Scribblings of a Psychotherapist

# FridayFacts: Myths About Psychotherapy, Counselling and Mental Health Support Mental health, emotional or psychological challenges affect millions of people around the world. However, unfortunately, myths and misconceptions about therapy and counselling often discourage people from seeking help and support. Such myths also contribute to the stigma surrounding mental health issues and prevent people from learning more about or utilising the services of trained mental health professionals, such as CBT therapists, psychotherapists, counsellor s and psychologists. The poster below helps to dispel some of these myths and conception and give you some 'facts' about therapy and counselling. If you are looking to access some psychotherapy, CBT therapy, counselling, stress management sessions or support, please feel free to browse our website or get in touch directly: www.citizen17therapy.co.uk www.eatingdisorderscotland.co.uk www.glasgowanxietydepression.co.uk...

Men and boys and anyone identifying with other genders experience eating disorders and disordered eating too. We really need to stop leaving out non-females and other genders from the conversation. Why? Because to do so means we are discriminating against others, developing 'female-friendly' services only and perpetuating a very biased and unrepresentative picture of eating disorders. This means lots of people are don't have their voice heard and don't receive support and und erstanding. Here at Talking EDs, we see males and those identifying with other genders, of all ages and backgrounds who experience a range of eating disorders and disordered eating. As humans, we all eat after all. So why wouldn't eating disorder/disordered eating affect non-females and those identifying with other genders. I personally find it puzzling why so many people are left our of the eating disorders/disordered eating conversation. Eating disorders do not discr...

How Bulimia Nervosa Affect the Body Eating disorders affect physical and psychological health, social life, work, education, relationships and much more. While many of the clients we work with express and talk about how bulimia, for instance, affects their mental health, their wellbeing and social life, they often disregard or are not aware of the physical implications of Bulimia Nervosa. Bulimia is a serious condition and it's really important to take note of the possible physical implications - both short term and long term - too. The infographic below illustrates some of the potential physical risks associated with Bulimia. www.eatingdisorderscotland.co.uk support@eatingdisorderscotland.co.uk

 #FridayFacts: The Emotional Cup This week's # FridayFacts look at 'The Emotional Cup'. It's really important that we do what we can as parents, teachers, aunties and uncles, grandparents, friends, healthcare staff and as any other significant person in a child's life, to help ensure their 'Emotional Cup' is filled, as much as is possible.  Why? Because being soothed appropriately, being taken seriously, having feelings and experiences validated, being made to feel worthy and important and knowing that someone cares for them and that they feel protected, helps a child build their self-esteem and self-compassion, helps grow their identity, values and self-worth, helps them to manage and regulate feelings and emotions more appropriately and ensures they are more resilient and able to deal with stress, loss, conflict, distress and much more in the future, as adults. We see so many people in psychotherapy, counselling and psychology ...

# FridayFacts: Anxiety and Panic This week's 'facts' this week focus on some of the differences and similarities between anxiety and panic. Hope you find the poster below interesting! Feel free to get in touch for support, therapy, CBT, counselling, support, consultations, more information or to access some talking support if you are experiencing anxiety or panic (or want support with something else). We have male and female therapists and counsellors. Day-time, evening and weekend appointment are also available at our offices in Glasgow city centre. If you want to start doing something about how you are feeling, or about unwanted thoughts you might have or maybe even some unhelpful or harmful habits or behaviours that are affecting how you feel, your life, your work or perhaps your relationships, then get in touch and start taking action now. The sooner you get support, the sooner you will begin to feel better and more able to cope. Most of us wi...

#FridayFacts: Excessive, Obsessive or Compulsive Exercise     This week's #FridayFacts look at some of the signs to look out for with Excessive, Obsessive or Compulsive Exercise. We often see these signs and symptoms in individuals experienving eating disorders/disordered eating, but also also in clients who have BDD or body image concerns, anxiety, OCD and stress-related problems. Excessive or compulsive exercising is an often overlooked component of eating disorders/disordered eating. That said, I have met people who experience obsessive or compulsive exercising but who don't experience an eating disorder/disordered eating. Whatever the case might be, while we are frequently told how good exercise is for our health and wellbeing, like many other things, 'too much' exercise or exercising in an obsessive or compulsive way can be unhealthy and even cause physical and mental health problems in the long term. Whether you wish to call it ov...

#MondayMotivation This week's #MondayMotivation focuses on 'The Tricky Brain'. We often talk about this is therapy and counselling and it can really help clients to see that many of the problems they blame themselves for are not their fault: the old part of our brain hasn't kept up and presents us with all sort of problems. Basically, the hardware and software in certain parts of our brain haven't updated, through no fault of our own, making things quite tricky for us, especially when it comes to anxiety, worry, panic and stress. So, parts of the brains operating system, built to help us many 1000s of year ago haven't updated, yet we still live out lives according to that old, outdated operating system. If you don't update your phone or laptop, it starts causing problems over time, right? Certain parts of the brain are the same. However, we can't reach into the brain and tinker about with those parts that haven't evolved so...

 #FRIDAYFACTS: Resilience The 'facts' this week look at 'Resilience'. Have a look at the poster and try making a weekly goal to incorporate one of the tasks into your daily/weekly routine to improve your resilience. Personalise it to you, make it fun, if you can! Feel free to get in touch via the website or email if you are looking for help, support or to access services. Our experienced, encouraging and warm therapists and counsellors can support you in developing resilience, managing stress and anxiety, developing confidence and assertiveness and help you to work towards improving your life in many ways. We are here to listen, support and guide you. Take care and have a great weekend. www.citizen17therapy.co.uk support@citizen17therapy.co.uk

This week's # FridayFacts focus on 'Grounding Techniques'. Grounding techniques are a set of tools used to assist you to stay in the present moment during episodes of intense anxiety or other over-whelming emotions. Staying in the present moment allows people to feel safe and in-control by focusing on the physical world and how they experience it. Grounding is easy to do. Just focus on some aspect of the physical world, rather than on your internal thoughts and feelings (see some suggestions in the info-graphic below). Focus on the present rather than the past. Practice your grounding techniques so that they will come naturally when you are upset or anxious. Try a variety of techniques and rate the effectiveness of each technique in keeping you calm. Have others assist you in using these techniques by reminding you to practice them and use them as soon as you are feeling emotionally. The info-graphic below illustrates only a couple of groundin...

 #FRIDAYFACTS: Night Eating Syndrome   This week's #FridayFacts focus on Night Eating Syndrome (NES). This is a lesser known form of eating disorder/disorder, despite being first recognised and written about by Stunkard in 1951. We've had clients who have tackled NES and gone on to improve their relationship with food, develop more helpful eating habits and improve life generally. Here's some of the signs and symptoms of Night Eating Syndrome: * Not formally classified as ED, but acknowledged as form of ED. More people are now speaking about their experiences with NES. * NES first discussed by Albert Stunkard in 1951. He characterised it as ‘ongoing and persistent pattern of overeating late at night’. * In NES, there is a lack appetite in the morning and afternoon, but the person engages in overeating late at night and during the night, when they frequently awaken to overeat. * Those experiencing NES tend not...