extreme anxiety, flashbacks or nightmares. You may be finding it difficult to process what happened to you and find it hard to find someone who can understand.

Therapy can help you to process and come to terms with what happened. EMDR is a trauma therapy that can help with this processing and is effective at helping people to recover from their symptoms.

As a psychologist, I work with mothers, and their partners who may be experiencing distress after their pregnancy and birth. Visit me at www.drhelenblake.com

For more information about birth trauma, visit Birth Trauma Association for information in the UK. www.birthtraumaassociation.org.uk

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27/06/2023

Do you find it hard to control negative thoughts? Do these thoughts take you away from your current situation and keep you feeling anxious?

One technique to try is to be more mindful - that is to bring yourself back into the current moment.

So next time you are distracted by your negative thoughts and feelings - use your senses to notice what is around you - and bring yourself back into your body, the present moment and what is happening RIGHT NOW.

It doesn't resolve any problems you might be having in your life - but it WILL help you to feel calmer and able to deal with what is happening NOW.

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26/06/2023

Do you get overwhelmed? Sometimes we just want to hide away and not deal with people or the things we have to do every day.

How do you cope with your overwhelm? If we've been though a difficult childhood we might have learnt various strategies for dealing with feelings of overwhelm - there are two that spring to mind that I see often in my clients - one is dissociation and the other is shut down.

Dissociation can be anything where you take yourself away from the present - we all do this to some degree to 'switch off' but some people might do this for long periods or without even realising it is a form of disengaging.

Shut down is where you take yourself away and your mind and body literally shut down. You might sleep or hide away.

Both these responses mean you do not feel able to cope right now with what is in front of you - and you need time away. You may have learnt this as a child - to take yourself away from a bad situation or to block out the bad feelings.

Start to recognise that the things you do, which others might see as a negative, are actually coping strategies that you developed to survive.

What do you do when you're overwhelmed? And what does it reveal about how you survived?

25/06/2023

What are grounding techniques? Grounding techniques are things you can do to help 'ground' you in the present moment. They are useful actions you can take to bring yourself back to your body and away from negative thoughts and/or feelings.

Using the body is a great way to start out in the use of grounding techniques - especially your senses. Think of your 5 senses and use them to bring yourself back to the present. I like the 5,4,3,2,1 technique (it reminds me of Dusty Bin from the 80s 3,2,1 😄).

LOOK - name 5 things you can see around you
HEAR - name 4 things you can hear
TOUCH - name 3 things you can touch nearby (and do it!)
SMELL - name 2 things you can smell in the air
TASTE - what can you taste? Maybe get yourself some strong mints for this one

Next time you feel overwhelmed, feel out of your body or caught up in your own negative thoughts - try this technique! I'd love to hear if it works for you in the comments below.........

24/06/2023

Is hot or is it me? Heatwaves are uncomfortable - for everyone! How do you cope in the heat? Does it make you less tolerable and a bit kranky? You're not alone. It's bound to be harder to bear if you're someone who already experiences difficulties such as anxiety or is easily triggered due to past traumas. Take care of yourself - recognise this weather might make it harder to regulate yourself - and allow yourself time to rest and regroup.

You might notice it in others - children can also become short-tempered when overheated and tired from being out and about in the sun all day. Recognise this and help them to cool down and calm down, leading the way in regulation.

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23/06/2023

Finally have my website up and running! Check it out at www.drhelenblake.com

Blog post suggestions welcome - what would you like to know about therapy?

21/06/2023

Have you tried EMDR? EMDR or Eye-Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing is a type of therapy used to help people overcome symptoms of trauma as well as a range of other issues such as anxiety and depression.

Watch this short video which gives a clear overview of what it is, how it works and how it might help you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSHuFHFrUis

As a Counselling Psychologist, I offer EMDR therapy in person from my clinic room in Pocklington, East Yorkshire and online. EMDR can work very effectively online so you can access the therapy from your own home.

EMDR forms part of my approach to therapy alongside my training in CBT (cognitive-behavioural therapy). Underpinning all this is my person-centred approach to creating a relational and supportive therapeutic relationship.

If you'd like to find out more or have a chat about whether EMDR could help you - please get in touch. I provide a free 15-min conversation to understand your problem and help you decide how to move forward. EMDR can take less sessions that other types of therapy so you may only need a short course of between 6 and 10 sessions.

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Pocklington

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