Rachael Horan Counselling MBACP

08/12/2025

✨ Feeling the Pressure Building as Christmas Approaches? You’re Not Alone. ✨

As the holidays draw closer, many people feel more stressed than excited.

The pressure to be cheerful, to create the “perfect” day, to manage family expectations, finances, social plans, and end-of-year demands can feel overwhelming.

You might notice:

• Feeling pulled in every direction
• Pressure to “keep up” or make everything perfect
• Guilt for not “doing enough”
• Exhaustion from social expectations or family tension
• Wanting to withdraw or feeling stretched thin

Please know this is a normal response to a demanding time of year.

🎄 You’re allowed to slow down.
🎁 You’re allowed to set boundaries.
💛 You’re allowed to keep things simple and prioritise your wellbeing.

22/10/2025

Ahead of the clocks changing this Sunday, I thought it would be important to recognise the effects this can have on mental health 🍂

When the clocks change each autumn and spring, many people also notice a shift in their mood and energy levels. The transition, especially the move from daylight saving time to standard time in autumn, can significantly impact mental health.

One of the main effects is a disruption to the body’s circadian rhythm — the internal clock that regulates sleep, mood, and hormones. When evenings become darker earlier, people are exposed to less natural light, which can reduce serotonin levels and affect mood regulation. This often leads to feelings of tiredness, irritability and/or low mood. For some, the change can trigger Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a type of depression linked to reduced sunlight during the colder months.

Sleep patterns can also suffer. Even a one-hour shift can cause temporary insomnia, grogginess, or difficulty concentrating, much like mild jet lag. Over time, this sleep disruption can contribute to increased stress and anxiety levels.

To ease the transition, experts recommend maintaining consistent sleep routines, maximizing exposure to daylight, and staying physically active. Light therapy lamps and vitamin D supplements can also help counter the effects of shorter days.

While the clock change can seem like a simple adjustment, it’s important to recognize its deeper influence on mental well-being — and take small, proactive steps to protect it.

🍁

25/09/2025

I’m all set to start the Advanced Certificate in Clinical Supervision 📚 The books have arrived and I’m spending this cozy evening getting in some reading of the 7-Eyed Model for next week….I can’t wait to get stuck into it and to be able to offer supervision to other counsellors next year. I’ll also be looking to offer group supervision sessions so watch this space!

21/07/2025

🤩 Acceptance and Commitment Therapy 🤩

Wow!! As an integrative therapist there are so many different ways of working that we can bring into the room with clients. From my own perspective it can sometimes be obvious which approach will work best for the client, but sometimes it can be more of a ‘let’s give this a go and see’.

Recently ACT came into my life and as it is based on values, it’s hard to see how it isn’t suited to most or all people! As an avid user of CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), I was intrigued as to how this modality aligned or differed. CBT focuses on identifying and changing negative thought patterns and behaviours to improve mental health. ACT, while drawing from CBT principles, emphasizes accepting thoughts and feelings without judgment and committing to actions aligned with personal values.

“Developed in the mid 1980’s by Dr Steven Hayes (a clinical psychologist and professor), he sought to create a therapeutic intervention that integrates mindfulness and behavioural change strategies. The main aim being to help individuals cultivate psychological flexibility and to be present in the moment, adapt to change whilst having awareness of and maintaining their deeply held values”.

Using 6 core processes, ACT works to enable individuals to lead rich, meaningful lives in the face of challenges and adversities.

ACT has been proven to be highly effective for people experiencing Depression, Anxiety, OCD and Trauma. Those with Autism and ADHD can also benefit from it.

The core concepts are :

✅Acceptance
✅Committed Action
✅Values
✅Self as Context
✅Contact with the Present Moment
✅Cognitive Diffusion

I am in the process of reading The Skilled Helper by Gerard Egan, my favourite read of the year so far 🤩

Massive thanks to for the amazing bundle I’ve received which is full of useful, interactive and vibrant worksheets. I can’t put them down!

08/04/2025

Exciting News! I’ve been quieter than usual on the socials this year as I’ve been working hard behind the scenes in the last few months and focusing on listening to my clients and their needs, and you have spoken beautifully!

As Counsellors we have an obligation to our clients to continually invest in ourselves so that we can offer our clients the very best service. This year so far has been full of learning, training and listening to my clients; what else can I offer that is of benefit to my client base both in person and online?

I see many adults who come to me with relationship concerns. Hurdles with communication, addressing past behaviours and patterns and struggling to find a way forward causes us to become stuck in a cycle with no clear way out.

From June 2025 I will be offering Couples and Relationship Counselling.

Couples/Relationship Counselling will help you to have a better understanding of not just yourself but your partner in a safe space. Regardless of your current status, sexual orientation, age, background or presenting issues, you will be made to feel welcome whilst you work together on your relationship. My role is to facilitate, and to be entirely neutral.

This area of Counselling is complex, not only because it involves more than one person (each bringing their own needs and thoughts to the situation), but also because there are so many areas that affect people in relationships.

✔️Communication Breakdown
✔️Identifying Patterns and Learned Behaviour
✔️Conflict Resolution
✔️Substance Misuse
✔️Infidelity
✔️Lack of Intimacy/ Sexual Difficulties
✔️Trust Issues
✔️Emotional Disconnection
✔️Major Life Changes
✔️Parenting Challenges
✔️Mental Health Challenges
✔️Premarital Concerns

Of course it may not be possible to bring about a resolution as a couple, but the aim is to grow through the process together regardless of the choices you then make moving forward.

Please message through my website for more information.

www.rachaelhorancounselling.co.uk

16/12/2024

Christmas is often a tough time for many people, especially if you’re already in an emotionally vulnerable space. It can be full of stresses and worries, anxiety and guilt, family pressures on top of managing everyday life through the festive period.

There are organisations that can be contacted during this time if you need support. My counselling service will be closed from 3pm on Friday 20th December until 9am on Friday 3rd January. Enquiries/e-mails and messages during this time will not be replied to so if you require urgent support or a crisis team please contact one of the numbers below.

Somerset Mindline - 0800 1381692 or 01823 276892

The Samaritans - 116 123

Shout (via text message) - 85258

You should still call 999 or go to A&E if you have an immediate, life-threatening emergency requiring mental health assistance.

Wishing all my clients from 2024 a Christmas of kindness to yourself and times of joy however you’re spending it 🎄

Rachael x

30/09/2024

What is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and how could it be used to help in your therapeutic journey?

CBT is a form of therapy that aims to reduce symptoms of various mental health conditions primarily anxiety, depression and PTSD.

It is problem oriented and solution focused looking more at the hear-and-now rather than the past. The first step once it has been assessed what the individual needs are of the client, is to look at the basics of CBT and to understand how it works 🧠.

With my clients I firstly discuss the biological reasons for triggers and reactions/responses to situations that causes us to deem something as a ‘threat’. Our bodies/minds react firstly using our ‘primitive brain’, before our ‘developed brain’ engages. It is important to understand that both parts cannot work at the same time, and our primitive area of the brain engages based on previous experiences/knowledge and even due to the threats our ancestors experienced (genetics and inherited trauma kicking in here!).

Once we understand its relevance to us, we can start to dissect it and work through it using the Cognitive Model (also known as the Cognitive Triangle). We look at how Thoughts, Feelings and Behaviours interact with each other and if we change one of them, we can change the outcome of a situation.

There’s much more to CBT including looking at Automatic Thoughts and Irrational Beliefs and how to challenge them, Socratic Questioning, Exposure Therapy and many more which help to challenge beliefs and ask ‘where’s the evidence for this?’.

Keeping a thought record can also be really useful and can be done at home. In fact many parts of CBT can be done outside of the therapy room which makes it a great tool! This is hugely beneficial for self-growth and improving self-esteem, emotional wellbeing and self-awareness with the use of worksheets and practical measures.

Worksheets can be found online for free, or printable bundles can be downloaded from Etsy which are colourful and great for teens!

26/08/2024

Hello! 👋 Firstly I hope my parent followers are doing ok and managing the often unavoidable stress of the school holidays. It’s a whole work/children/money management situation so well done to everyone for getting through it!

My posts usually delve into a topic; I do love an educational post (both reading and writing them!) as after all, mental health is hugely science related with genetics and biology playing a big role. It’s really important when exploring how you feel to understand the science behind it too- what physical effects it is having, why you feel the way you do and where it comes from. It all comes from somewhere whether that’s directly in your lifetime or intergenerationally.

Today though, I thought I’d answer some common questions I get asked and re-introduce what I do!

What is counselling?

Counselling is a process of talking about and working through your personal difficulties with a person who will be non-judgemental. The counsellor will listen, encourage you to explore how you feel, increase self-awareness and develop coping strategies to move forward with.

What should counsellors not do?

They should not offer advice, judgements or opinions.

What approach do I offer?

I offer an integrative approach incorporating the above and often with an emphasis on education and goal setting. I will challenge where necessary to encourage self-exploration and growth.

What ages do I see?

Age 7 upwards. For younger clients I incorporate play into the sessions, though adults can also benefit from this too and often request the use of practical tools within a session.

How long will I need counselling for?

This question is understandably common as it is not only a matter of time management around work and family, but also the cost involved. However much we know it’s a priority, so are other things and it can be hard to justify. The answer though is it is very individual. It is a process that can take a while or just a few sessions. I will never continue longer than is necessary and will encourage you to fly with your strengthened wings once you are ready to 🦅

🫶

01/06/2024

Please take a moment to read the article I wrote about Wellington Counselling. I talk about the community counselling model which is proving successful in helping local people and families 💕

Wellington Community Counselling is celebrating its sixth birthday this year. The group was originally set up in 2018 by founder, director and CEO Rhonda Lovell. Wellington Community Counselling was created to ensure everyone, who needs to access help for their mental health, is able to do so - at a...

25/05/2024

One of the most common questions I’m asked by both parents and children/young people is how to cope in a situation of distress and when experiencing anxiety. I will suggest grounding techniques to encourage them to refocus on the present moment and to distract from those difficult feelings 🤯

Not only does this distract the mind, but it distracts on a physical level too; it can reduce the heart rate and generally bring the body round from being in high alert🚨

My favourite is the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique, which I teach to my young clients during a session and then ask them to practice it at home. This mindful strategy is incredibly effective in reducing stress and anxiety.

👁️ Identify 5 things you can see…..

✋ 4 things you can feel…..

👂3 things you can hear…..

👃2 things you can smell…..

👄 and 1 thing you can taste

29/04/2024

💕 This week is Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week 💕

A week dedicated to spreading awareness of the effects that pregnancy, birth and the journey of motherhood can have on a woman’s mental health. The theme of this year is ‘Rediscovering You’ 🙋🏼‍♀️

A cause close to my heart as it’s the reason I retrained as a counsellor after I had my first daughter. Not being able to go back to my previous career, feeling lost, overwhelmed, without purpose yet with the biggest purpose I’d actually ever had.

This all further encouraged my interest in mental health and through this I was able to understand why I was feeling the way I was and how I could navigate through it.

Perinatal Mental Health Partnership have created this week dedicated to perinatal mental health with lots of helpful tools and videos online. Please take a look

25/03/2024

🌷Springtime 🌼

For many it is the time when the negative effects of the winter months start to ease. Low mood, lack of energy, irritability, difficulty concentrating and general loss of interest in pleasurable activities may have dominated the last few months for you. If that is the case then now is a great time to reflect and acknowledge how far you’ve come, that you got through this time and believe that you can grow from it.

It can be a very useful time to start (or restart) your therapeutic journey in whatever form that takes. With an increase in energy and more mental clarity, springtime can work wonders for the mind and body. Engage with nature, notice the new beginnings around you and start your own by planting seeds that will take you through the rest of the year 🌺🌱