This series tells fictional stories of the counselling journey. Drawn from our counsellors’ extensive experience, this story explores how a young teenager learns to name and handle complex emotions. At the Start 13-year-old Joe’s life, like that of many young teenagers, had been in significant turmoil since March. All of a sudden, half way through… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Coronavirus
Top tips for managing panic attacks
Panic attacks are increasingly common. They are also treatable and you can make a full recovery and never have another one. Whilst they can be very frightening they are not dangerous. Some of the things you may experience can be scary but remember these will pass. Panic attack symptoms include: racing heart sweaty hands breathing… Read more »
4 reasons why the man cave matters for mental health
Is escaping to your man cave a joke in your house ? Well here’s four reasons why it’s brilliant for your mental health. 1: It’s a place to be alone. Life is loud don’t underestimate the value of being on your own, surrounded only by your own noise. Choosing time on your own builds mental… Read more »
You are not alone: finding help in the face of suicidal thoughts
Often, when you have suicidal thoughts, you can think “I am alone.” We absolutely recognise how difficult things may be for you at the moment, and you may feel that things will never change, that you can’t tell anyone one what’s going on inside or that it all feels too much to manage. Please remember… Read more »
The Promise Jar: Help your kids turn sadness into hope
Our kids may be expressing sadness about lots of things at the moment, in lots of different ways – through anger, clinginess, regression… So how do we help them process their sadness and turn it into hope? In the below video, Caroline (our Clinical Superviser) talks about the power of a promise jar…
Mindfulness Resources: Recommended by our counsellors and you
Mindfulness is a great way of understanding and processing our emotions, particularly in times of high pressure, change and intensity – like this Covid-19 pandemic. These resources are a collection of recommendations from our counsellors, trustees and you! If you have a resource you would like to recommend, please get in touch with us on… Read more »
Bereavement during Covid-19
Relate counsellor Dee Holmes gives her advice for those who have experienced bereavement at this time. More and more of us are being affected directly by loss due to COVID-19, and Relate Northampton are here to help. Experiencing a loss during this season of lockdown is particularly traumatic. If you’re grieving a loved one and… Read more »
Looking after your child’s mental health: Good mental health during coronavirus
We and our children are having to come to terms with not being at school or seeing their friends, being separated from vulnerable family members, and for some not completing qualifications they’ve been working hard on all year. As parents, we can do so much to help our children develop good mental health practices. Here’s… Read more »
Caring for your community: Good mental health during coronavirus
Anxiety has a powerful pull. It pulls us into ourselves and our immediate world. It occupies our energy and our attention, and becomes the lens through which we see everything else. A great antidote to anxiety therefore is to look out for others. We all have vulnerable people in our communities, and a part of… Read more »
Practice Peace: Good mental health during coronavirus
Just as much as bad habits can feed anxiety, good habits can build peace in us. When you start avoiding a fear-feeder, replace it with a peace-builder. Start the day the right way. Make sure that the start of the day isn’t a potential fear-feeder like reading the news or browsing social media. Meditate, do… Read more »